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HEIDENHAIN's Newest Digital Readout
for Shop-Floor Metrology
ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK is capable of independently reading
and evaluating measuring information from
up to 8 axes or more
In multipoint inspection devices, workpieces are placed in fixtures and checked for dimensional accuracy. This is frequently realized through tactile (i.e. touching) measuring devices that can ascertain length or angle. Downstream, subsequent electronics receive this information and decide whether nominal dimensions and tolerances are maintained by the measured property. The requirements on such systems have grown in recent years. Increasingly, customers ask that the quality of the products they buy be continuously documented, which requires both checking all produced or assembled parts as well as logging the results. Depending on the number of parts and the cycle times, these inspection processes must also be automated. For this reason, electronic data acquisition is almost indispensable. More and more frequently, inspection fixtures are integrated in the production process. Measurement is necessary immediately after the production of features (such as form or assembly) and before the next process step. This places high demands on the measuring setup and the inspection devices, because the rough work environment in production has to be harmonized with the expectation of reliable measurement results.
For measuring devices from HEIDENHAIN this is no problem. After all, they have long been in use everywhere in environments with these demands. Particularly, the optical length gauges like HEIDENHAIN-SPECTO and ACANTO have established themselves in production-integrated metrology and stand for high accuracy and reliability. They have become a matter of course in many applications. But even rotary encoders and linear encoders are increasingly found in automation applications where these requirements come into play.
Metrology digital readouts for multipoint inspection apparatuses
With the expansion of its product program by the ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK metrology digital readout, HEIDENHAIN now serves the complete measuring chain for multipoint inspection devices as well: from acquiring the measured value from the top of the measured object to the evaluation, depiction and documentation of the measurement results.
All HEIDENHAIN encoders can be connected to the ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK, but upon request it is also possible to connect inductive linear transducers (LVDTs and HBTs) of various makes. At the heart of the ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK is powerful software that permits comprehensive processing of the measured values. It can distinguish up to 99 parts with individual features. All features of a part can be interconnected with each other with the aid of mathematical and logical functions. These interconnections generate new features that can provide finished evaluations or be further processed as auxiliary quantities.
There are various interfaces for communication with other participants to enable it to integrate the device in a complete system. Logical information is exchanged over 5 inputs and 12 outputs (5 V TTL). This enables a bidirectional transmission of the operating status to other devices involved in a measuring process (e.g. switch positions, sorting switches, indicator lights). Simple PLC functions can be depicted in this way. In addition, the ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK has two floating relay contacts for low-power direct switching (e.g. warning indicators, solenoid valves).
If required, the inspection process can also be divided into individual sequential steps. In this case the program is saved in the ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK and run independently in the form of an inspection plan.
The results of an evaluation can be spread out on the screen. Here the color graphic display offers many capabilities for visualization: Warning and tolerance limits can be displayed in the form of numerical values as well as vector or bar diagrams. A statistical monitoring of a measurement series generates histograms, control charts and process capability parameters. Then the results can either be saved on a thumb drive or transferred over an RS-232 interface to a PC. The data transfer software QC-Wedge is now also available as an option. It enables you to transfer measured values directly into Microsoft Excel. In addition, the ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK also supports the direct connection of printers for providing written records of measured values.
An ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK can independently control an inspection process. In the example shown here, the machined face of an extrusion is to be measured. The user positions the inspection device on the extrusion and starts the measuring program. According to the inspection plan, two SPECTO length gauges measure the upper edge and then the lower edge of a slot. The slot width and the position of the slot centerline are calculated from these results. The angle between the centerline and the bearing surface of the extrusion is defined with tolerances. Finally, two further SPECTO length gauges determine the angularity of the extrusion's side surface to the bearing surface.
In this facility, dimensional tolerances in the hundredth-millimeter range are measured in a reliable process. The ND 2100G GAGE-CHEK displays the results of the individual measurements and the mathematical links in the form of bar diagrams (red-yellow-green) on the screen. After conclusion of the inspection, the data are automatically saved on a thumb drive. As an alternative, a data record can also be transferred over the RS-232-C/V.24 interface to a PC, or directly to an Excel spreadsheet using the optionally available software "QC-Wedge."