The job is done, the last box is filled. But a quick glance reveals that all parts have a scratch on important functional surfaces – a criterion for exclusion for the customer. So there is no choice but to start production all over again, dispose of the scrap and make up for lost time if possible. If the defect is only noticed by the customer, the costs for the complaint are even added.
“Many press operators know and fear situations like this,” knows Christoph Pölzl from Product Management for Digital Solutions at Schuler. “But checking every part on the outfeed conveyor by hand is often simply unrealistic.” Schuler has now developed a new camera-based system called “Visual Quality Inspection” (or VQI for short) that automatically detects bad parts. “This helps correct errors in production immediately, eliminating hours of delays and improving relationships with customers in the long run.”
VQI can be configured with just a few mouse clicks: “The template is a flawless good part that the operator marks on the computer,” explains Lukas Hagestedt, development engineer for AI systems at Schuler. “The time required for this is a few minutes, and no special prior knowledge is necessary.” On this basis, the VQI compares all other components and immediately identifies even the slightest deviations.
“Visual Quality Inspection” is already being used successfully by a customer in the automotive supply industry. The technology is based on the “Visual Die Protection” (VDP) die monitoring system introduced by Schuler in 2019. With VQI, however, the camera is not directed into the press, but from above onto the outfeed conveyor.
Other solutions on the market require methodological competence from the operator as well as a high level of effort for set-up. And even then, false alarms can often occur on the fly, costing rather than saving time. With Schuler’s visual quality control, the risk is low because VQI retrains itself independently and thus continues to sharpen its eye for the good part.
Euroblech Hall 27, Booth G82
Web:
www.schulergroup.com