Optimised inspection means complete product confidence

Optimised inspection means complete product confidence

When SAT needed to improve quality control and eliminate defects, they turned to Primeconcept, a Cognex vision partner who helped them to deploy DVT vision sensors on their production lines. With fully automated stamping lines and quality control machines –inspection using vision systems for material and for stamped parts is essential.

SAT, an Italian company based in Sicily and in Morocco, has been producing mechanical parts for the automotive industry since 1983. In 1985 the company diversified into producing lead frames for electronic devices for the electronics and automotive industry and in 2007 founded their specialist tool making department. Their speciality knowledge plus their highly trained staff makes SAT a valued, strategic supplier of global industries and their major players. Important international customers with applications in automotive, consumer and telecommunications rely on SAT to supply lead frames, plates for electronic engines, crimps and lugs (used for electrical connectors) and spare parts for stamping tools for design and construction.

SAT can’t afford to disappoint their customers, who have important applications in the automotive, consumer and telecommunications sectors among others and rely upon SAT products to be in perfect condition.

SAT had tried vision systems before. Having experimented with several suppliers, it was only when Primeconcept, a trusted Cognex partner, recommended DVT vision systems from Cognex that they found the solution they were looking for.

Cognex vision systems provided the necessary range of vision tools for SAT’s varied applications.  After testing, they found that the Cognex products guaranteed them reliable inspection and solutions at a lower overall cost even when considering installation, system set-up and maintenance.

A reliable, fast solution
Prior to installing Cognex vision sensors, SAT relied on the press operator to carry out the visual inspection. As well as this a statistical control was performed using a profile projector. This last inspection has two disadvantages when compared with using a vision system. Firstly, being statistical, it is time consuming and secondly it uses up valuable human resources.

Inspect surfaces, dimensions, positions while maintaining a high production turnover
DVT cameras are installed along the automated line that is stamping lead frames at a speed of up to 600 strokes per minute. The DVT range provides different models which are used in this application at various points. The DVT cameras, depending on the type of the defect, can manage the scrap of the defective pieces, or in the worst case, stop the line alerting the operator.

The DVT 540 is used to perform all the feasibility study on new products, as well as for dimensional inspection after the stamping tool and before the packaging line.

The DVT 554C is used for inspection of dimension and the positioning of plated areas and the DVT 552C is deployed to ensure there are no oxidation stains or plating blurs.

They are also now capable of performing complete surface inspection of 64 HiQuad lead frames, a complicated package for applications in the automotive industry.

In this application the vision systems treat up to 700 images per minute with a minimum dimension FOV of 14×10.5mm and a maximum dimension FOV of 60×45 mm allowing SAT to maintain their maintain a fast lead frame production line with high turnover dedicated to mass production.

Benefits and results – satisfied customers, optimised resources
SAT has been able to achieve an almost zero rate of rejected pieces while maintaining fast lead frame production. This has meant improved customer relations, reduced customer support. As well as this they have been able to optimise their use of human resources.

About SAT Group
SAT, an Italian company based in Sicily and in Morocco, has been producing mechanical parts for the automotive industry since 1983. In 1985 the company diversified into producing lead frames for electronic devices for the electronics and automotive industry and in 2007 founded their specialist toll making department. Their speciality knowledge plus their highly trained staff makes SAT a valued, strategic supplier of global industries and their major players. Important international customers with applications in automotive, consumer and telecommunications rely on SAT to supply lead frames, plates for electronic engines, crimps and lugs (used for electrical connectors) and spare parts for stamping tools for design and construction.

About Primeconcept
Primeconcept is specialized in hi-tech solutions for industrial automation. We are partner of global leading manufacturers like Cognex, for whom we work as distributor and automation solution provider. Our main commitment consists of offering reliable products and support services to our customers.
We use to give priority to technological innovation, but we only deal with products which may guarantee long-term robustness and availability. At Primeconcept we cooperate with a qualified network of partners and system integrators to supply our customers with tailored turnkey solutions. We base our job on a deep know-how of factory automation processes and expert personnel, able to support our customers during any step of a project deployment, taking special care to minimize time-to-market. Our staff involves both sales and technical engineers with over 20 years collective machine vision experience, especially on Cognex Vision systems.

Quality control and assembly verification for automotive lines using Vision Sensors

Cognex vision standard solution on automotive assembly lines

For ThyssenKrupp Krause GmbH based in Bremen, Germany , a company competing on a global scale, using vision to optimise quality control throughout the production line creates key advantages in terms of quality and cost-efficiency.

The company has a successful track record as a supplier of complex automation technology developing and manufacturing assembly lines for the automotive industry. Thyssen knew they would have to create an added value on their production lines in order to satisfy their customers and maintain global success. They decided to turn to vision technology. Why did they choose Cognex as their supplier?

Quality comes first: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link
The automotive industry and its suppliers have strict requirements with respect to the reliability, cost-efficiency and quality of production facilities. If recommending the integration of technologies such as vision to the production line from the start, ThyssenKrupp needs to be sure that the quality control they are deploying down the line is 100% reliable. The result is an optimised quality assurance system throughout the assembly line (Integrated Quality Assurance, IQA) which integrates relevant company communication and database management. Based on the idea that “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link”, the IQA requirements are very strict.

Vision technology has become a central element of the quality assurance system and an important factor in the optimisation of different production steps.
When choosing a vision supplier ThyssenKrupp Krause wanted to satisfy 3 major criteria:
-100% reliable vision tools and algorithms
-User-friendly operation and installation
-Quality, global technical support

Cognex vision: the global solution
When they chose Cognex, the company found a globally-oriented partner who was able to meet these requirements far more effectively than any competitors. “This company has already installed hundreds of thousands of systems throughout the world, is extremely experienced and offers an highly efficient international support program”, notes Dr. Trittin, who was involved in the decision to select Cognex as a supplier.

Six years of successful vision solutions and more to come
Between 2001 and the end of 2006, more than 320 vision sensors from the In-Sight product family and around 24 PC-based systems with VisionPro were integrated at the Bremen site. In 2007 alone, the Bremen site will have installed a total of 120 In-Sight sensors. For example, several in-Sight vision sensors are placed on robotic arms on the assembly line in order to verify engine motor assembly.

Why does this company place so much trust in one single supplier of vision sensors?

A vision solution for any application in challenging industrial environments
Complex production lines demand a wide range of vision tasks to be reliably carried out. These tasks are largely concerned with quality control. The working environment can prove challenging and so robust vision systems that could withstand variable lighting conditions or a dusty atmosphere were required. Cognex can supply a reliable vision solution for almost any task based on their library of vision tools including powerful software such as PatMax™. PatMax is integrated into both the new In-Sight vision sensors and PC-based VisionPro systems. PatMax uses the basic geometric structures of objects such as edges, dimensions, shapes, angles, curves and shading to localise them. By analysing the geometrical data of features and their spatial relationship to each other Patmax can define the position of an object while coping with changes in the position, orientation or scale. Other Cognex vision tools are based on this technology including PatInspect™ , PatFlex™ and OCVMax™ - a system for advanced character verification. This base of proven, precision tools are part of a range of Cognex products guaranteeing advantages that are easy for the customers of ThyssenKrupp Krause to understand.

Product-focused flexibility
ThyssenKrupp needs be able to accommodate the wide variety of different product models manufactured by their customers. Therefore the vision system must also be flexible. The company maintains an in-house vision laboratory where staff produce feasibility studies and develop solutions for difficult tasks that require advanced vision applications. Throughout the process chain, all vision applications are connected as part of the quality assurance system allowing requirements for complete traceability to be met. Product traceability is, however, only one part of the quality management system. 2D code readers are used on a production line to trace which part was installed while other readers are used to determine the correct part for assembly. For example, injection pumps of a particular kind are matched to the corresponding injection nozzle control module. This prevents production errors further down the production line.

Ease-of use
Staff at the plant are not machine vision experts. The vision systems must therefore be easy to operate. Cognex applications and their parameters can be easily adapted by means of simple set-up. The development environment is intuitive and the vision tools are integrated with the production controllers. The In-Sight Explorer development environment is a reliable, convenient solution for programming networks of vision sensors and integrating them into the automation process and into company communications. The fact that they communicate via an integrated Ethernet interface makes them easy to use and is familiar ground for users.

A global network
Customers of ThyssenKrupp Krause are based all over the world and may also have subsidiaries in different countries. It is not uncommon to have a system integrator working on site. As a result, the global aspect and easy integration of the vision system supplier is critical. Cognex has a diverse network of system integrators based all around the world adding security to a customer investment and ensuring the same vision hardware and software products are used everywhere. Components can be replaced at any time improving flexibility and cost-efficiency.

Building on vision success: next stop – aircraft assembly
Cognex vision products are now standard offerings on all assembly lines delivered to customers. Thanks to their experience in developing complete production lines with IQA for the automotive industry ThyssenKrupp Krause now intends to use its expertise and technical capabilities in other industries. For a year, the company has been working on projects for the aviation industry with the aim of developing production lines for the complete assembly of aircraft segments. The integration of a quality management system and the corresponding organisational structures are also important factors. The company has also developed and produced complete systems for logistics companies which are able to carry out fully automated unloading of containers.

Defect-free parts in 360 degrees

A demanding market place needs the right vision systems for quality inspection
Meccancotecnica Umbra manufactures seals for pumps for the circulation of the anti-freeze liquid in combustion motors. The production cycle runs at about 3 turns per every 8 hours. The automotive sector is a demanding one. Parts destined for the marketplace need to be 100% without defect and capable of standing up to difficult working environments. Meccanotecnica Umbra realised that they needed a reliable and confirmed quality control solution for the inspection of their parts while in the production phase. After trying various vision suppliers they finally found the solution they needed in the In-Sight 5000 range from Cognex.

The search for the right vision solution
In the automotive sector every component must be capable of withstanding difficult environmental conditions (vibrations, variations in temperature, wind, rain, etc.) Generally different types of pump are used which need to support about 3 bars worth of pressure in order to guarantee the perfect workings of the entire vehicle.  So, it makes sense that manufacturers would seek a top of the range quality inspection before the pieces leave the factory floor.  Meccancotecnica Umbra decided to use a vision sensor in order to satisfy the demanding standards of quality required by the market.

Having chosen a particular vision company they started testing vision sensors. After an initial testing phase it was necessary to admit that for various reasons including system limitations and a lack of support from the supplier led to it never getting past the testing phase. The quality inspection of the production cycle was thus continued manually by personnel with all of the limitations this kind of manual inspection can imply.

In-Sight 5400 for the inspection of automotive components
Luckily, soon after, technical experts at Meccancotecnica participated in a Cognex vision seminar and afterward explained their requirements to Cognex asking for a feasibility study for a potential project for quality inspection to check each product passing through their production lines. The solution was developed by TEC, a partner system integrator (PSI) of Cognex for central Italy. The PSI network is specially selected and trained by Cognex to deliver turnkey solutions for vision and identification applications. They proposed they use the In-Sight 5400 from Cognex as well as 2 Cognex In-Sight 5401 readers.

Every seal; depending on the type and the dimension, is made up of 9 components of a different nature such as carbon, steel springs, silicon, etc. which are then mechanically assembled on an automated line.  After the assembly phase, before the pieces are sent to be stacked for distribution, they are sent to 3 different inspection stations.

A 360° inspection in just a few seconds
At the first inspection station, an In-Sight 5400, takes 24 snapshots of each fully rotating piece in only 2 seconds in order to verify the external profile of the seal in a complete 360° inspection.

The second inspection post continues the inspection of the still rotating piece using ten snapshots learned by the camera checking the surfaces of the various parts that make up the seal and verifying their functional aspects.

The third station performs 2 inspections on the seal which is no longer rotating. In the first, the internal part of the same seal is inspected in about 250 milliseconds and in the second, it is checked whether the product is properly stamped with the model number, the lot number, the company logo and the production date. This is done in less then 600 milliseconds.

Quickly installed and easy to use
The application was developed and installed by TEC in record time; in only 20 days it had been confirmed that the system was capable of working correctly on the prototypes. The installation in the factory was done within a week plus the time it took for the training of the personnel in the use and maintenance of the entire system.

In-Sight readers for optimal production inspection
The reliability of the In-Sight vision systems, their capacity to adapt to the varying environmental conditions as well as the powerful vision tools available for Cognex vision sensors allowed TEC to establish a long lasting relationship with the client.  Considering the advantages, Meccanotecnica has already shown their intention to adopt similar solutions to optimise the quality of other productive processes.
About Meccanotecnica
Meccanotecnica Umbra was founded in 1966 and in October 1992 took the legal form of a joint stock company.  Since its conception, its production has been based almost exclusively on the manufacture of mechanical face seals for electro-pumps, initially for home appliances and for diverse and light industrial appliances. A few years later, MTU entered into the automotive field, manufacturing seals for pumps for the circulation of the anti-freeze liquid in combustion motors. The development of the company over time has been characterised by the continuous growth of its production and exports. For several years, the percentage of exports has been around 40% of total revenues, distributed throughout 50 countries, where high-level competitive recognition was attained for the products in an increasingly global market.

New In-Sight Micro boosts automotive suppliers’ production

New In-Sight Micro boosts automotive suppliers’ production

…. “Using the new Cognex In-Sight Micro vision sensor with its compact size and high performance, has ensured our customer can build their parts safe in the knowledge that there will be no product defects due to appliqué clipping.”  Visteon, based in Portugal, is using the new In-Sight Micro from Cognex as recommended and installed by Cognex specialist partner integrator Alphr Technology, based in the UK, to optimize the production of automotive control panels.

Wanted – pinpoint precision Visteon is a leading supplier to the top automotive manufacturers in the world. With their business covering a number of key areas including Climate Control, Electronics, Interiors and Lighting, there is no room for error in product delivery. Amongst an impressive product range within their electronics business, Visteon supplies instrument panels for many executive car models across Europe. One vital element of the panel involves the appliqué, a plastic sheet incorporating the speedo and tacho markings. Each appliqué must be clipped into position with pinpoint precision; otherwise the vibration from driving the car could make the appliqué move, resulting in the incorrect speed and revs being shown.

High volume production requires a powerful vision solution
To ensure accurate assembly verification, it was time to bring in a powerful vision system which could not only could cope with Visteon’s high-volume panel production but also fit within the confines of the allocated space.

The partner of choice
Ensuring the most capable and cost-effective vision system would be used; Visteon called upon its trusted vision technology supplier Alphr Technology Ltd. Based in the UK, Alphr Technology has been working with Visteon for a number of years and had previously installed similar lines at their plant in Portugal, as well as other factories across Hungary, Mexico and India. Offering a complete solution, Alphr would design, build, programme and retro-fit the system on-site at their facility in Portugal.

Precision inspection with the In-Sight Micro
Having assessed the project requirements, Alphr selected Cognex’s brand new high-performance In-Sight® Micro to achieve the required inspection rates. Launched earlier this year and measuring just 30mm x 30mm x 60mm, the In-Sight Micro is a unique and powerful vision system, specifically designed to offer outstanding performance as well as fit within confined areas, a common issue in many production facilities.

This new system would also complement two existing Cognex In-Sight 1000 cameras, successfully inspecting pointer alignment for the speedo, tacho, fuel and temperature gauges on each instrument panel.

The production line
To cope with customer demand, two identical production lines were required, running simultaneously in three x 8 hour shifts, 5 days a week, producing 2000 parts per day. Two In-Sight Micro vision sensors are fitted per production line and are mounted onto a FlexLink frame with LED spot lights mounted alongside the cameras.

Both production lines assemble the PCB with the necessary plastics and LCDs and fully test the parts. Using PatMax®, Cognex’s industry-leading geometric pattern matching technology, the cameras search for two plastic pips positioned at 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock on each appliqué’s white circle. If these pips are obscured, the appliqué is sitting on top of the clip rather than behind it and is therefore not affixed correctly. The power of the PatMax software ensures each feature is located despite any process variation.

Each part is manually loaded onto the rig by an operator and then removed once the inspection is complete. Results are viewed on a PC monitor using a test program written in Visual Basic 6. Failure tickets are printed for the operators and all results are sent to a factory CIM system to monitor performance. Any defective parts are manually removed from the rig, once the operator has pressed the ‘reject acknowledgement’ key.

Success breeds success!
Speed of production has been unaffected despite the new inspection requirement; as the In-Sight Micros inspect each appliqué in a fraction of a second, ensuring production and optimum throughput remains constant. Declan McCabe, Applications Engineer at Alphr Technology was responsible for the electrical design, software development and installation. “Visteon was so impressed with the success of this project; they have requested a quotation for an identical system on another production line.”

Assembly line upgrade boosts profitability

Cognex In-Sight® sensors checking the quality of laser welds at Renault - Sandouville

Cognex Corporation (NASDAQ: CGNX), the world’s leading supplier of vision systems, sensors and bar code readers presents an application of industrial vision in the automobile industry. Operating at Renault’s factory at Sandouville, this application involves checking laser weld imperfections that sometimes cause an assembled vehicle to be sent to the scrapyard. Here is an example of what can be obtained by using industrial vision to do quality checks before adding value to parts on a production line.

The Renault LHA factory is located in the Haute Normandie region, in the town of Sandouville, and more precisely in the port and industrial estate of Le Havre (in the Seine-Maritime Department). This sizeable bodywork-assembly plant is specialised in the manufacture of top-of-the-range vehicles: the Laguna line of automobiles, the Vel Satis and Espace IV. As the main production plant for these vehicles, it occupies a total surface area of 152 hectares, 60 hectares of which is built on, and employs nearly 6000 people.

The site includes four manufacturing departments: pressing, sheet metal, paintwork and assembly, along with eight departments and sections carrying out support functions. The production capacity is 1900 vehicles per day. The Sandouville factory was the Renault Group’s first bodywork-assembly plant to receive ISO 14001* certification in December 1998.

The vision application presented here was set up in the pressing workshop. This workshop produces sheet metal parts that make up the body shell of the vehicles. It mainly comprises cutting lines, assembly and sheet welding points, as well as sheet presses which make up the various bodywork components. The pressing workshop supplies the sheet metal workshop which carries out the assembly of the various parts of the body shell. This then passes on to the paint shop before final assembly.

The vision system installed is designed for checking the right and left sides of the body shell of the Laguna cars. The same installation is therefore able to check four different parts.

Each side of the body shell is made up of two parts which have been assembled by laser welding. It is around the weld that defects can appear and need to be detected. While the various pressing operations – which give the part its shape – are being carried out, clear or partial breaks can be produced. As the parts are stored manually at the end of the line, those parts showing such faults are easy to spot and remove.

It is not so easy to spot when the faults are small holes, some of which can measure less than 3/10th of a millimetre, which form along the bead of the weld. If the presence of these holes is not detected at the end of the line, and if the part is not removed, breaks can be produced during shaping, causing numerous problems which can have serious effects on the productivity of the assembly line. Sometimes minute holes are enough to give the bodywork an unsightly appearance after the paintwork has been done.

If these defects are not detected before the vehicle is assembled, the consequences can be financially very expensive as it is very difficult to repair…and sometimes there is no other choice but to send the chassis to the scrapyard.

Checking the welding was previously done by several operators who had to struggle to handle parts of a considerable size and weight: the sides of the body shell measure around 3.4 metres in length, 1.6 metres wide and weigh nearly 30kg. To carry out the operation, they used to place a light source on one side of the part and check from the other side that the light did not pass through, showing breaks or holes in the part. This form of control, even when it was done in the optimum way, cannot highlight holes of a very small diameter.

Numerous defective parts passed through these checks, so a solution had to be found which was capable of putting a stop to this situation while carrying out a continual and reliable check of the lower body shells.

At Renault Sandouville, Patrice Dumont is the Automated Systems Manager. He is part of the DIVD (the decentralised vehicle engineering department) Pressing Section, attached to the Renault Technocentre at Saint Quentin in Yvelines.

Some time before, Patrice Dumont had the opportunity to attend a seminar given by the machine vision company: Cognex. He realised that vision systems, which are used widely in industry were a better alternative to other control procedures, and that they could be the solution to the problem. They reduce the difficulty of certain tasks that are normally carried out by operators. Not being affected by tiredness like the human eye, they continually work guaranteeing quality and improving productivity.

Patrice Dumont decided to evaluate a solution based on industrial vision systems and an integrator of the Renault Sandouville factory was called in. It was necessary to be sure that this type of check could be suitably carried out with a vision system and a prototype could be quickly produced for a first test. Several vision systems manufacturers were called upon. Cognex was the most reactive, and it was the In-Sight® vision sensors range which were chosen for the operation.

In July 2002 the prototype was tested. The trials proved very conclusive: the tests carried out were 100% correct. The Cognex In-Sight vision sensors detected all the faults. Terms and Conditions were drawn up and a first test bench was ordered. It was specified that the system should be capable of detecting holes with a diameter of 3/10th of a millimetre. In reality, the system would demonstrate that it could do better than that.

The first test bench was put into service around mid-2003. A second test bench, with smaller dimensions, was ordered later for checking the side frames of several vehicles (Laguna, Vel Satis and Espace) on another line. Each test bench has 4 Cognex In-Sight vision sensors.

The body shell side test bench

The first test bench is a metal frame around 5 metres long and 2 metres wide, weighing 5 tonnes, with a 5cm thick platform holding the structures on which the parts to be checked are placed, along with a backlighting system with LED indicators. The test bench was put in place by a bridge at the end of the pressing line each time the manufacture of the Laguna lower body shell is started up.

Four Cognex In-Sight 1000 cameras, each placed in protective casing, are positioned at the top, over the platform, on the cross support beam. A control screen is fixed on one side of the test bench, in a box where the control system is also installed. A marking system for defective parts is fitted at the other end.

The parts to be checked – body shell sides – measure around 3.4 metres long, 1.6 metres wide, and weigh nearly 30kg. They are put onto the supports provided for this purpose on the test bench by a robot. There are two areas to be checked. The target areas measure approximately 10 centimetres in length, by 5 centimetres wide, with a covering. Two of the cameras are inclined at 45 °, the part forming a U-shape over the welded area.

The cameras are able to detect very low light levels coming from the backlighting system and passing through any holes, some of which are only a tenth of a millimetre in diameter.

If the part is declared sound, this is displayed on the control screen. If the part is defective, it is also displayed on the screen, a red light comes on at the end of the line for each fault, and finally, the part is marked by a jet of ink which stops it from being used.

The speed of the control carried out on the line was a determining factor of the project: all the operations – positioning the part, capture and analysis of the image, detection and marking could not reduce the production rate in any case. At this stage, the Cognex systems proved their worth: the production rate specified in the Terms and Conditions was 900 parts per hour; the current production rate is 420 parts per hour for the body shell sides and 850 parts per hour for the side frames.

The system is connected to a PC fitted with a hard drive for saving the photos of the defective parts detected over one year. This procedure allows the problems encountered to be analysed at a later date; it contributes in ensuring the traceability of parts and for monitoring the various shifts (days, hours, cameras 1 and 2…).

Simplicity of operation

The aim of this project was to find a method and a system for automating the checking of welds. The principle of the checks relies on the backlighting of the area to be inspected. Resorting to a camera for seeing if rays of light cross through the welded area was logical. However, in order to “industrialise” the solution, there were still several points to be checked: firstly that the tools for processing the images acquired were efficient enough – i.e. precise and reliable – to recognise all the types of faults, including those difficult to detect with the naked eye, and secondly to carry out a 100% check without reducing the speed of production.

“We had to teach the system what faults were to be identified”, stated Patrice Dumont. “That was done progressively, at the same time that we were familiarising ourselves with the system. Once the system had memorised the type of fault, the recognition rate was 99.99%”, he added.

The main concern which had to be overcome concerned the ambient lighting. Because of the existing lighting in the workshop, the layout of the area (glazed surfaces) and the orientation, reflections appearing on the parts occasionally disrupted the operation and showed faults…which were nonexistent. Placing curtains at the end of the line resolved this problem.

The welding checks are now carried out reliably on the whole production (body shell sides and side frames). With the fault recognition rate obtained, the defective parts are very quickly identified and removed at the end of the pressing line. “An end to the time when entire body shells had to be sent to the scrapyard”, stated Patrice Dumont. “The savings made at this stage alone fully justify the investment. The fact that the vision control point is shared by four parts also contributes to the increase in its profitability.”

This method of checking welds with industrial vision tools is of interest to other sites and is likely to be brought into general use. A patent has been registered covering the principle used.

Assembly verification with vision guided robotics

Automobile assembly time reduced by 20% with In-Sight

When they decided to implement a vision guided robot solution based on In-Sight™ vision technology from Cognex, S.A.P. reduced assembly time for an important automotive client by 20%. Cognex distributor Edge Vision recommended In-Sight as a robust solution for their client. Since 1980, S.A.P. (Sistemas Automatizacion Procesos, S.L.) in Barcelona., has been providing solutions and components for the automatisation of industrial processes. With customized facilities the company is in a position to provide “turn-key” solutions such as robotic applications and the resolution of complex problems guaranteeing maximum reliability.

The challenge : 1 automotive part - 70 different points for inspection

SAP found themselves faced with a quality control challenge. One of their automotive customers needed a special machine for the assembly and inspection of certain part for a van. The part concerned resembles an iron tube and is a key element of the internal structure of the van containing 70 different points of inspection such a welded nuts, screws and holes. The industrial environment concerned would be dusty and oily with variable lighting and many of the parts to be inspected were also liable to be oily and dirty which would make them difficult to find and reliably inspect. S.A.P. turned to Edge Vision, a Cognex distributor, seeking a robust and reliable solution. Edge Vision decided on the In-Sight range of vision systems, fully robust and capable of handling an instable and variable operating environment

Take a robot and give it “eyes”

Edge Vision, a Cognex distributor decided to install a vision guided robotic solution. They placed an In-Sight 5100 at the end of the arm of a robot. The position of each point to be inspected is communicated to the robot. The robot « learns » the route to follow and inspects all points using the In-Sight 5100 as « eyes » . Points to be checked include welded nuts, holes, and screws. Cognex vision tool, Patmax™ proved essential. This powerful algorithm, unique to the In-Sight product range played a vital role in part localisation under such conditions. Information is communicated to a user-friendly PC interface. Progress can be easily monitored and results recorded by the operators.

Result

The usual production and assembly time for this particular van is reduced by 20%. The process has been made a lot safer, more reliable, faster and cost-effective . Previously this would have had to been done mechanically. Plus, In-Sight vision sensors were the only products capable of handling a hostile industrial environment thanks to their robustness. As a result, potential faults down the line are reduced to a minimum preventing future costly product recalls.

David Torres from Edge Vision, had this to say – “By implementing this robotic solution based on In-Sight vision systems from Cognex, our client has been able to reduce production cycle time by 20%, thus saving money and boosting productivity in the same manner. In-Sight will be included as a standard option on their machines from now on.”

Multi-point quality inspection for gearboxes

Top performance Saab Automobile gearboxes profit from automatic inspection using Cognex machine vision sensors

Saab Automobile PowerTrain AB is a subsidiary of Fiat-GM PowerTrain and manufactures gearboxes for worldwide export to GM plants. For over 50 years they have been producing gearboxes for Saab cars and today do so at the rate of 700 units a day. The factory also makes gearboxes for the Opel Vectra, Opel Zafira and for Saturn in the US.

At one time Saab Automobile PowerTrain manually made inspections of the gearboxes before their delivery to customer plants. The manual inspection demanded quality control of 60-70 inspection-points on the gearboxes which was time consuming and not fully reliable. The other disadvantage was that many varieties of gearboxes were being manufactured with very subtle differences between them, which is a big challenge when using manual inspection. Customer demands for shorter and shorter lead times created the need for a more efficient and less time-intensive inspection. It became clear that automatic inspection was necessary in order to guarantee product quality.

40 seconds for complete inspection

A complete multipoint inspection of the 60-70 spots on the gearbox is made in 40 seconds with a vision-equipped robot. This means that several inspections are made per second. For the demanding conditions of the inspection application, Saab selected a solution based on collaboration between Cognex and their Partner System Integrator Svedvision Systems AB. This experienced and highly skilled robotics integrator developed a robot guidance and inspection cell that is perfectly adapted to the specifications of the project and is used for the gearbox application. The choice of suppliers for this solution was easy because it was based on the fact that Cognex and Svedvision have real in-depth knowledge of the automotive industry worldwide. Cognex has been pioneering the vision industry for 24 years and Svedvision Systems AB, founded in1988, have a long history of integrating machine vision.

The PatMax® software featured in VisionPro® (the PC-based development environment from Cognex) was integrated into the platform that handles both the robot and vision using a 3D-measurement unit developed by Svedvision using search, edge and ID-tools.

The application consists of:

• Inspecting all mounting parts that are visible from the outside
• Inspecting hole and screw threading
• Checking mounted screws and that they are fastened on the gearbox
• ID-reading on parts
• Gearbox label verification
• Gearbox ID Verification

No customer complaints in 17 months

“Saab needed to eliminate manual inspection, which is an unreliable solution compared to high-performance automated inspection“ says Ulf Svensson, Group Leader of Manufacturing Engineering Saab Automobile PowerTrain. “Automating the inspection process allows Saab to set a standard and demonstrate that money is being invested on improvements that are in keeping with our customer’s needs. In order to stay competitive we have to ensure increasingly shorter lead times and high-quality performance. It is important that we listen to our customers and be reactive to their concerns.”

Ulf Svensson continues: “Through the application a reliable and robust final inspection system of the gearboxes has been implemented. The inspection system adjusts itself to all types of gearboxes that are produced at this plant. The inspection system has been a good reference in the total quality management program that is implemented by Saab. Thanks to the fully integrated solution proposed by Svedvision Systems and Cognex, all gearboxes delivered are inspected and feature zero defects.”

The result of automating inspection at Saab Automobile PowerTrain AB in Gothenburg, Sweden has been no customer complaints in 17 months. This is virtually unheard of in the automotive industry.

There are other examples of vision use at Saab Automobile Power Train such as a vision system in the assembly department to check that critical parts are mounted. At Saab Automobile PowerTrain AB the automation of production is a reality and it is an important competitive element in this day and age. It is clear that the use of vision to check critical issues will be an efficient alternative to ordinary manual checks in the future.

Largest Automation Supplier in Japan Chooses Cognex As Its Vision Partner

NATICK, MA, August 28, 2008–Cognex Corporation (NASDAQ: CGNX) announced today that it has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation to jointly develop and market Cognex vision products to Mitsubishi’s customers around the world.  Mitsubishi Electric, based in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading worldwide provider of factory automation products (e.g. programmable controllers, motion controls and industrial robots), and is the largest supplier of those products in Japan and throughout Asia.

Cognex will work with Mitsubishi to develop specially-configured versions of Cognex In-Sight® vision systems that will be designed to integrate seamlessly with Mitsubishi’s factory automation products.  In addition to collaborating on product development, the two companies will also jointly promote their integrated solutions at events such as tradeshows and seminars.  As a result of this collaboration, Mitsubishi’s factory automation customers will be able to purchase Cognex vision systems and quickly deploy them in their manufacturing operations.  Cognex expects that this partnership will significantly accelerate the sale of its vision systems, first in Japan and eventually in the fast-growing markets throughout Asia.

“Cognex machine vision systems are already being used together with Mitsubishi factory automation products to help guide robots, to direct motion control systems and to automate a wide range of manufacturing processes,” said Dr. Robert J. Shillman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cognex.  “This new partnership, which will result in dramatically improved connectivity between our respective products, is expected to increase the sale of both Cognex vision systems and Mitsubishi’s factory automation products against our common competitors.”

“Mitsubishi Electric is one of the world’s most highly respected factory automation companies, and is the largest provider of factory automation products in Japan and Asia.  We are proud to be selected as their vision partner,” said Eric Ceyrolle, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing for Cognex.  “The power of Cognex vision will make it easier and faster than ever for Mitsubishi’s customers to improve the overall performance of their manufacturing processes.”

With over 80 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products to both corporate clients and general consumers all over the world, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment. The company recorded consolidated group sales of 4,049.8 billion yen (US $40.5 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008.

Retaining ring measurement

Vision sensor improves ring measurement process

Rotor Clip is the world’s leading manufacturer of retaining rings, producing billions of rings annually at its 238,000 square foot production facility in Somerset, New Jersey.  From steering wheel assemblies to household appliances, Rotor Clip retaining rings help secure components onto shafts and inside bores.  Rings are produced in a wide range of sizes, from 1/25” (1mm) to 35” (889mm).

While the company has long relied on micrometers for measuring ring dimensions, operators were having trouble measuring rings that were less than half an inch in size. “When you have a ring that is about 1/8” in diameter, it’s very difficult for an operator to handle and place them in a micrometer,” explains Ed Engracia, a design engineer for Rotor Clip.  “Also, when the operator is using a vernier caliper, there’s a lot of room for error.  The operator could be pressing too hard in one instance, too lightly in another.”

Measurement speed, according to Engracia, was another problem.  Manually measuring six small-sized rings, he says, can take an operator up to 20 minutes.

To speed up the measurement process and improve accuracy, the company recently added an In-Sight® 1000 machine vision sensor from Cognex Corporation (Natick, MA) to its manufacturing line.  The In-Sight 1000 is a high-performance, general purpose vision sensor which incorporates a full library of vision software tools, built-in discrete I/O, a vision spreadsheet interface for application set up, and built-in Ethernet communications in a compact, self-contained unit.

According to Engracia, one of the primary reasons the In-Sight sensor was selected was due to its ability to store individual measurement programs or “jobs” that corresponded to each ring type via the vision spreadsheet interface.  “We had to make things as easy as possible for our operators since they had no previous experience with machine vision,“ he says.  “In-Sight was attractive because it had built in functions, which made it easy to customize a job for each part we wanted to measure with the vision system.  So all the operator needs to do is call up the job to start.”

To set up the programs, Engracia selected vision tools and parameters from the spreadsheet’s drop-down menus.  The vision spreadsheet then automatically generated tool results into worksheet cells, which were linked together to set up the measurement routine for each part.

Engracia designed the inspection station so the micrometer equipment and vision sensor are housed in the same hooded enclosure.  Operators retrieve retaining rings from collection bins, and after a few thickness measurements are taken by micrometers, a single ring is placed on a four-inch backlight component under the vision sensor.  Backlighting, according to Engracia, provides the optimal image contrast to get good dimensional data.

Once the operator brings up the measurement program that corresponds to the ring’s size, In-Sight captures an image of the ring from seven inches above and transfers it to its built-in vision processor.  There, a number of vision software tools are used to analyze the image.

“We measure a lot of different features,” says Engracia.  “On some rings, we only look at outside diameter and lug size, whereas for another ring type we might need to measure the inside diameter, min sections, max sections, and lug hole diameters.  Needless to say, it was important to have a range of vision tools to choose from so we could handle the different rings.”

More specifically, Engracia uses the In-Sight PatFind™ pattern location tool, which verifies the presence/absence of the part and applies a virtual fixture to “fixture” the part for the different measuring functions, the Find Circle Tool, which measures diameters, and the Find Segment Tool, which measures segment sizes.

As the measurements occur, operators can get a real-time view on a color LCD screen that is built into the inspection station enclosure.  “We were able to create a custom user interface with In-Sight that displays the various dimensions of the ring taken with the camera, and pass/fail lights in green and red which indicate if the part is good or bad,” explains Engracia.  “If any of the dimensions fall outside of tolerance, it’s usually an indication of the die being out of adjustment, in which case they have to stop the production equipment and make adjustments to the dies.”

One interesting feature of the new inspection station is that the micrometer equipment and vision sensor are linked via Ethernet, thus allowing thickness measurement data from the micrometers to be uploaded into the In-Sight program.  The combined micrometer and vision data is then sent over into a Quality Assurance database, giving QA engineers instant access to statistical data on each part in the event there is a customer complaint.  “If we need to backtrack on any problems that arise, it’s a lot easier for us to get the data we need from a database versus looking through paperwork,” Engracia explains.  “In-Sight puts everything into computer form, so the QA guys can just cut and paste the data into their statistical software.”

In-Sight’s built-in Ethernet communications also makes life easier for Engracia when he needs to monitor or control vision activity remotely.  “If someone’s having a problem on the floor, I can check it right from my desk and sometimes troubleshoot right from there.  I can also load new In-Sight programs remotely as they are needed.”

Since the In-Sight sensor was implemented since January 2003, it has improved Rotor Clip’s measurement accuracy, and the company has been able to reduce its overall measurement time by 75 %.  “Since our guys no longer have to handle such small parts, they can get the measurements done in far less time.  What used to take 20 minutes for six rings is now down to five,” says Engracia.

The company is currently in the process of adding another In-Sight sensor, the In-Sight 4001 — which provides high-resolution optics (1024 x 768 pixels) for capturing high-accuracy images of larger parts.  This sensor will be designated for inspecting retaining rings up to four inches in diameter.