OES Inc. (www.oes-inc.com) has been granted a patent for its strain monitoring for part quality analysis technology, supporting the company’s proprietary process variation monitoring systems used in industrial force-forming applications.
“A significant part of our business derives from our process monitoring systems deployed in auto parts manufacturing applications,” says Michael Reeve, OES’ vice president of market development. “These industrial applications include crimp monitoring in wire harness manufacturing, tube end forming and hose crimping in fluid handling assemblies, and bend monitoring of exhaust pipe production, as well as an expanding variety of force-forming processes.”
The patent covers the use of a strain sensor attached to the manufacturing equipment that provides a relative indication of the forces associated with creating a part, coupled with an intelligent control system that can analyze input for repeatability and stability.
The technology provides the ability to detect, and provide an alert to, minute variations in the process that can indicate production of a defective part or deterioration that will eventually result in quality problems. Often, these process variation issues are not discernible in post-manufacturing inspection, which is why many companies in the auto parts industry are looking for improved objective monitoring systems.
