Increasingly stricter quality standards dictate greater part-to-part consistency and tracking capability. Automated Casting Inspection Systems provide a way to perform critical inspections automatically, often in conjunction with other operations (such as within a casting cleaning cell). This helps to provide the quality assurance the end customer demands, while minimizing operating costs. 100% inspection can be done at production line speeds, often eliminating the need for slow, costly manual/destructive testing.
Flexible Automated Casting Inspection Systems
By fully exploiting the speed and flexibility of industrial robots, we create inspection cells that are capable of performing inspections quickly and accurately. Changes are easily accommodated by modifying programs. We offer a variety of inspection and nondestructive testing (NDT) methods to satisfy diverse requirements, with all programming and integration performed in-house:
Vision Systems
By integrating state-of-the-art machine vision hardware with special lighting and controls, we build systems capable of performing any or all of the following functions, usually in a fraction of a second “on-the-fly”:
Identification and Orientation
Automatically identify, locate and track castings for robot guidance and/or input to support further processing.
Dimensional Gauging / Measurement
Check the dimensions of virtually any visible feature of the casting, either before or after processing.
Surface Inspection
Check for pores, stickers, and other surface defects.
Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
We integrate UT equipment with robotics to provide an extremely efficient method of detecting thickness and velocity (nodularity) in predefined areas of castings. Robotic handling often eliminates the need for fixtures in the tank, while potentially increasing the scope of testing.
Eddy Current (EC)
Sophisticated single- and multiple-frequency eddy current equipment can be integrated to test ferrous castings for material properties, alloying, hardness, case depth, surface cracks, seams and pits.
Conventional Hardness Testing
Impression-type hardness testers can also be integrated into our robotic cells, including spot-finishing the casting and Vision measurement of the ball impression.
Other Equipment
We will integrate X-ray testing or other equipment upon request. For maximum efficiency and savings, we recommend performing as many operations as possible while the casting is inside a robotic work cell. Castings can be marked, washed, coated, painted… or processed in virtually any way desired while under control of the robot.
Fixed Automated Casting Inspection Systems
Fixed (or “hard”) automation may be best if inspection must be performed as a standalone process or if robots are not feasible. Vulcan can design inspection systems to suit specific needs, from semi-manual stations to fully automated systems integrated into production lines. |
