In-Process Thread Verification using Signature Analysis
Overview:
Manufacturers of engine sub-components must ensure the quality of their units before they are shipped to engine plants for final assembly. If a sub-assembly part arrives at a station during final assembly and does not have a thread, has the wrong thread (English vs Metric) or has a partial thread, it will not be able to be properly attached to the engine block. This situation will result in a return or quarantine. Customer satisfaction is also impacted when thread issues result in line downtime or increased cycle time on the engine assembly line. Sciemetric’s thread quality verificationTM system helps sub-component manufacturers ensure the quality of the parts they ship to their engine customers.
Benefits:
Improved gage R&R (repeatability and reproducibility) of thread verification leading to improved quality
Substantial cost savings
Reduction in warranty costs
Decreased scrap
Challenge: A supplier of engine block castings was experiencing costly quarantines and negative customer satisfaction as a result of thread quality issues. Reliable thread verification was particularly challenging on their aluminum castings where traditional eddy probes can not work properly. Their existing testing approach yielded inconsistent and unreliable results, in many cases even failing to detect the basic absence of a thread. When defects occurred as a result of a broken tap, many castings could be processed before the problem would be identified and rectified, resulting in wasted cycle time and quality spills. Correct threading is imperative for all sub-components to be joined together during final engine assembly. Sub-components with defective threading will impact engine assembly cycle time and yield. In some cases, subtle thread defects make it through engine assembly and are only detected by end users once the vehicle is in use. Engine blocks with defects such as missing or shifted threads may eventually lead to vibrational loosening of fasteners causing inefficient engine performance and ultimately resulting in a costly warranty repair. The engine block casting manufacturer required a test solution that could accomplish more than basic thread detection. They required a solution that would provide full thread integrity verification in real time.
Download our complete application note to learn how Sciemetric's solution for Thread Quality Verification helped this customer.
