QA world in flux

The increasing automation and continuous networking of industrial production systems is driving the market for quality assurance (QA), which is therefore subject to continuous change. This was clearly visible at many exhibitors.

Everything from one source
In recent years, several measuring instrument manufacturers have joined forces and merged. One of the reasons is certainly that the customer can order, operate and maintain different measuring devices from a single source.

Hexagon Metrology had already expanded its range to include fringe projection with the acquisition of Aicon. Zeiss has also expanded its existing range of fringe projection systems with the acquisition of fringe projection manufacturer Steinbichler and, as recently as April of this year, with the takeover of GOM. The company Alicona was taken over by Bruker at the end of last year. This added to Bruker's wide range of measurement systems with Alicona's focus variation. Despite this trend, small specialist companies also seem to be able to survive in the market. Their strengths often lie in the more individual solution for the end customer.

Renishaw and Wenzel strengthen cooperation
At this year's Control, the Wenzel Group and Renishaw agreed to intensify their cooperation. As a result of this cooperation, the already available Equator tester from Renishaw will also be able to be controlled directly via the well-known Wenzel WM | Quartis software for programming and evaluation. The Equator tester is now part of the Wenzel portfolio. The workpiece data acquired with the Equator are used, for example, to continuously and automatically update the tool correction on the respective machine tool. Due to the continuous improvements, a more stable production process is possible and at the same time a complete documentation for each workpiece takes place.

From CAD to measurement plan and back
Today, 2D drawings or 3D CAD models with product manufacturing information (PMI) are usually used in the development of new products. From this data, measurement plans are defined in quality control and workpieces are inspected. If changes are made to the measurement plans during this process, there is currently no way to easily forward these changes to the development department.

PolyWorks|PMI+Loop will be a new interface between PolyWorks and the customer's existing CAD platform. It provides add-ins for CAD software that include the following functions:

-create and review PolyWorks 3D measurement plans in the existing CAD environment
-Import measurement plans modified in Poly- Works back into CAD software

Measure flanks with more than 90
Until now, it was not possible to touch vertical surfaces laterally with Bruker Alicona's µMM optical coordinate measuring system. Instead, the use of tactile measuring systems, computer tomography or individual optical solutions was required. The new version now also allows the measurement of flanks with more than 90° and thus also the lateral probing of components (for example of micro bores or contours). The sample does not have to be rotated during the measurement.

The diameter/depth ratio of holes ranges from 1 : 3 to 1 : 10, the measurable diameter is 0.1 to 2 mm. The individual features are measured over a large area with a high measuring point density, which also enables the roughness to be measured in accordance with EN ISO 4287/88 and 25178.

Artificial intelligence in quality assurance
Machine learning is a generic term for artificial learning from experience. We humans learn particularly quickly and partly unconsciously from experience. For example, we can recognize a cup of coffee even if it has a different shape, size or color. The computer, like us, has to learn this first. For this purpose, the computer is given, for example, a large number of images with surface defects (e.g., a cup of coffee).

scratches) are presented. The system learns from this that defects that deviate from these images also represent a defect. The system therefore knows what a scratch might look like, even if it has never seen it.

At the Fraunhofer IPA event forum, a surface inspection was used to demonstrate how machine learning can be used in quality assurance. For this purpose, components were placed on a rotating plate and the surface was completely captured by a camera during rotation. The subsequent adaptive image evaluation is based on the human ability to recognize irregularities even on unfamiliar surfaces. Provided that the defects only take up a small part of the entire surface, the software with its self-learning algorithms perceives them as deviations from the background.

Based on an unsupervised learning process, the optical inspection system automatically adapts to changing surface structures and enables 100 percent inspection within a manufacturing process.

8-axis articulated arm coordinate measuring machine
An articulated-arm coordinate measuring machine is limited by the individual joints in the possible positions relative to the workpiece. Often the jointed-arm coordinate measuring machine must be moved. This leads to an increased measurement uncertainty and means an additional expenditure of time.

The 8-axis Quantum system from Fa- ro combines the articulated arm coordinate measuring machine with a functionally integrated but physically separate eighth axis. This rotary axis can be connected directly to the Faroarm and thus becomes an integrated additional axis. This means that any position around the workpiece can be reached without having to move the measuring machine.

Measurement technology for E-Mobility
With Zeiss eSolutions, Zeiss offers solutions for seamless quality assurance of the entire drive train of hybrid, electric and fuel cell vehicles. Zeiss is thus responding to the rapidly progressing transformation in the automotive industry from fossil mobility to electromobility. This transformation also has consequences for the powertrain. Where previously the combustion engine including exhaust system and highly complex up to nine-stage transmissions provided propulsion, this will in future be taken over by the battery, power electronics, electric motor and a single-stage transmission.

Compared to combustion engines, electric motors are compact and light. However, they combine high rotational speeds and enormous torques even from standstill. With these motors, all components must mesh precisely in order to combine as much power as possible with low wear. This means that maintenance costs can be kept very low.

Zeiss eSolutions comprises these four core components - battery and power electronics as well as electric motor and transmission. "We are the only full-range supplier that covers quality assurance for the entire powertrain of an electric vehicle," assures Dr. Robert Zarnetta, Head of Industrial Applications.