100% optical inspection of retaining rings
10 August 2016
Italian-based Dimac Srl has solved what it sees as the most difficult sorting and inspection process – the high-speed 100% optical inspection and sorting of retaining rings.
Dimac is able to offer the solution thanks to its use of the MCV5 – a glass rotary table machine equipped with four high-resolution digital cameras and optional eddy current heat treatment detection station.
The retaining ring geometry is inspected by profile analysis through a couple of 1.5 megapixel cameras. The combination of collimated telecentric lens and lighting, which equip the top view camera and the side view camera, allows control of retaining ring critical measures with the highest accuracy – and output rates up to 300pp/min. Surface analysis is performed by a top and a bottom camera equipped with dark field and bright field illumination devices.
MCV5 vision software – released for retaining rings – has been researched and developed in cooperation with the most important European manufacturers. It includes dedicated functions for inspection of the retaining ring inner and outer contour by top camera; measurement of the gap/cut; measurement of outer and inner diameters; as well as measurement of the small holes and the position of the holes with respect to the retaining ring geometry. Other measurements include the distance between the centres of the holes; the position of the holes with respect to the centre of the inner contour; the width of the metal sheet at critical points; as well as the flatness and thickness, which are inspected with dedicated functions belonging to the side camera view.
A multi frequency eddy current device with dedicated probe can also be installed as an option to confirm heat treatment.
