Test laboratories should determine safe and reliable material characteristics by excluding significant influences from both the operator and the testing machine. At the same time, quality control is under increasing cost pressure. To meet these two requirements, ZwickRoell now offers a fully automated system for metal hardness testing.
The ZwickRoell automation concept involves manually sorting the specimens to be tested into magazines. From this point on, the testing system takes over: it transports the samples to the automatic materials testing system and then sorts the test specimens for any necessary inspection. The positioning of the sample by the robotic testing system increases safety for the user and minimizes operator influence on the test results. This makes the test results more comparable and statistically reliable.
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DuraVision 200 universal hardness tester
The fully automated hardness testing system consists of a DuraVison 200 universal hardness tester with a load range of 0.3 to 250 kg, which covers all common hardness testing applications on metals, such as Vickers, Brinell, Knoop or Rockwell, using optical methods and depth difference methods. Different lenses are used depending on the material hardness and test force and enable the high-resolution display of the test results. The test results can also be converted into other hardness values in accordance with standards. The ability to clamp the sample to the test table before testing increases repeatability, especially in fully automated processes. Other load ranges from 0.3 kg to 3,000 kg can also be covered with the DuraVision series.
Automatic sample feeding
A lightweight robot of the RoboTest N type is used to feed the specimens. This system provides fast and efficient quality control support as a test assistant, particularly for simple pick-and-place applications, as is common in hardness testing, from a series size of ten specimens. Constantly changing series with small quantities or different test procedures, as is often the case with universal hardness testing machines, were often an obstacle to automation in the past. RoboTest N is fully integrated into ZwickRoell’s AutoEdition3 automation software and can be used without a robot operator terminal. Special robot programming and operating skills are not required. It is also easy to change the application or even between different test systems.
In addition to full automation, ZwickRoell also offers semi-automated solutions. In addition, other testing machines and even measuring systems for cross-section measurement can be integrated into the automation system. The automation system can be adapted to future applications at any time. The RoboTest N can also be connected and retrofitted to existing testing machines and devices.
About the ZwickRoell Group
Customers of the ZwickRoell Group benefit from over 160 years of experience in materials and component testing. ZwickRoell is a world leader in static testing and is experiencing significant growth in fatigue testing systems. Expressed in figures: in the 2022 financial year, the company generated sales of EUR 288 million. The ZwickRoell Group has more than 1,650 employees and production sites in Germany (Ulm, Bickenbach), the UK (Stourbridge) and Austria (Fürstenfeld). The company has additional subsidiaries in France, the UK, Spain, the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Singapore and China, as well as worldwide representatives in 56 countries.
Web:
www.zwickroell.com
