88
MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Mectron releases new fi rst
article inspection machine
In the manufacturing of fasteners or cylindrical components, fi rst article Inspection controls the fl ow of
your manufacturing process, affects your quality and requires a vast number of employees to perform the
inspections, says Scott Corrunker of the Mectron Engineering Company.
In today’s world, fi rst article inspection is performed utilizing a wide range of devices and gauges. The most common are a series of
techniques that have been around for decades: the optical comparator, vision cameras, laser mics, calipers, micrometers, etc. Many of these
gauges require the efforts of handwritten or manual entry into reports and spreadsheets. The accuracy depends upon the operators’ use of
the gauging device in the QC lab and the machine operators that perform the measurements during the manufacturing of the components.
Upon completion of the manufacturing process, parts are then shipped to the customer and their quality control department performs
receiving inspection, which is subject to their own interpretation of the gauges used at their facility. Many costs and disputes arise between
the manufacturer and end users based on these techniques.
Mectron has developed an advanced First Article Inspection System to solve these gauging disputes. The First Scan 150R is a non-contact
fully automatic precision measuring system designed for cylindrical components. The major benefi t of this technology is the ability to
perform non-contact measurements with accuracy and speed. It is also easily networked to provide data to a variety of SPC formats.
The First Scan 150R utilizes a telecentric backlight illuminator to produce a high contrast silhouette of the workpiece to be inspected.
The illuminator increases edge contrast and measurement accuracy designed specifi cally for gauging applications. The silhouette from the
workpiece passes through lenses that are computer designed for the best possible results in critical projection. The images are received by
a high resolution digital line scan camera that can take measurement data from the part at rates of over 14,000 updates per second. This
data is collected by 8,160 sensitive pixels that can detect changes in the light pattern at sub-micron resolution. During the scanning process,
a calibration cone (which is incorporated into the workpiece holder) provides the basis for all measurements to be automatically provided
by the machine. The First Scan 150R self-calibrates on a certifi ed precision cone. The calibration cone can be certifi ed once per year by an
outside company like any other gauge pin or gauge block set used in a factory.
Once the part image is scanned, an unlimited number of measurement zones can be pre-set along with the corresponding dimensional
specifi cations and control limits. Each measurement zone allows you to input minimum and maximum tolerances, control limits, and displays
actual measurement output by the machine. Specifi c thread tolerances are provided automatically via drop-down features for all standard
and metric thread sizes. The custom reporting feature provides a visual graph that indicates where
the measurement falls within the pre-set tolerances and control limits.
The First Scan 150R scans the part utilizing two separate
servo drives. The fi rst scans the part on the linear axis for
geometric tolerances of features like diameter, width, radii,
angles, threads, etc. The second rotates and scans the part
on the radial axis and inspects for concentricity, fl ats, hex,
perpendicularity and cylindricity, providing 360º capabilities.
The First Scan 150R is capable of inspecting parts up to
35mm in diameter and lengths up to 150mm.
Fastener + Fixing Magazine • Issue 61 January 2010
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