Quality 101

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Quality standards require that measuring equipment be calibrated prior to being put into service. In addition, the maintenance of measuring equipment requires recalibrations at regular intervals. 

Several critical components need to come together to form a machine vision system. This includes the sensor (typically within a camera) that captures a picture for inspection, the processing hardware (a PC or vision appliance) and software algorithms to render and communicate the results. In addition, lighting, staging, and lenses are required to set up a machine vision system.

Calipers are an integral tool for many applications, yet they’re a tool that likely doesn’t garner much reflection. Whether you’ve been using them for years or are investing in them for the first time, here are the ins and outs of caliper design and use that you’ll want to keep in mind.

There is a long-standing practice in the computer aided inspection industry that includes CMMs to report in-tolerance values in green and out-of-tolerance values in red.

Screw thread inserts (STI) require the threaded hole to be inspected prior to inserting the threaded insert or coil. The dimensions and tolerances for the gages used to inspect these threads have been a bit confusing over the past 30 years. 

For industries that regularly perform large-scale measurements, laser trackers offer accurate 3D measurements collected by a single operator. 

All the buzz these days is about laser micrometers and vision systems. If you visit a tradeshow or get any online advertisement, many companies are promoting these measuring methods.

It seems that everyone is interested in noncontact gaging these days. Laser scanners, structured light, confocal chromatic sensors, and CCD cameras have all made significant advances in the last decade, leaving us to wonder if this century old technology is still useful today.

Demand for accurate parts delivered on tight schedules is increasing. To keep pace, technology is continually advancing, enabling manufacturers to do more in the same amount of time.

For most processes, we have a choice of measurement options that vary with cost. Ideally, we seek the most accurate measurement at the lowest cost with the expectation that the result will be satisfactory. When measurements are critical to operations, we should validate these assumptions.