User Case
Roush Yates: Failure analysis and in-depth surface finish inspection
Brett Manwill,
Reliability/Design Engineer
“We are now able to analyze surfaces very fast and make quick decisions about components without the long lead times of off-site analysis. Alicona surface roughness measurements allow us to determine if a component´s surface is inconsistent or is outside of the quality controls´ desired range over a large surface area. Prior to purchasing InfiniteFocus we did not have any system that had the depth of field to inspect an entire fracture surface.”
With NASCAR Sprint Cup, Roush Yates is well known for its powerful and reliable racing engines. Here, failure analysis is the key to understanding the durability of engine components. To increase performance, Roush Yates was looking for a system with high depth of field to do more extensive surface finish inspection. Today, the work with InfiniteFocus has led to improved processes and maintained quality control.
Durability of engine components
Failure analysis is a critical task in Roush Yates´ continuing development. It is the key to understanding the durability of engine components as they are being developed and implemented in production. InfiniteFocus is mainly used to measure the geography of fracture sights which “normally would not be possible with other systems”, as the racing engine builder says. The system enables measurement, documentation and understanding of both dimensions and surface of critical components.
Fracture analysis
Typically, crankshafts, camshafts, pistons, connecting rods, valves, valves springs, and rocker arms are measured. Most of the components are reflective with a high contrast ratio and steep, uneven surfaces. The high vertical resolution of InfiniteFocus also enables the measurement of micro cracks over large measurement areas. In addition, color information allows seeing differences in surface characteristics, which in turn helps to understand foreign materials and debris.