The technical complexity of vehicles has continued to increase in recent years. As a consequence, the demands made on production are also rising, resulting in more sources of error. The mechanical engineering industry is therefore putting great effort into raising quality assurance to a very high level. “eldec Quality Control” (eQC) is an excellent example for this. Behind the name is a comprehensive action plan that brings quality assurance to perfection. It includes three brand-new modules:

 1. Tool identification by RFID chip

Before start of production, the machine knows if the correct tool for the machining program has been inserted, and what condition it is in. A new read-write unit is installed in the connection system of the tool for this purpose. In the event of tool defects or errors, the process will not start. In addition, the machine is informed about the manufacturing tolerances of the tool, and will adjust its axis automatically as needed. In this way, the system also improves the machining quality.

2. Continuous measurement of voltage at the inductor

The voltage can now be measured at the base of the inductor. Normally, this value is only measured at the inverter, which sends the current to the tool. In other words, the new system tells you for the first time how much electricity actually “arrives” at the tool. This means: The heating of the component is monitored much more accurately, resulting in better quality of the component.

 3. Monitoring of the quenching medium

Another important factor in the hardening process is the state of the quenching medium. It changes during the process because the polymer chains in the medium are gradually broken down by light and heat. The quenching medium then loses the necessary surface tension. From now on, eldec relies on a new sensor that uses ultrasound to continuously monitor the quenching medium and provides very precise information regarding its quality.

 The eQC elements all build on one another. Additional standard components complete the comprehensive range. All these measures return a wealth of data that are all saved and compared against various reference values. When discrepancies are detected, the machine reports the problem and, under certain conditions, will stop the process.

Read more here: http://www.emag.com/industry-40/eqc.html