36
applications: QA
lot of the time, vision systems are goalkeepers. Manufacturers put them there to stop faulty products reaching the customer, but then fundamentally they go back and look at the process to try and improve it. I suppose their ultimate goal is not to have the vision system at all, but that their product is of the right quality anyway.’ IVS has developed a vision solution for Mahle
Filter Systems to determine whether the plastic engine manifolds Mahle produces, and more specifically the bolt holes used to mount the manifold to the engine and the blow-by pipe that makes up part of the manifold, are within spec. The solution involved illuminating the part with high-intensity LED lighting. The width of the blow-by pipe, which is designed to vent gasses while the engine is running, is first measured to ensure the accuracy of the flow-moulding process. This is followed by measurements of the bolt holes, whereby three FireWire cameras each image three holes so that the distances between the holes can be calculated. As images are captured, a calibration routine
programmed in the NeuroCheck software determines the real-world values that make
up each pixel. Each manifold is presented to the vision system as it emerges from the flow moulding machine. ‘The main issue with this application is that the part is inspected when hot; a warm part will have different tolerances to the cool part,’ notes Yardley. The parts are inspected at hourly intervals and, because the
‘Vision is used to detect defects such as gouges in the induction sealing surface’
amount of shrinkage is known, the system applies calibration coefficients to account for it. This allows the system to alert the operator to any problems in the injection moulding process.
100 per cent inspection The reasons for implementing 100 per cent inspection for the automotive sector is to ensure the quality of the parts supplied. ‘Automotive manufacturers are requiring tighter tolerances and their quality standards have increased,’ states Mayer of Bead Industries. ‘They can’t afford to have costly production downtimes
and rejections; this is why Bead decided to implement vision and we haven’t shipped any parts out of spec to date.’ In terms of the food sector, vision is used to
ensure a quality item reaches the supermarket shelves, whether that’s through ensuring labels are correctly applied or that the packaging is of a high standard. For example, yogurt or other products that spoil have to be tightly sealed within a container. Vision is used to detect defects such as gouges in the induction sealing surface, which could cause leakage or air contamination. ‘It boils down to the product image and the
product brand,’ says McLean at Mettler Toledo CI-Vision. ‘The manufacturers have spent a lot of money on the brand and building a quality image of the product. A product recall can be catastrophic, not only for the cost of the faulty goods, but also for the damage to the brand image. No one wants to buy a product that’s half full or leaking. For all those reasons it’s critical that manufacturers employ machine vision. In addition, there is the liability side of product inspection – damaged or incorrect labels can be very expensive errors.’
Dn’t lse yur reslutin!
MEGAPIXEL TESTWEEKS NOW!
Make sure that sensors receive all the information. Test the megapixel and anti-shading lenses from Schneider- Kreuznach now. Call +49 671 601-205 or send an e-mail to
testweeks@schneiderkreuznach.com and you will receive all the megapixel test information. DON’T LOSE YOUR RESOLUTION – TEST THE MEGA BEST!
The 5-megapixel lenses Apo-Xenoplan 1.4/23 and 1.8/35 have been developed for use with 2/3" sensors with
a pixel size of 3.4 m. It is their high optical performance and robustness, also in demanding industrial appli- cations, as well as their longevity with very low maintenance, which distinguish these Schneider-Kreuznach lenses in particular. ///
www.schneiderkreuznach.com
RZ_SK_10023_AZ_Megapixel_219_137_engl.indd 1
20.08.10 17:59
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60