Cognex vision and ID systems help Czech automakers reduce costs and reduce waste
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Today, auto parts manufacturers and their suppliers need a technology that allows them to spot major errors before sending products to customers. This technology needs to provide absolute accuracy during component inspection, often with an allowable deviation of only a few microns. This is why Bosch Diesel (an auto parts manufacturer that mainly produces diesel systems) based in Jihlava, Czechoslovakia decided to install a machine vision system to check product quality and code readers to track the parts produced.
“In 2008, when I joined Bosch Diesel, Cognex products were already widely used. At that time, we used a total of about 30 barcode readers and 4 vision systems. It turns out that we are in Cognex Vision And ID systems have benefited a lot. Because we first produce pumps in a soft state and then surface them in a solid state, we don’t want to use vision and ID systems from multiple manufacturers to avoid compatibility issues. This is the reason why we purchase more vision systems from Cognex with the increasing demand. At present, in the CP 3 pump body production department alone, we have adopted about 80 barcode readers and more than 25 In the entire Bosch Jihlava production facility, we have installed more Cognex products,” explained Petr Koten, a technical expert in Bosch’s Diesel Systems Department.
“At the beginning of the cooperation, we selected some workers to receive Cognex training. The follow-up training for Bosch workers is arranged in-house. In terms of equipment management, the ID reader is set up with the easy-to-use DataMan® ID reader setting. The tool is completed. The vision system and program installation are relatively complicated and require specific experience. In order to meet the challenge of the Bosch Jihlava production facility, we use the Spreadsheet programming interface in the In-Sight® Explorer software, which provides powerful, A flexible and efficient way to configure vision tools and process the data created by our application,” Koten explained.
It is not difficult to train users how to use ID readers. They will all receive a card with three configuration data matrix codes (DMC codes) printed on it, which are used to restart the ID reader. This makes it easier to move the ID reader to another docking station, making it easier to set the reader for specific operations, including light sources, confirmation signals, and sound settings. Machine operators do not need to set up the vision system themselves, they can only wipe the lens cover when necessary.
In the CP 3 department, Cognex ID readers and vision systems are used to control the operation and surface finishing of all production lines in 12 areas. Their main job is to eliminate production errors on the pump body and other products, and, if an error is detected, to determine the source of the error. This allows the Bosch Jihlava production facility to avoid sending defective products to the next station, while at the same time learning from these mistakes. The DataMan ID code reader is used to control the legibility of the printed 6mm DMC code. The false successful capture rate (read rate) has risen from 85% before the use of Cognex vision systems and ID readers to the current 99%-100%.
At the same time, in the Bosch Jihlava production facility, stringent operations require the installation of other technologies to support the functions of the machine vision system. “Ambient light source is a factor that may affect the function of the machine vision system. Therefore, in some cases, we need to use a special external light source, such as an infrared light source. This can be easily inserted into the system without any problems. The entire system It consists of a camera, an additional light source and a blower (may be required), which is controlled by an external control unit (PLC),” Koten explained.
The main advantage provided by the ID code reader and vision system is that it can track all the key operations of the pump body throughout the production process. According to production requirements, use DMC code to record different attributes, including production time, worker name, machine, spindle, DMC code quality and pump body condition. One of the most significant effects on production is that the recorded production operation images can be used to search back.
In the Bosch Jihlava production facility, another advantage provided by Cognex ID readers is that they can be put into use without a fixed connection, which was not available before. Of the approximately 80 ID readers currently in use, approximately 75 are wireless models. Sometimes, it is necessary to use the barcode reader two to three meters away from the countertop where the barcode reader is usually placed. It will not only take more time to process the wired barcode reader, but also more dangerous, because the production environment is wet and slippery. The ground may cause injury to the operators of the production line.
In the production process of auto parts, a large amount of dust is often generated, and it may also enter the vision system. Cognex ID readers and vision systems can easily deal with dust and stains. In the production of each shift, workers only need to wipe the camera lens cover two or three times, no other maintenance is required. This is why a blower is used to clean the dust on the DMC code of the product so that the code reader can detect it.
Although the automotive industry and its suppliers have been working hard to minimize the costs they spend on new technologies, at the Bosch Jihlava production facility, due to the ease of use and powerful functions of Cognex products, the diesel system department There are still plans to purchase three more vision systems. In this area, saving labor costs is very important, and Cognex ID and vision systems can help reduce such costs.
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