FEATURE Machine vision
Picture source: Kistler Group
Vision systems from Kistler ensure 100 percent quality inspection of safety-critical parts at seat-belt component manufacturer Plogsties
A
irbags and seatbelts save lives in an emergency if all components function perfectly and trigger safety mechanisms reliably.
Plogsties, an expert in safety-relevant serial and connecting parts, achieves zero-defect production with the support of vision systems from Kistler. As a result, the company produces 420 million parts a year that meet the strict quality requirements of the automotive industry.
Seat belts can be a lifesaver during an accident as long as the rivet in the seatbelt buckle provides enough grip. This mass- produced safety-relevant component is connected to the seat by a steel cable and triggers the safety mechanism in a fraction of a second after an abrupt stop or impact. Plogsties GmbH, a family business near Hamburg, is an expert in such safety-relevant series and connecting parts. Its portfolio includes cold-forging parts, stamping parts, precision-turned and milled parts, laser and welding parts, heat-treatment systems and more. The majority of these are used in airbag and seatbelt systems globally and are subject to strict automotive quality requirements. “We inspect and sort around 420 million parts each year to ensure they meet the quality requirements. Zero-defect is absolutely critical to guarantee maximum customer satisfaction. Kistler is our valuable partner in this respect,” explained Andrea Leicht, Managing Director at Plogsties. Since 1994, Plogsties has grown continuously together with Kistler. It now employs 23 Kistler inspection systems to achieve 100-percent quality assurance. At Plogsties, the KVC 821 vision system and other modular standalone test cells ensure
INSPECTING SAFETY-CRITICAL PARTS
seamless quality. Alternatively, the vision systems can be integrated directly into production lines if required. Classic and 2.5D image acquisition, Shape from Shading and, of course, 3D technology ensure quality for all requirements. The integrated KiVision image- processing software checks safety-critical parts such as the seatbelt buckle for possible defects and monitors their dimensional stability, contours and surface quality. The system is also equipped with a rotating glass plate, which allows Plogsties to carry out an large quantities. The KiVision software forms the heart of the vision systems and enables simple set-up a wide range of tools and macros and ensures sub-pixel algorithms. Connection to MES systems, the company network and use at the PC workstation are also possible. The vision inspection tasks on the hardware side, for
INSPECTING SAFETY-CRITICAL PARTS
example with a rotating glass plate, robot handling or individual feeding and sorting. technology available on the market. And we, too, take the same approach so we can pass technological advantages on to our customers,” said Roman Kraus, who is now responsible for operating the testing systems together with his team of four colleagues at Plogsties. “By drawing on our experience, we’re often able to convert the systems to new parts ourselves. But Kistler can always be called in or even perform necessary module for hardness testing, for example, neither presents any problems. And yet another very positive aspect of Kistler is that hardware and software come from one single source, so we have only one point of contact.” At Plogsties, development never stands still, and an older Kistler system is currently being replaced by a new one. This is also part meet new quality requirements. Thanks to the skills it has built up over decades, Plogsties also supports its customers with designing new parts and with engineering. Andrea Leicht concluded: “We will Personal contact is very important to us. Only with Kistler can we guarantee 100 percent inspections and zero defects in the long term.”
Kistler
www.kistler.com
32 May 2025 | Automation
automationmagazine.co.uk
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
