TPT March 2025

TUBE INSPECTION & TESTING

High-speed optical inspection of precision metal parts

a random basis by visual inspection or with the help of CT scans. Using a free-fall inspection system, a team from Fraunhofer IPM has succeeded in checking the geometric dimensional accuracy of 3D precision parts in the production cycle for the first time. The system was tested in a production process for plug connectors made of copper sheet, of which 330 parts per minute are manufactured. A component feeder developed by the manufacturer transports the individual parts, which are up to 40mm in size, from the punching machine into a test sphere without any further handling. As the parts fall through the sphere, they are captured from different perspectives by 16 high resolution cameras. The objects are captured without shadows or reflections. The measurement data is checked against the nominal CAD model so that defective parts can be ejected immediately. The high processing rate for this computationally intensive FOR 25 years, AMSYS has been advising customers on the use of sensors for industrial and medical applications. With the AD-102, the Mainz, Germany-based company now offers a high precision hose air bubble detector. This is used to detect an interruption in fluid flow in applications such as infusion pumps, hemodialysis and blood flow monitoring. The compact AD-102 air bubble detector (ABD) is used for non-invasive, continuous monitoring of liquids to detect air bubbles. The AD-102 can clearly detect even the smallest air bubbles of only 25 per cent of the hose diameter and its signal can stop the supply within 0.5ms. The air bubble detector is available as standard for hose diameters of 6mm. Versions for hose diameters from 3mm to 10mm are also available on request. This allows air bubbles with a volume of just 0.5µl or 300µm radius to be detected.

IN industrial stamping processes, several hundred metal parts are typically produced per minute. Together with stamped parts manufacturer Quittenbaum GmbH, researchers at Fraunhofer IPM have for the first time developed and installed an optical inspection system that checks the dimensional accuracy of every single component in high-speed stamping processes – with an accuracy in the range of 100 micrometres. Connectors, sleeves or pins are stamped from sheet metal with high precision and in high volumes. They are used in numerous high tech products such as automobiles, telecommunications, electronic systems and medical technology. In the past quality assurance has not been able to keep pace with the high production cycle in stamping processes. As a result, stamped parts are usually only tested on

analysis is achieved by fast inspection algorithms, parallelised camera control and several evaluation computers. During test operation, defective parts with geometric deviations in the range of 100 micrometres were reliably identified. The measurements were verified on a random basis using CT scans. In a follow-up project, the partners from Fraunhofer IPM and Quittenbaum intend to investigate how the surface of the stamped parts can be efficiently inspected. Several hundred stamped parts per minute are fed into a measuring sphere and captured by 16 cameras

Fraunhofer Institute www.ipm.fraunhofer.de

New ultrasonic hose air bubble detector

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Sensors used for medical applications must be highly accurate, reliable and resistant to external influences. High demands on sensors place high demands on sensor manufacturers. AM-SYS GmbH & Co KG has been working with selected sensor manufacturers such as TE Connectivity for 25 years in order to be able to detect the smallest air bubbles or interruptions in liquid flow with this new ultrasonic sensor.

AM-SYS GmbH & Co KG www.amsys-sensor.com

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Ultrasonic air bubble detector

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MARCH 2025