Dorsey Metrology Blogs

Dorsey Metrology is one of exibitors at MD&M West trade show. Visit out booth to see complete range of inspection devices that we manufacture. Organized by Canon communications at Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California, United States of America, the MD&M West is 3 days event which is directed towards showcasing various emerging aspects about the latest advances of medical world.

As manufacturers strive for six sigma manufacturing processes, and zero defects, the roll of the quality department has significantly changed. Quality departments must now become actively involved in the manufacturing process from engineering to product packing and shipment.

Optical non-contact and hybrid optical/contact inspection systems will provide the tools necessary for quality managers to accomplish this formidable task. Computerization of these systems allows integration of Statistical Process Control (SPC) software packages directly on the inspection instrument. These computerized instruments are capable of being networked so that documentation control and maintenance are automatic and paperless. These computerized optical inspection instruments can and will be connected via the network to the engineering department’s computer aided design (CAD) system. This enables the quality department to download and import product part prints for automated programming of inspection routines. It will also allow the quality department to export and upload actual inspection results in CAD format for the engineering department to review. In addition, traditional contact style production gages, such as snap gages or bore gages, can be integrated via SPC connections into the inspection package to provide a complete quality solution.

One of the major traditional faults of an optical inspection instrument is the subjectivity of the operator. It has a very drastic consequence on the measurement. The differences between the operators are commonplace as it is up to the device operator to determine where the feature being inspected begins and ends.

The recent advent of the optical edge finder available on both optical comparators and video systems has eliminated this drawback. Edge finding systems also allow a control computer attached to the measurement system to automatically detect a feature. This capability enabled instrument manufacturers to fully automate these instruments. Full computer numeric controlled, motorized inspection instruments that entirely eliminate operator subjectivity are now available.

Major cost reductions in electronics and system standardization has allowed the price of these full CNC systems to be reduced to a point where just about every manufacturer can afford one. Edge finding systems which were optional and cost thousands of dollars only a few years ago have now become standard equipment on many models. Many other changes have occurred within the inspection industry within the last decade.

Optical inspection instruments can be put into four basic categories. Optical comparators, microscopes, video and laser systems. Optical comparators utilize traditional optics to magnify and project the image of an object onto a glass screen. This type of optical inspection instrument is by far the most widely used and is also the least expensive method of optical non-contact inspection in use today.

The optical comparator also offers the greatest versatility in regard to parts that can be inspected. Light weight parts as well as parts weighing 100s of pounds can be inspected on many available instruments. The development of the optical edge finder eliminated the subjectivity of the operator from the measurement and also allowed the system to become fully automated.

Optical comparators are available in a wide variety of styles and configurations from domestic as well as international manufacturers. Typical options are - projection screen sizes from 10” to 80”, horizontal or vertical light path configurations, profile and surface illumination systems, various stage travel options, magnifications from 5x to 200x and digital readout options from a basic two axis display to fully computerized automatic CNC systems.

The basic principle of an optical gaging instrument is to provide a method to inspect a desired feature with versatile way of non-contact gaging. This enables manufacturers the ability to inspect a wide variety of parts without the need for complex fixtures. This non-contact method of inspection allows an inspector to view a desired feature using the magnification ability of optics.Optical inspection instruments allow to determine characteristics such as  size, shape, location or surface finish.

The first type of optical inspection instruments were developed to enhance the ability of the human eye to see certain aspects of an object. These simple lenses magnified an image that allowed the user to discern features unable to be seen by the naked eye. These basic magnifiers allowed an inspector to view and compare an object but did not allow the object or feature to be accurately measured.

From May 19th until May 21st Dorsey Metrology will be an exhibitor at Eastec trade show. Eastec is the largest annual manufacturing event on east coast. The Eastec trade show is put on by The Society of Manufacturing Engineers. The trade show is located in West Springfield MA. Eastec  is where you will get valuable insights into new technologies.