•••6••• Innovationen Optical inspection system Inline quality control during cold forming of precision parts When it comes to producing metal components, forming has significant advantages: Compared with machining , forming a component , especially by cold forming, requires less than half of the energy. A fur ther advantage is that formed par ts have excel lent mechanical proper t ies. However, for precision components, the manufacturing accuracy of forming is of ten insuf f icient; milling, which is more precise, is used instead. Expanding the appl icat ions for forming re - qu i res h igh - prec i s ion inl ine quality control. 100 percent free-fall inspection – with no additional handling An optical free-fall inspection system, developed as a part of a research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Af fairs and Cl imate Action, inspects cold-formed components for geometr ic di - mensional accuracy and surface qual ity with accuracies in the range of a few hundredths of a millimeter. The system is intended to be used at the end of multi-stage forming processes. The components are transported individual ly into a hol low sphere via a conveyor belt every second without additional handling. Sixteen cameras, evenly distributed over the surface of the sphere, simultaneously record the component as it free falls through the sphere, so that every section of the part is imaged at least once. The system inspects components with an edge length of 0.5 to 6 cm. Fast data evaluation enables immediate feedba c k i n t o t he p r oduc t i on process to adjust process parameters and reduce waste. This measurement technique helps to more quickly adapt the process for run-in processes or changes in material properties, such as coil changes. Component surface fingerprint for marker-free traceability In addition to quality control, the researchers plan to further develop the system in such a way that the cameras capture the specific sur face texture of the component in a defined position in high resolution. The image will then be saved as a fingerpr int in a database to ensure component tracking and tracing. Later, when the surface texture of the component is captured again at the same position, it can be identified from the fingerprint, and the process parameters and quality characteristics can be matched to individual components. The abi l ity to track and trace creates the basis for self-learning opt imizat ion of forming process. You can f ind the Fraunhofer IPM in Hall 27, Booth D142 Component inspection without additional handling Foto: Fraunhofer IPM A culture of innovation Tapping into fresh ideas and a dedicated ‘Young Innovators’ Pavilion in Hall 15 will feature promising start-ups from Germany. Besides Germany, major exhibitor countries for 2024 are Italy, Turkey, China, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, India, Finland, France, and the USA. Around 64% of all exhibitors are based outside Germany. A total of 76 companies are shortlisted for the prestigious EuroBLECH 2024 Award, one of the most renowned industry prizes for outstanding achievements in driving technical excellence and innovation. Six winners will be honoured at the Official Awards Ceremony on the first exhibition day, at 5pm in the Presentation Area in Hall 27. The Award Trails are a new highlight this year, featuring all nominated companies. Six trails filled with cutting-edge innovation are waiting to be explored, one for each of the award categories: Stamping and Forming Technology, Cutting Technology, Joining Technology, Surface Technology, Automation and Handling, and Sustainability. For visitors wishing to further explore the transformative power of innovation, EuroBLECH offers carefully curated Guided Visitor Tours focusing on productivity solutions by companies such as Amada, Libellula, OTC DAIHEN Europe, Panasonic Connect Europe, RICOThomas Castro Silva, SEYI Presses Europe, Voortman Steel Machinery, and Wila. Each stop includes a short presentation and Q&A session with an exhibitor representative. Tours can be booked online. The popular Speaker Forum will make a return, featuring expert talks and presentations on key topics such as automation, robotics, cobots, IoT, and the industrial metaverse. Sessions run alongside the exhibition in the Presentation Areas in Hall 26 and 27. A special panel discussion will address ‘Automation as a solution to mitigate skilled labour shortage’ on Wednesday, 23 October, at 3pm in Hall 26. More information on speakers and topics will be published closer to the show. And Fr iday, 25 October, is Careers Day promoting young talent in the industry. Students and apprentices are invited to visit the exhibition free of charge to help them engage with potential future employers and groundbreaking technologies on the market. Pioneering the transition to new productivity Foto: Mack Brooks Exhibitions Ltd. / RX Continued from Page 1 Formed metal parts Foto: Pixabay
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