When measuring technology increases productivity
The impact of automation for modern manufacturing and digitization
Automation is more than the automatic measurement of shape and roughness parameters of a component. Automation also means simple interaction between administrator and machine operator, intuitive order management, high measuring accuracy also in production as well as communication and networking with existing production machines up to the connection to an ERP and QM system. Alicona offers tried and tested solutions.
With the trend to increasingly implement quality assurance and thus measurement technology as an integral part of production, requirements on measurement systems have changed as well. Measuring systems must be fully automatable so that they can be used by any operator without metrology know-how or special training. In addition, complex components with tight tolerances require robust, high-resolution measuring systems suitable for production that deliver traceable and repeatable measurement results. Furthermore, software-interfaces are needed to enable networking and communication between all systems involved. Manufacturers then receive real-time data on production trends and can avoid rejects at an early stage - a first part is immediately a good part.
Alicona offers with the Automation Manager software a variety of automation options. The range extends from "simple" automated measurement and evaluation to Smart Manufacturing, networked production. Users benefit from:
- Automatic measurement of dimension, position, shape and roughness
- Digital measurement planning
- Extended database management
- Connection to QM and ERP system
- Machine to machine communication
- Modular expansion options as automatic defect measurement, grinding grains analysis, shot peening analysis and laser treatment analysis
Automation Manager Modules
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Automated form and roughness measurement
- Teach-in of measurement series without programming knowledge
- Roughness can be measured both profile based (Ra, Rq, Rz...) and areal based (Sa, Sq, Sz...)
- Dimensional measurements include parameters such as angles, distances, roundness, flatness, shape deviations, positional relationships and more
Extended Database Managment
- Measuring programs stored for a component are automatically recognized by a barcode scanner.
- Each measurement is thus assigned to the respective order
- Creation of user-specific reports for continuous monitoring
CAD CAM connection
- The administrator defines measuring points and measuring directions directly in the CAD file of the reference part
- Reliable measurement planning is provided through a preview (simulation) of the measurement process to be carried out
- Significant simplification in the configuration of measuring strategies with several 100 measuring points on complex geometries, i.e. freeform surfaces
Connection to ERP and QM systems
- Connection of measurement system, ERP and QM system
- Linkage to product information parameters (serial number, automation project etc.) that are stored in ERP via DMC and RFID
Machine to Machine Communication
- Alicona device and production machines execute independently taught-in measuring and test programs as connected and communicating systems
- Measurement of workpiece and tool directly in the machine tool without clamping and unclamping is enabled with Alicona Cobots (collaborative robot with high-resolution optical 3D sensor)
Modular expansion options
- Automatic Defect Measurement
- Laser Treatment Analysis
- Grinding Grain Analysis
- Shot Peening Analysis
