February 2011, Volume 50/Number 2 www.qualitymag.com
R E G I S T E R F O R T H E Q U A L I T Y C O N F E R E N C E P. 14
al n i g i or f® e h t ur Get cket S SA Po e in U Mad
Pocket Surf®
Portable Surface Roughness Tester
• Highly portable and economically priced - traceable surface roughness measurements • Solidly built for confident, reliable surface finish gaging on the shop floor or in the laboratory • Switchable for Ra, Rmax/Ry or Rz with selectable cutoff lengths • Four position probe - which operates in any orientation, provides unmatched versatility • Get the original Pocket Surf® - made in the USA. Don’t be fooled by imitators Pocket Surf® is a registered trademark of Mahr Federal Inc. Product configuration is a trademark of Mahr Federal Inc.
-
+ PRECISION GAGES
SNAP GAGES
AIR GAGING
SURFACE MEASUREMENT
FORM MEASUREMENT
GEAR MEASUREMENT
PRECISION LENGTH MEASUREMENT
Mahr Federal - let us demonstrate our complete line of dimensional gages. Contact: Mahr Federal Inc., Providence, RI, Phone 800-343-2050, Fax 401-784-3246, E-mail:
[email protected], Internet: www.mahr.com
CONTENTS
FEBRUARY 2011 VOLUME 50/NUMBER 2
DEPARTMENTS 6
From the Editor Information Age
8
Industry News Mfgwatch.com Reports Dip in North American Supply Chain Risk
Source: AssetSmart
Toyota Regains Top Spot for Most Considered Brand
36
PMA Report: Economic Improvement Expected
18 Face of Quality
FEATURES 50 YEARS OF QUALITY
26 SPC Unleashed Since the introduction of computers in the manufacturing process, the capabilities of SPC have grown.
QUALITY MEASUREMENT
28 Extending the Frontiers on Noncontact Surface Inspection Development of noncontact optical inspection solutions often can provide a level of product quality assurance that is not affordably achievable by either human visual inspection or by general-purpose inspection products.
QUALITY TEST & INSPECTION
32 Smart Machine Vision Systems Machine vision systems with smart software can provide measurements more efficiently than ever before.
QUALITY SOFTWARE & ANALYSIS
36 Make the Connection Most companies have long since standardized and consolidated accounting, HR and manufacturing information functions into enterprise resource planning systems, but few have consolidated and integrated their calibration and equipment management operational systems.
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
40 Quality Leadership 100 For this year’s top companies, quality is everyone’s responsibility.
Blast the Change Process
20 Other Dimensions Second Options
22 Quality 101 Selecting a Calibration Service Provider
24 Quality Innovations Picture Perfect
48 Case Study Inspection Machines Sort Out Production Get in Shape
52 Quality Products 70 Classifieds 72 Advertising Index
NEXT MONTH Fixturing Materials Testing Gage Management Quality Plant of the Year
ABOUT THE COVER Manufacturers participating in the Quality Leadership 100 were surveyed on criteria such as scrap and rework as a percentage of sales, warranty costs as a percentage of sales, rejected parts per million shipped and contribution of quality to profitability and shareholder value. Source: Brembo North America
2
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
Where are Your Instruments and Test Equipment Hiding Tonight?
ENCATS will put them back to work! Study after study shows that up to 30% of your assets are hidden from view due to incomplete, incorrect or missing descriptions across your spreadsheets, desktop databases and even your enterprise systems. Accordingly you may be spending too much on capital expenditures— duplicating resources you already own.
2800 28th Street, Suite 109 Santa Monica, CA 90405-6205 USA
SMART/ENCATSTM applies quality data standards to your calibration, asset management and accounting records and will identify and properly classify all your missing resources. We’ve helped some of the biggest names in the business improve their equipment utilization and reduce capital expenditures. Give us a call at 1.800.755.3968.
1.800.755.3968
[email protected]
www.assetsmart.com
|
O N L I N E TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
F E B R UA R Y 2011
|
QUALILITT YMAG.COM February 23, 2:00 p.m. ET
Save Time with Scanning When an automation technology provider needed to upgrade its steam turbine, it used laser scanning to get highly accurate measurements and reduce engineering time. This eliminated the need for field machining.
Introduction to Precision Ultrasonic Thickness Gages and Applications
Telescope Calibration May Help Explain Universe’s Expansion Thanks to a telescope calibrated by scientists from NIST, Harvard University and the University of Hawaii, astrophysicists are learning more about the expansion of the universe. The Importance of Shared Core Values When implementing performance metrics, supporting core values ensures the understanding of the information by all employees involved.
SIGN UP FOR QUALITY’S E-NEWS NOW
CONNECT WITH QUALITY:
Industry experts share their views on the latest in quality and manufacturing: • Jim’s Gems: Weekly Updates! • Peter Sanderson’s Blogs
• Quality Remix • NDT: Key to Quality and NDT Round-Up • Learning with Lecky, Vision RoundUp and Perspectives in Vision
Podcasts are easy to listen to directly from your computer or downloaded as an MP3 file.
Videos show you the latest products and technology to improve manufacturing processes.
NOW PLAYING ON Q-CAST
NOW PLAYING ON Q-TUBE
Laser Radar Slashes Inspection Time
IMTS Revisited • Carl Zeiss • Marposs • Micro-Vu • Nikon Metrology • S-T Industries
Remote Visual Inspection Equipment Ultrasonic Testing Solutions Trends in Eddy Current
4
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
Look closer.
Optically measure complex shafts in seconds. Diameter, length, geometry and form. Automatically. To microns. CNC flexibility to handle any shaft Submicron repeatability ■ Simple, high-speed operation ■ Easy to program ■ Shop-floor ready ■ ■
With Hommel-Etamic, your production quality never had a greater chance for improvement. For measurement reliability, uncompromised precision, and worldwide technical support, call on Hommel-Etamic.
Industrial Metrology Division
Hommel-Etamic 1505 West Hamlin Rd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309 Tel: 248-853-5888 Fax: 248-853-1505 www.hommel-etamic.com
Precision is Our Business.
F RO M T H E EDI TOR
B Y GIL L IA N C A MP B E L L
Information Age A
Gillian Campbell is editor of Quality Magazine. Gillian can be reached at
[email protected].
We’ve introduced mobile tagging as another way for you to stay informed. Take a picture of the barcode with your smartphone to receive exclusive material from Quality. Get the free app for your phone at http://gettag.mobi
h, remember the good old days when you educated yourself about your job from a trade magazine, a technical book, the occasional trade show, or by observing and asking questions of someone with more knowledge than you? Today there is no shortage of information outlets. Certainly when the magazine started 50 years ago, no one could have envisioned that Quality would evolve to so much more than a monthly print issue. No longer do you have to wait for the print edition to arrive in the mail or the digital edition in your inbox. Today you can receive much of your quality information instantaneously. Quality’s Web site (www.qualitymag.com) is everything quality-related and provides a gateway to even more information. • Q-Tube. Quality’s own video channel. Videos are regularly updated to show you the latest products and technologies to help improve manufacturing processes. • Podcasts. Download or stream informational podcasts on a variety of topics including laser radar, nondestructive testing, video measurement, as well as interviews with past Quality Plant and Professional of the Year award winners. • Blogs. Industry experts and editors from Quality Magazine share their views on the latest in quality and manufacturing. • Webinars. Get the education you need right at your desktop. If you’re not able to make the live event, view it on-demand at a time that is convenient for you. • Social media. With a LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook presence, we at Quality are able to
keep in touch with all of our virtual friends and interact with them on a constant basis. No longer do you need to send a letter to the editor to share your opinion on how we’re doing. • Virtual trade show. On May 4, we’ll co-host our first virtual tradeshow, TechManufacturing Expo. The virtual show will allow manufacturing professionals to attend educational sessions and interact with suppliers via their computer screens. This is the online equivalent of a live tradeshow and will include webinars, podcasts and virtual booths. • Live events. The annual Quality Conference focuses on the most important topics related to test, inspection and measurement. The 2011 Quality Conference will deliver a truly unique and intimate platform focusing on advancing the manufacturing industry. Featuring 45-minute presentations over two days and three tracks, plus multiple workshops, the Quality Conference will deliver top-notch education through case studies and hands-on professional examples. Held this year in Charlotte, April 11-13, the event is produced in collaboration with the University or North Carolina-Charlotte and the Charlotte Research Institute. For more information or to register, www.qualitymagconference.com In what other ways would you like to receive information? Share your thoughts with me at
[email protected], or with other members of the Quality community at the Quality Magazine LinkedIn Group page, the Quality Facebook page and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ QualityMagazine.
Editorial offices: 155 N. Pfingsten Rd., Suite 205, Deerfield, IL 60015 (248) 362-3700 • fax (847) 405-4100 • www.qualitymag.com
Proud Members of
Official Sponsor of
BNP MEDIA HELPS PEOPLE SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITH SUPERIOR INFORMATION
Darrell Dal Pozzo, Group Publisher
[email protected]
James P. Hohner Jr., Art Director
[email protected]
Catherine M. Ronan, Corporate Audience Audit Manager
Barbara Grim, Associate Publisher
[email protected]
Kelly Southard, Production Manager
[email protected]
Rob Liska, List Rental Postal contact 800-223-2194 x726,
[email protected]
Gillian Campbell, Editor
[email protected]
Sunny Coverly, Reprints & Trade Show Coordinator
[email protected]
Shawn Kingston, List Rental Email contact
Kari O’Rourke, Managing Editor
[email protected]
Christopher Sheehy, Audience Development Manager
Gevevieve Diesing, Associate Editor
[email protected]
Katie Jabour, Multimedia Specialist
6
QUALITY | February 2011
800-409-4443-828,
[email protected] For subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: Tel. (847) 763-9534 or Fax (847) 763-9538 or e-mail
[email protected]
CORPORATE DIRECTORS Publishing: Timothy A. Fausch Publishing: John R. Schrei Corporate Strategy: Rita M. Foumia Information Technology: Scott Kesler Marketing: Ariane Claire Production: Vincent M. Miconi Finance: Lisa L. Paulus Creative: Michael T. Powell Directories: Nikki Smith Human Resources: Marlene J. Witthoft Conferences & Events: Emily Patten Clear Seas Research: Beth A. Surowiec
www.qualitymag.com
FAST
DITTO
Yes, it s fast... 7KH DOOQHZ 6HULHV GLJLWDO IRUFH JDXJH IURP 0DUN UHSUHVHQWV WKH QH[W JHQHUDWLRQ RI IRUFH PHDVXUHPHQW ² VPDUW FDSDEOH VLPSOH WR PDVWHU DQG IDVW :LWK DQ LQGXVWU\OHDGLQJVDPSOLQJUDWHRI+]WKH6HULHV LV LGHDO IRU D YLUWXDOO\ XQOLPLWHG QXPEHU RI DSSOLFDWLRQV $GG WR WKLV D ODUJH EDFNOLW GLVSOD\ 86% GDWD RXWSXW UHDGLQJ GDWD PHPRU\ ZLWK VWDWLVWLFV IXOO VFDOHDFFXUDF\SDVVZRUGSURWHFWLRQDQGPXFKPRUH $OOLQDQHUJRQRPLFFRPSDFWDQGDIIRUGDEOHSDFNDJH
)25&( 72548(0($685(0(17 $'
7ROHDUQPRUHYLVLWXVDWZZZPDUNFRPRUFDOOXVDW 0$5.7(1
INDUSTRYNEWS | Business News | Coming Events | People News | Mergers |
COMING EVENTS MARCH 21–24 AUTOMATE 2011 Chicago, IL Automation Technologies Council (734) 994-6088 www.automate2011.com
APRIL 5-7 AERO DEF Anaheim, CA SME (800) 733-3976 aerodef.sme.org 11-13 QUALITY CONFERENCE Charlotte, NC Quality Magazine (888) 530-6714 www.qualitymagconference.com 19-21 FUNDAMENTALS OF RANDOM VIBRATION AND SHOCK Testing College Park, MD Equipment Reliability Institute (805) 564-1260 www.equipmentreliability.com/ vibration_course1.html
MAY 1-5 ANTEC 2011 Boston, MA Society of Plastics Engineers (203) 740-5452 www.antec.ws 3- 6 CONTROL: INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE Stuttgart, Germany Six Offene Systeme GmbH, +49 7025 9206-0, www.schall-messen.de/en/1353
8
QUALITY | February 2011
MFGWATCH.COM REPORTS DIP IN NORTH AMERICAN SUPPLY CHAIN RISKS ATLANTA—MFG.com has announced the results of its latest two-part MFGWatch survey. For the fifth consecutive quarter, more than one-third of North American manufacturers responding to the quarterly survey said that they have experienced a significant supply chain disruption in the past three months. Other findings include: • North American Buyers in Q3 2010 have shown some improved employment activity. Twenty-six percent of large manufacturers state that they have increased employment, an improvement over the 18% from the previous quarter. Conversely, while the 21% that had indicated they had reduced staffs is down slightly from the previous quarter, it is still much higher than those that anticipated any retraction (8%). • For the first time since Q3 2009, there are fewer large manufacturers in North America that have experienced a significant supply chain disruption than from the previous quarter. The 40% that stated they’d experienced those disruptions represents a 51% drop from the previous quarter. • The number of large North American manufacturers that have repatriated production from low-cost countries (19%) is only slightly less than those from the previous quarter (21%). However, while this percentage still represents a significant
increase from Q1 2010 (12%), recent trade and other economic policies put in place may impact these figures in the first two quarters of 2011 and beyond. • North American suppliers for small and medium manufacturers reported a higher contraction rate of business conditions, with 19% stating they’d experienced less business in Q3 2010. That number is up from 14% in Q2, and represents a significant contraction in the North American manufacturing sector. Also, while those reporting growth in their businesses remained flat from Q2 (40%), that number exceeds those that anticipated growth from the previous quarter (27%). • In alignment with contracting business conditions, small and mediumsized manufacturers state that they are not hiring. Employment in this sector remained virtually the same in Q3 2010, with 26% adding jobs (compared with 29% in the previous quarter) and 18% reducing headcount in both Q2 and Q3. However, realities trumped expectations, as only 5% predicted staff reductions prior to this most recent MFGWatch survey. • North American suppliers in Q3 2010 reported less activity from larger sourcing manufacturers under duress from supply chain disruptions than in the previous quarter (37% and 42%, respectively). These responses are in line with large North American manufacturers’ lower reported incidents of actual disruptions. How-
View the latest in quality industry news by visiting our headlines at qualitymag.com—updated daily. Just click the tag now and see what you’re missing. If you don’t have the mobile app on your smart phone, visit http://gettag.mobi to get started.
www.qualitymag.com
ever, the most recent 37% virtually matches the levels reported in the same quarter of 2009. • Fewer North American original equipment manufacturers and large manufacturers say that they expect to research bringing production closer to North America in the coming months (33%, compared to 38% in Q2 2010).
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN AND COMMERCE SECRETARY LOCKE PRESENT BALDRIGE AWARD FOR INNOVATION GAITHERSBURG, MA—Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Commerce Department Secretary Gary Locke presented five U.S. organizations with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award, the nation’s highest honor for organizational innovation and performance excellence. The ceremony—the 22th in the history of the award—honored the 2009 recipients: Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies (Kansas City, MO) for manufacturing; MidwayUSA (Columbia, MO) in the small business category; AtlantiCare (Egg Harbor Township, NJ) in the healthcare segment; Heartland Health (St. Joseph, MO), also in healthcare; and Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program Clinical Research Pharmacy Coordinating Center (Albuquerque, NM) for the nonprofit sector. The 2009 Baldrige Award recipients were selected from a field of 70 applicants. All of the applicants were evalu-
ated rigorously by an independent board of examiners in seven areas: leadership; strategic planning; customer and market focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results. The evaluation process for each of the recipients included about 1,000 hours of review and an on-site visit by a team of examiners to clarify questions and verify information in the applications.
KBB.COM: TOYOTA REGAINS TOP SPOT FOR MOST-CONSIDERED BRAND IRVINE, CA—According to the latest Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence Brand Watch study, Toyota has regained the top spot as the most-
VIDEO INSPECTION SYSTEMS “8700” Series with 4" x 8" or 4" x 12" Travel Stages
“9100” Series with 6" x 12" Travel Stage
“9700” Series with 12" x 12" Travel Stage !LL MODELS HAVE STANDARD MANUAL AXIS OR AXIS STAGES WITH -- RESOLUTION NOTE: Console Bases Optional ,%$ SUBSTAGE AND SURFACE ILLUMINATION COLOR CAMERA AND ,#$ MONITOR n8 PAR FOCAL ZOOM LENS ELECTRONIC CROSSHAIR GENERATOR AND CHOICE OF FOUR 1UADRA #HEK $2/S
Manufacturers of SCHERR-TUMICO Precision Measuring Tools
www.qualitymag.com
!RMSTRONG "OULEVARD .ORTH 3T *AMES -INNESOTA s 53!
!LSO AVAILABLE WITH AXIS OR AXIS JOYSTICK CONTROLLED MOTOR DRIVES OR FULL AXIS #.# JOYSTICK AND TRACKBALL CONTROLS VIDEO EDGE DETECTION IMAGE CAPTURING AUTO FOCUS AND PROGRAMMABLE LIGHTING
0HONE s 4OLL &REE &AX % MAIL SALES STINDUSTRIESCOM )NTERNET WWWSTINDUSTRIESCOM
February 2011 | QUALITY
9
|
IND U ST RY N EW S
|
ASSOCIATION NEWS The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS, Benbrook, TX), the membership association for measurement professionals, has announced a call for papers in anticipation of its 2011 Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference (CMSC). The 27th annual event will be held in Phoenix, AZ, from July 25-29, 2011. Metrology professionals from leading manufacturers, science laboratories and academia are invited to submit abstracts for presentations and technical papers about best practices, scientific R&D and successful applications of 3-D coordinate measurement systems. The deadline for abstracts is March 1, 2011. Those whose papers are accepted will be notified on April 1, 2011. Guidelines for presentations and technical papers can be downloaded at www. hitechmarketing.com/images/CMSCTechPaperGuidelines2011.pdf. SAE International (Warrendale, PA)’s voting membership elected two officers and five directors to its 2011 Board of Directors. Those elected as officers include: • 2011 president - Richard E. Kleine, vice president, Cummins Inc. • Sector vice president, commercial vehicle - Bharat Vedak, Deere & Co. Those elected as directors include: • Susan Collet - Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America Inc. • Klaus Hoehn - Deere & Co. • Dr. Sandra Kay Krug - Baker College of Clinton Township • Dr. Sun Wing Lui - Retired, Hong Kong Polytechnic University • David Vasquez - Honeywell International Inc. The president will serve a one-year term; the sector vice president, commercial vehicle and directors will serve three-year terms. All began their terms in January 2011.
considered auto brand among new-car shoppers. Toyota consistently captured the most-considered auto brand title from Q1 2007 through Q3 2009, but then fell to the number-two spot for Q4 2009 through Q2 2010, during which time the company experienced its high-profile recall crisis and domestic auto manufacturer Ford surged ahead to capture the top spot. In addition to being the mostconsidered auto brand overall regardless of segment for Q3 2010, Toyota is the most-considered brand in the non-luxury sedan/coupe/hatchback and non-luxury SUV/CUV segments, and consideration of Toyota trucks also considerably rebounded this quarter. For Q3 2010, Ford and Honda are tailing Toyota, with only one percentage point separating these top three brands in overall consideration in the latest Brand Watch study. Rounding out the top five most-considered among the 37 new-vehicle brands tracked in the Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence study are Chevrolet and Nissan. Consideration for Korean automaker Hyundai, which ousted Nissan for the No. 5 spot last quarter, slipped
10
QUALITY | February 2011
to sixth place for Q3 2010 as Nissan’s consideration gained three percentage points since Q2 2010. “The latest Brand Watch data from Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence indicates that Toyota is slowly recovering from its public-perception crisis and regaining a position of prominence in the minds of new-car shoppers,” says James Bell, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. “However, whether Toyota will ascend as high as it was before the recall crisis remains yet to be seen. Hot competition from the likes of Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Nissan and Hyundai could make it very hard for Toyota to keep a strong lead moving forward.” New-car shoppers rank durability/ reliability, fuel efficiency, driving comfort, driving performance and safety (respectively) as the top five importance factors while shopping for their next new vehicle. Specific to the non-luxury sedan/ coupe/hatchback segment, Hyundai consideration maintains a slight advantage at fourth place over fifth-place Nissan, following Toyota, Honda and Ford. Additionally, for the first time,
Mitsubishi was rated as having the best image in this category. In consideration of the non-luxury SUV/CUV segment, both Nissan and Jeep saw significant increases in consideration over the prior quarter. In addition, Subaru made its first appearance as the top-ranked brand among the importance factors of safety and versatility/flexibility in this category. Specific to the luxury sedan/coupe/ hatchback segment, BMW has regained the top spot for consideration in Q3 2010, followed by Lexus, Audi, Acura and Mercedes-Benz, respectively. While Mercedes-Benz places fifth for consideration in this segment, it continues to garner the top rank for most of the factors of importance—driving comfort, safety, interior design/layout, luxuriousness/sophistication, prestige/ brand status, family friendliness. In consideration of the luxury SUV/ CUV segment, Lexus remains the most-considered brand for Q3 2010, even though the brand’s consideration has been eroding for the last few quarters. Following Lexus for top consideration of luxury SUV/CUVs are Acura, Cadillac, Lincoln and BMW. Ford continues to remain the mostconsidered truck brand, experiencing a dramatic increase in consideration since Q2 2010. In addition, its safety ratings have edged out driving performance to round out the top factors of importance for trucks. Honda continues to remain the most-considered minivan brand, yet of all minivan brands, only domestic automakers Chrysler and Dodge experienced a slight increase in minivan consideration for Q3 2010 throughout the previous quarter. The Q3 2010 Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence Brand Watch Study was fielded to more than 2,700 in-market new-car shoppers on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com from July 8 to Sept. 23, 2010.
PMA REPORT: ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED CLEVELAND, OH—According to the December 2010 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report, metalforming companies anticipate a significant spike in business conditions during the next three months. Conducted monthly, the report is an economic
www.qualitymag.com
indicator for manufacturing, sampling 136 metalforming companies in the United States and Canada. The December report shows that 40% of participants forecast an improvement in economic activity dur-
ing the next three months (up from only 20% in November), 46% predict that activity will remain unchanged (compared to 57% last month) and 14% report that activity will decline (down from 23% in November).
Metalforming companies also expect improvement in incoming orders for the next three months. Forty-four percent of participants predict an increase in orders (up from 25% in November), 40% anticipate no change (compared to 50% last
PEOPLE NEWS ASE Optics (Rochester, NY) has appointed Jennifer Rouke to its optical engineering team. Rouke holds a Ph.D. in Optics from the University of Rochester and brings theoretical and experimental experience at the U of R Institute of Optics—including work with gradient index (GRIN) materials, fabrication of GRIN glass, interferometric measurement of index profiles and wavefronts, derivation of birefringent GRIN ray tracing equations, and modeling of fringe patterns—to the role. Master3DGage (Anaheim, CA) has appointed Ron Branch to the role of product manager. Branch brings more than 20 years of handson machine shop experience, as well as expertise in 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) design and lean, in-process inspection, to the role. As Master3-DGage product manager, Ron Branch Branch’s duties include providing technical training to resellers, developing training materials and supporting sales with open houses and trade shows. He will be available to write technical articles for industry magazines. His most recent article is currently featured in the November 2010 issue of Quality Magazine. Chemsultants International (Mentor, OH) has promoted Berry Decker to technical project manager and Cheryl Saqqa to testing project leader. Decker began her career at Chemsultants in 2007, working in the area of fuel cell membrane development. Over the past three years, Decker has made significant contributions to completing projects in medical and industrial product applications, from the idea stage to full commercialization. In her new role, Decker will have responsibility for working with and leading other Chemsultants development staff to manage all product development projects. Saqqa joined Chemsultants in 1991 as a laboratory technician. Since 1991 Saqqa has worked on diverse product testing projects, including custom test method development. She also has contributed to product development projects, contract manufacturing quality assurance and the transition of new products from the Chemsultants lab through pilot scale up to manufacturing. In her new role, Saqqa will be responsible for planning, resource allocation and completion of testing projects, as well as testing support for new product development projects. Polymer Technologies Inc. (PTI, Clifton, NJ), a custom plastic and metal injection molding company, has appointed Neal Goldenberg as its new president. Goldenberg previously served as CFO and executive vice president at Polymer Tech. In addition to previous roles at
www.qualitymag.com
Polymer beginning in 1997 that encompassed marketing and purchasing responsibilities, he held positions in finance in Boston. In his new role, Goldenberg will be responsible for identifying new opportunities, both domestic and international, within the aerospace, medical and surgical markets. Neal Goldenberg ASQ (Milwaukee, WI) has appointed John T. Fowler as managing director of ASQ Global. Fowler will expand ASQ’s presence throughout the world, focusing on membership growth, business growth and developing and implementing strategic and operating plans. Fowler brings more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including executive roles in sales and marketing, to the role. Most recently, as chief global services officer of the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, he was responsible for opening USP offices in India, China, Brazil and Switzerland. The supervisory board of Basler AG (Ahrensburg, Germany) has appointed Arndt Bake to its management board. As chief operations officer, Bake will be responsible for product management, production and supply chain management. Bake holds a master’s degree in electronics engineering and an MBA degree. After joining Basler in 2001, Bake took responsibility for the marketing of the company’s digital cameras business segment. From 2004 to mid-2009, he led the company’s components business segment.
John T. Fowler
Arndt Bake
The Reshoring Initiative’s (Kildeer, IL) founder, Harry Moser, has been named as one of the 2010 inductees into Industry Week’s Manufacturing Hall of Fame. Individuals are selected for this honor based on their overall contribution to American manufacturing. With a career spanning four decades in American manufacturing, Moser spent 22 years as president of Charmilles Harry Moser Technologies Corp., now GF Agie Charmilles, and is now chairman emeritus. He retired from that position at the end of 2010 and now works full-time on the Reshoring Initiative. Steve Brown has been appointed to managing director of instrumentation company Ashtead Technology (Elk Grove Village, IL). Brown brings 18 years of experience in the machinery and Steve Brown rental industry to the role.
February 2011 | QUALITY
11
|
IND U ST RY N EW S
|
BUSINESS NEWS Specialized Technology Resources Inc. (STR, Enfield, CT) has acquired the remaining membership interests of STR-Registrar (Belvidere, NJ) making it a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. STR has owned 51% of STR-R, an accredited international provider of management system certification and registration services, since 2001. Bryce E. Carson Sr. will continue to manage STR-R as its general manager. Array Corp. (Hampton, NH), a digital imaging company for the medical, scientific and industrial fields, has announced a partnership with Newco Inc. (Florence, SC), a provider of nondestructive test products and services for customers in the automotive, aerospace, airline, nuclear, utility and chemical industries. Pleoria Technologies Inc. (Ontario, Canada), a networked video connectivity solutions company, finished its 10th year of operation in November with almost 40% growth. This caps a decade of steady year-over-year growth. Pleora attributes its 2010 growth in part to the surge in adoption of the GigE Vision standard, which the company put in place, as well as having broken into new markets. Creaform (Quebec, Canada) has sold its 1,500th Handyscan 3-D unit, a MAXscan laser scanner for large parts, to car manufacturer Daimler Automotive Co. in China. Daimler Automotive (Stuttgart, Germany) will use the MAXscan to quality control sheet metal and passenger compartments, execute gap and flush analysis and check parts. The Chinese automaker also expanded its suite of quality control instruments with a HandyPROBE portable optical CMM, which will be used to inspect jigs and fixtures. Jergens Industrial Supply (JIS, Cleveland), a division of Jergens Inc., has acquired the assets of the Cutting Tool and Industrial Supply Division of The George Whalley Co. (Cleveland). Together, JIS and The George Whalley Co. have 100 years of experience and with this acquisition, JIS becomes the largest industrial distributor within 150 miles of Cleveland.
month) and 16% predict a decrease in orders (down from 25% in November). However, average daily shipping levels dipped in December. Thirty-five percent of participants report that shipping levels are below levels of three months ago (up from 28% in November), 38% report that shipping levels are the same as three months ago (compared to 45% in November), and 27% report an increase in shipping levels (the same percentage reported in November). The percentage of metalforming companies with a portion of their workforce on short time or layoff increased to 16% in December from 15% in November. The number is
12
QUALITY | February 2011
Gleason Corp. (Rochester, NY) has opened a new wholly-owned subsidiary in Russia. Located in Korolev near Moscow, Gleason Sales (CIS) will provide sales and service of Gleason’s full line of gear production solutions to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and all of the CIS member countries. Gleason has served the Russian and CIS markets for many years and has a large base of equipment installed in those markets. The creation of a whollyowned subsidiary in Russia represents the next step for markets that are expected to see significant growth in many core manufacturing industries. Special Optics (Wharton, NJ), a Navitar company and vertically integrated supplier of precision optical components and assemblies for high-technology applications, recently completed the design and assembly of a custom 500 millimeter focal length telescope that will be deployed in NASA’s MABEL laser altimeter instrument. MABEL is an aircraft-based simulator for the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) instrument that will fly on board the second generation Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2) to measure global changes in polar ice coverage. Special Optics was contracted by NASA to design and build two 500 millimeter focal length telescopes for the new ICESat-2 mission, scheduled to launch into orbit in 2016. Starna Scientific (Essex, England) has recently installed another new Cary 5000 reference spectrophotometer to increase the overall capability of its calibration laboratory. This helps Starna cross-validate all certified measurements across three high performance qualified reference spectrophotometer systems, wherever this is deemed necessary. The Cary 5000 has UV/visible/NIR wavelength range capabilities, which allows for the Starna extended range of certified reference materials.
much lower than one year ago, when 56% of companies reported workers on short time or layoff. “Metalforming company executives clearly are looking forward to an uptick in business levels after the holiday season,” says William E. Gaskin, PMA president. “This follows a fairly strong performance in 2010, where our average member company experienced 38% higher shipments and 44% higher orders during the first 10 months of the year, compared to 2009. The endof-year fall-off appears to be a seasonal dip and not a harbinger of a doubledip recession. PMA looks forward to working with pro-manufacturing
legislators in the next Congress to improve the outlook for manufacturing in the years ahead.”
2011 NORTH AMERICAN CAR, TRUCK OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED DETROIT—The Chevrolet Volt was named the 2011 North American Car of the Year and the Ford Explorer was named the 2011 North American Truck of the Year at the North American International Auto Show. The winners were chosen by a jury of 49 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. While hybrid vehicles have won four times in the 18 years that the awards have been given, this was the first win
www.qualitymag.com
for a vehicle that can move a meaningful distance on electric power alone. The awards are unique in the United States because instead of being given by a single media outlet they are awarded by a coalition of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. The awards are designed to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. It is the fourth time General Motors has won the North American Car of the Year. Most recently, the Chevrolet Malibu was the 2008 North American Car of the Year. It was the second year in a row that a Ford was named the North American Truck of the Year. Last year the winner was the Transit Connect. It is also the seventh time a Ford has been the “North American Truck of the Year,” a category it has dominated. To be eligible a vehicle must be all new or “substantially changed.”
local Indian manufacturers, which together with supporting seminar rooms, will allow Renishaw to meet the increasing need for training and support being generated by its rapidly expanding customer base within India. Renishaw has traded in India for more than 25 years, and in 2000 it created Renishaw Metrology Private Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary based in Bangalore. The new demonstration and training center will offer technical support to both Renishaw’s OEM customers and end-users. Within India, Renishaw also has set up a procurement operation to directly source components from Indian vendors, while a development team specializing in metrology software. The sales and marketing operation for India is focused in Bangalore, with regional offices in Delhi (Gurgaon) and Pune, supported by resident sales engineers in other industrial centers. Total employee numbers within India now exceed 100. The Renishaw Group currently has operations in 30 countries, with employees totaling more than 2,100.
RENISHAW OPENS INDIAN TRAINING CENTER
UTC NAMES QUALITY CONTROLLED MANUFACTURING SUPPLIER GOLD WINNER
PUNE, INDIA— Renishaw (Gloucester, UK) recently opened its first dedicated demonstration and training center for the Indian market at its main office in Pune, India. The 2,000-square-foot facility houses computerized numerically controlled (CNC) machine tools and coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) from
SAN DIEGO—Quality Controlled Manufacturing Inc. (QCMI, San Diego) was awarded the United Technologies Corporation (UTC) Supplier Gold award. QCMI is the only complex machining company in the continental United States to achieve UTC Supplier Gold for two consecutive years. The
program acknowledges a supplier for its performance over the course of at least 12 consecutive months. The UTC Supplier Gold process is a method for aligning and linking the entire value stream around customerfocused metrics. One of its benefits is the facilitation and acceleration of performance improvements. The criteria address the applicant’s quality, delivery, lean practices and customer satisfaction. Participation is voluntary and nominations for the Supplier Gold assessment process must come from UTC divisions or the corporate office. The Hamilton Sundstrand supply chain management team re-nominated the manufacturer for the Supplier Gold recertification process. Upon UTC’s acceptance of the nomination, QCMI documented performance levels over a 12-month time period. Performance excellence was determined through supplier excellence criteria such as quality and delivery, market feedback analysis, lean assessment and an on-site validation visit by the supplier gold team. The standalone initiative required QCMI to actively utilize quality and lean tools. The following assessments were included: certified quality clinic system; relentless root cause analysis and corrective action; process certification; standardized work processes; set-up reduction; value stream mapping; continuous improvement; sort, set-in-order, shine, standardize, sustain methodologies; and total production maintenance.
the infinite
possibilities
of process control
RENGAGE™ strain gauge technology—for the most accurate probes in the world.
OMP400—Optical transmission strain gauge probe. More details at renishaw.com/omp400
3FOJTIBXTTUSBJOHBVHFUFDIOPMPHZPGGFSTBOVOSJWBMFE PQQPSUVOJUZUPDPOUSPMUIFWBSJBCMFTPGQSPDFTTDPOUSPM GPSTNBMMUPNFEJVNTJ[FNBDIJOJOHDFOUFST3FBQUIF CFOFàUTPGBVUPNBUFEKPCTFUVQ SFEVDFETDSBQBOE MPXFSàYUVSFDPTUT5IFVOJRVFGSFRVFODZIPQQJOH GFBUVSFPGUIF3.1NBJOUBJOTSBEJPUSBOTNJTTJPO BOEDPOUSPM FWFOJOUIFiOPJTJFTUuFOWJSPONFOUT
r-PXFSDPOUBDUGPSDFTGPSMFTTTUZMVTCFOEBOEQSFUSBWFM r&YDFMMFOU%QFSGPSNBODF r$..MFWFMBDDVSBDZ r&YDFMTJOUIFIBSTIFTUNBDIJOFDPOEJUJPOT Learn more:
Renishaw.com/RMP600
Renishaw Inc. )PGGNBO&TUBUFT *-www.renishaw.com
www.qualitymag.com
February 2011 | QUALITY
13
APRIL 11-13, 2011 CHARLOTTE, NC In Collaboration With:
Join us at the 2011 Quality Conference to learn about and explore Test, Inspection, Measurement and Evaluation practices in manufacturing. This event will deliver a truly unique and intimate platform focusing on advancing the manufacturing
It’s TIME.. and yourself participating in
industry. REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE! EARLY BIRD
BEFORE 3/11/11
$895
STANDARD
AFTER 3/11/11
$995
W W W. Q U A L I T Y M A G C O N F E R E N C E . C O M
CURRENT SPONSORS:
..you position your company as an industry leader by the Quality Conference.
Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the
Joe Gibbs Racing facility. Limited to the first 25 conference attendees. Visit the Quality Conference website to learn more and register today! “Kyle Busch®”, “#18®”, and “Z-Line®” licensed under authority of Joe Gibbs Racing, Huntersville, NC. Toyota trademarks used with permission.
www.qualitymagconference.com Monday, April 11, 2011 11:00am-2:00pm
Tour @ Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is one of the premier organizations in NASCAR, currently fielding three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, two NASCAR Nationwide Series teams and a driver development program that includes two full-time NASCAR East Series teams. The Joe Gibbs Racing Tour will give attendees a sneak peak on how race cars are built from the ground up and prepared for each race track. Departments included in tour will consist of Fabrication, Paint and body, Advanced Technology center, Quality Control and Final preparation. WORKSHOP 1
WORKSHOP 2
2:00pm- 5:00pm
The Secrets of Thread Gaging David Harris, Glastonbury Southern Gage
Measurement Uncertainty - What It Is, Why It Occurs and How to Accommodate It Henry Alexander, Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation Inc.
5:00pm-6:30pm
Welcome Reception at UNC-Charlotte
*workshops will be held at UNC-Charlotte
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 7:30am-8:30am
Continental Breakfast and Registration
8:30am-8:45am
Welcome Address Darrell Dal Pozzo, Quality Magazine
8:45am-9:30am
KEYNOTE: The GD&T Measurement Conundrum Jim Salsbury, Mitutoyo America Corporation We all want to measure “right,” but sometimes measuring “wrong” is the best decision to make. Modern measuring equipment and sophisticated software provide significant benefits in versatility and automation, but with great flexibility comes great responsibility in implementation. Equipment like coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) provide seemingly endless options for any specific measuring task. The CMM user needs to understand design intent (GD&T), software options and their machine limitations to determine the optimal measuring approach. In many cases, the “theoretically correct” method does not provide the best overall solution. This presentation will use a variety of measurement examples to highlight the GD&T Measurement Conundrum and present best practice strategies when using modern measuring instruments.
9:30am-10:15am
Quality Plant of the Year Award Presentation Daimler Trucks North America (Cleveland, NC)
10:15am-10:45am
Morning Break TRACK 1
TRACK 2
10:45am-11:30am
Developing a Risk-Based Calibration Program Harry Spinks, Boston Scientific
Industrial CT Scanning Stephanie Masse, Jesse Garant & Associates
11:30am-12:15pm
How to Calibrate Any Machine Tool David Maxham, Automated Precision Inc.
X-Ray Micro CT: The Rules and When to Break Them Dr. David Bate & Jim Clark, Nikon Metrology Inc.
12:15pm-1:30pm
Luncheon
1:30pm-2:15pm
PCMM Certification Progress Alan Metzel, Nothrop Grumman
X-Ray Computed Tomography for 3-D Inspection Jeff Bibee, Werth Inc.
2:15pm-3:00pm
CMM Based Surface Profilometry of Macro and Micro-Parts Shane Woody, InSituTec
Presentation TBD
3:00pm-3:30pm
Afternoon Break
2011 SCHEDULE 3:30pm-4:15pm
Verifying the Accuracy of CMMs Between Calibrations Rick Richardson, QA Productivity Systems
Can Smart Automated Weld Inspection Turn A Cost Into A Profit? Jeffrey Noruk, Servo Robot Corp.
4:15pm-5:00pm
Would Statistical Process Control Work for Me? Rick Sloop, InfinityQS International
Advances in Eddy Current Verification of Heat Treat Processes Joe Jessop, Criterion NDT
5:00pm-6:30pm
Networking Reception
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 7:30am- 8:30am
Continental Breakfast and Registration
8:30am-8:45am
Opening Remarks Darrell Dal Pozzo, Quality Magazine
8:45am-9:30am
KEYNOTE: No-Compromise Leadership – A Higher Standard of Leadership Thinking and Behavior Neil Ducoff, No-Compromise Leadership No-Compromise Leadership is all about the thinking, behavior and accountability that support all leadership results and outcomes. Joined together, these two simple words immediately establish a higher standard of leadership thinking and behavior. They provide a powerful internal compass that keeps you and your company steadfastly on course. By design, no compromise cuts through myriad excuses, emotional blockages and procrastination that silently infect leadership performance. When no compromise becomes your mandate - the guiding principle upon which all other leadership behavior emanates - the resulting business outcomes will be nothing short of breakthrough.
9:30am-10:15am
Quality Professional of the Year Award Presentation Forrest Breyfogle, Smarter Solutions Inc.
10:15am-10:45am
Morning Break TRACK 1
TRACK 2
10:45am-11:30am
Hand Gages and Metrology Challenges for Manufacturing in the 21st Century Paulo Pereira, Caterpillar Inc.
Smart Cameras and Technology Gains Driving its Adoption Narayan Subramaniam, Cognex
11:30am-12:15pm
The Metrology of Golf Pat Nugent, Mahr Federal
Optical Measuring Technologies for Air Quality and Regulatory Compliance James Drago, Garlock Sealing Tech.
12:15pm-1:30pm
Luncheon
1:30pm-2:15pm
Noncontact Metrology: Eliminating the Cycle Time, Data Density & Price Trade-Off Paul Joss, Perceptron
Inspection Applications of Acoustic Pulse Reflectometry (APR) Dr. Noam Amir, AcousticEye
2:15pm-3:00pm
Total Quality Management is NOT Total! Walter McGee, Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems
Accuracy, Efficiency, and other Technology Advancements for Common and Complex Coating Thickness Measurement Applications Paul Lomax, Fischer Technology
3:00pm-3:30pm
Afternoon Break
3:30pm-4:15pm
KEYNOTE: Beyond Quality – A Roadmap for Innovation Praveen Gupta, Accelper Consulting There are many tools and techniques to assure the quality of your product. If you learn enough and research enough, you’ll find what best fits in your organization. But, if you don’t have people willing to use these tools, people willing to find better ways to do their job, people looking and thinking how to do their job “error proofing,” the journey to Zero Defects will be very difficult. You’ll have to have engineers analyzing every single process to design a Poka Yoke. During this presentation, you’ll be able to see how a company created an environment where every employee implements a change/improvement in his process/activity to make a quality product.
4:15pm-4:30pm
Closing Remarks Darrell Dal Pozzo, Quality Magazine
FAC E OF QUALI T Y
B Y J IM L . SMI T H
Blast the Change Process Become a change agent to keep change from adversely affecting your team.
Jim L. Smith has more than 45 years of industry experience in operations, engineering, research & development and quality management. You can reach Jim at
[email protected].
U
shering in change can be a daunting task for most managers. People usually don’t like change, and what they don’t like they can actively resist. But managers know that adaptability is as necessary as quality to the survival of every company. In today’s competitive global marketplace, your organization must be poised to respond to external changes. It must be able to shift gears at a moment’s notice to take advantage of new business opportunities or to prevent the loss of valuable customers. One way to do this is to take an approach known as the B-L-A-S-T technique. This acronym stands for build security, live up to your commitments, absorb criticism, share your vision and take follow-up action. By following these steps, you should be able to see your people through the transition period, and ensure that the change is a resounding success. • Build security. The first step toward successful change is to reduce the threat of change by building a sense of security for your people. When you upset your people’s daily routine, you threaten their security. But you must realize that all people need security in their lives in order to function properly. Refer to it as an upgrade, not a change. The word change can mean anything from a small adjustment to a huge upheaval. People often equate change with disruption, a negative influence. Provide a structure for change. Map out a detailed, step-by-step plan of how and when certain changes will take place. A logical stepby-step process will give your people a framework to operate within, a comforting sense of structure that will help them stop worrying. • Live up to your commitments. After making your people comfortable with the upgrade, follow through on your plans and promises. Keep in mind that people do not tolerate inconsistency between their management’s words and actions. Management is going to be evaluated by everyone in the organization. The slightest inconsistency between your words and actions will be detected, analyzed and interpreted, and may be used to dis-
In today’s competitive global marketplace, your organization must be poised to respond to external changes.
18
QUALITY | February 2011
credit your motives for making the change. Therefore, take care to be true to your word. And if the company’s plans for the change must be altered in any way, be sure to update your people and explain the reasoning behind the adjustments. • Absorb criticism. Most changes will require some adjustment. When you see that one of your changes is going to need fine-tuning, present the problems to your people and ask for input. Actually, before difficulties arise, you should make it clear to your people that you are open to comments, constructive criticism and suggestions: everyone will benefit greatly by gaining many points of view. • Share your vision. You know what you want your changes to accomplish, but do your people always know? If you share your goals with your people, they’ll be better able to help you meet them. Achieving a shared vision may be the most important step in the change process. Share your vision with your team by using staff meetings, discussion groups, task forces and one-onone meetings to clarify the goal of each change. Stress how the updates will benefit everyone. • Take follow-up action. Some changes will not be universally accepted. In some cases, a certain number of people will continue to oppose change. This opposition usually is not significant enough to cause the change to fail, but it could cause change to falter. This is why it’s important to follow up periodically to determine who in your group has misgivings. Once these people have been identified, work to change their opinion. Most of the time, the oppositions will be evident. The people will voice disagreement and doubts. When this happens, take the time to counter their dissent and concerns individually. Once everyone puts their cards on the table, you will then have a chance to address their misgivings. By confronting people’s fear with the facts, you can often make them allies in the change process. We realize that change is often desirable, frequently necessary, seldom embraced but always inevitable. Utilizing some of the above points everyone benefits and everyone wins.
www.qualitymag.com
We’d Like to Something Absolutely New The ROMER Absolute Arm With Integrated Laser Scanner
The ROMER SI series Absolute Arm with integrated laser scanner offers the convenience of a no-warm-up time scanner coupled with the Absolute Arm’s no homing procedures, so that you can be out of the case and scanning in no time. The scanning feature pack docked to the arm’s base includes the scanner control and batteries, so you can inspect anywhere without need for a power connection. That’s absolute portability. Each complete scanning system is specified and factory certified to B89 standards. A complete range of six models with measuring range from 6.6 ft (2m) to a huge 14.8 ft (4.5m) are now available. Call 800-274-9433 to schedule a demonstration in your facility. Hexagon Quicklink:
www.HexMet.us/qm211 ROMER is a brand of Hexagon Metrology, Inc. Tel: 800-274-9433
scan with smartphone for video
OTHE R DI MENSI ONS
B Y H IL L C OX
Second Opinions Consider the source of opinions when determining their worth.
Hill Cox is president of Frank J. Cox Sales Ltd. (Brampton, Ontario, Canada). He may be reached at
[email protected].
I
find opinions fascinating because everyone has them, and because many are based on someone else’s opinion, there’s an endless variety of them. You have to consider the source of opinions when determining their worth. We tend to give more weight to opinions from “experts” in a given field than those of the lay person, but the experts tend to be wrong more than they are right. Opinions from stock market experts are one such example. The scientific experts of their time once warned us that the world was flat. The newly elected head of the Royal Astronomical Society in England in the mid-1950s was asked about the possibility of space travel. He commented that it was “...utter bilge.” In the 1970s, the experts said we would freeze in the dark due to climate problems. In dimensional metrology, opinions are often demanded by operators of calibration laboratories because they are considered “experts” in this area. They may be experts in the calibration of equipment but not necessarily on whether the results indicate a pass or fail situation. I often wonder why they’re asked in the first place, particularly when the operator of the equipment provides the criteria on which the decision will be made. If the operator knows what the requirement is, why doesn’t he just compare the results to it and make the call himself? Too often the operator doesn’t know what the requirements should be and expects the laboratory to use new gage or instrument specifications as the standard—if they have them. Too often, the new standard the gage or instrument was made to is an unknown. Even if it is known, it should be remembered that they apply to new items, not used ones. ISO 17025 allows accredited laboratories to issue reports using conformance statements in lieu of data. This is handy for the mathematically challenged but tells the operator little. For example, if the report states that the subject gage “...complies with ASME Standard B1....” no data needs to be supplied but must be available if requested. If you want to know how close the gage is to wearing
It could be argued that the value of opinions is proportionate to how specific they are.
20
QUALITY | February 2011
beyond whatever the acceptable limits are, you’re out of luck. The ISO standard makes it clear that unless otherwise specified, readers of the report will assume that all elements called out in the specification have been verified, which is rarely the case. What folks are really doing in these situations is downloading the decision making, something their corporate legal counsel would probably advise against. I do find it interesting that some companies trying to reduce costs will accept pass/fail opinions, which often means they’ll be discarding useful instruments or gages before their time. As I have noted in other columns, the golden rule to acceptability is based on the workpiece tolerance the gage has to check or the instrument has to verify. And it doesn’t matter whether the tool involved is new or used. Another opinion asked of calibration laboratories is about when the instrument or gage should be next calibrated. Once more, this is the owner of the equipment’s call, not the laboratory’s call. The ISO standard forbids laboratories making such judgment calls but will allow them to put due date on reports or stickers if that information came from the owner of the equipment. I was not privy to the discussions on this requirement, but I suspect it was designed to cover two potential situations. The first is an attempt to prevent an unscrupulous lab noting overly short cycles to increase business. The other was probably due to the fact that an outside laboratory has no way of knowing all the factors that such a decision should be based on. It could be argued that the value of opinions is proportionate to how specific they are. The broader their coverage, the greater the inaccuracies or vagueness that can be expected. But there is one group of experts who appear to be breaking that rule. I’m referring to those students of the Mayan calendar that supposedly runs out in December. Some are saying the world as we know it will pretty much end at that time. That’s pretty specific, but I think I’ll get a second opinion before I pack my jammies and head for the hills.
www.qualitymag.com
FREEar in w! Web o ter N s
Regi
Introduction to Precision Ultrasonic Thickness Gages and Applications February 23, 2011 | 2pm EST This webinar provides a basic introduction to the theory and practice of ultrasonic thickness gaging, for both newcomers and more experienced users who would like a review. It covers basic ultrasonic theory, how ultrasonic gages work, and how they are used in contact or immersion mode. The webinar highlights the benefits of precision thickness gages using single element transducers, and discusses a number of common and specific gage applications. Applications that will be described include nondestructive measurements on engineering materials such as metal, plastic, fiberglass, and rubber. The webinar will also cover some innovative instrument features and software options that can be applied to measurements on multilayer materials, very thick or very thin materials.
This webinar will feature: • Discussion on the Theory of Ultrasonic Precision Thickness Gaging • Measurement Modes including advantages and disadvantages • Live application demonstration on several applications
Moderator
Speaker
Gillian Campbell Editor Quality Magazine
Steve LaBreck Senior Product Manager Thickness Gages Olympus NDT
Brought to you by
Register for FREE at webinars.qualitymag.com! Can’t attend live? Register to receive the on-demand version.
Q UAL I T Y 101
Ask suppliers about their abilities to help simplify and manage test equipment services and improve audit compliance. Source: Restor Metrology
Selecting a
Calibration Service Provider
A thorough understanding and analysis of your needs is required to maximize quality and minimize the risk of making uninformed decisions. B Y A LA N KE I T H
T
he global demand for superiorquality products and services has companies increasing their focuses on core competencies. There is pressure to reduce cycle times and costs and improve quality. The outsourcing of noncore business functions that do not directly contribute to product design, development, production and delivery is an effective solution. Calibration of test and measurement equipment is one of these routinely outsourced functions. Proper calibration plays a critical role in product quality and improved compliance and ultimately a company’s reputation and success. Objective evaluation of calibration suppliers is very important, but it can be tricky. The calibration industry is not
22
QUALITY | February 2011
regulated and there is no legal definition as to what constitutes a valid calibration. As a quality professional, it is your job to select and qualify your suppliers. To do this, a thorough understanding and analysis of one’s needs is required to maximize quality and minimize the risk of making uninformed decisions. Consider the following criteria when establishing a selection process: • Legal and regulatory requirements— Are there specific requirements the product must meet in order to be released to market? Identify these needs and include them as part of the calibration supplier evaluation process. • Quality management system— Does the quality management
system require use of an ISO 9001: 2008 registered and ISO/IEC 17025-2005 accredited provider? Do customers require compliance to other standards, such as ANSI/ NCSL Z540-1-1994 or ANSI/NCSL Z540.3-2006? It is a wise choice to consider accredited suppliers, yet it is not a guarantee of service quality. Like any industry, not all suppliers are equal in the quality of services delivered. Diligence on a manufacturer’s part is critical in identifying and understanding the differences. World-class calibration providers will happily provide a detailed presentation of their quality system, calibration methodologies and technical capabilities and limitations. Also know that with accredited calibration providers, there is oversight protection through their accrediting body. Periodic audits of a supplier— along with an understanding of the remedies available at those times when quality of service is called into question—are strong pillars with which to build a supplier assessment and selection process. • Technical requirements—What capabilities of measurement does the test equipment have? All ISO 17025 accredited laboratories have a technical scope of capability that is publicly available. A comparison of needs to a potential provider’s scope is a must. • Turnaround time requirements— Are turnaround requirements defined? Turnaround time, or equipment downtime, can be a significant component in cost evaluation. Establishment and agreement of clear delivery expectations will make management of suppliers that much easier. • Calibration methodology—Ask potential calibration suppliers about the methods they will use to calibrate test equipment. Ask for examples of procedures and any datasheets they may potentially use. If they say these are proprietary documents, then request a visit to their facility
www.qualitymag.com
BALL BAR - DUMBELL We sold one of our $800.00 Ball to review the documents in-person. Ask if the companies are performing a full calibration or if they are merely verifying measurements. Ask if adjustments are performed on out-of-tolerance during the calibration event and if that is included in the calibration cost. If a calibration supplier performs his service on-site but must take his equipment back to his lab and charge extra to properly calibrate the equipment that may warrant further review. It certainly would affect turnaround time and cost. • Automation and calibration program management—Ask suppliers about their abilities to help simplify and manage test equipment services and improve audit compliance. Do they offer online real-time access to equipment status? Do they offer systems to track asset histories, calibration certificates and data sheets? • Price—Managing supplier costs is important and pricing calibration
services is complex. Deciding on suppliers based on their price alone can be very costly and damaging. Poor calibration quality can result in the recall products that have already shipped and can lead to unexpectedly high warranty costs. These problems can create serious doubt in the customers’ minds about a manufacturer’s ability to deliver a quality product. As a quality professional you have specific responsibilities to both your company and your customers to continually seek ways to reduce costs, ensure quality and improve product reliability. An informed decisionmaking process in the selection of calibration service providers will go a long way towards meeting those goals.
Bar Kits to a young man who was having problems with his C.M.M.
See: www.precisionballs.com One week later, he called to discuss the results. His C.M.M. had just been serviced and certified by the machines manufacturer at a cost of $700.00. OUR Ball Bar found
Alan Keith is the director of operations at Restor Metrology (Leesburg, FL). For more information, call (877) 220-5554, e-mail
[email protected] or visit www.restormetrology.com.
that the “Z” axis of this machine was out of square with the “X” axis 0.009” (0.23 mm). The “Z” to “Y” and “X to Y” Axii were perfectly square. After adjusting “Z”-“X” the entire machine was measuring within 0.0003” (0.076mm). He wondered if we had any suggestions on how he might improve this accuracy. As this was an older manual machine, we told him that we thought this was an acceptable accuracy. A simple, inexpensive Ball BarDumbell system provides legal certification according to ANSI B 89.4.1 or VIM-VAR 260
Bal-tec Division Micro Surface Engr., Inc. 1550 E. Slauson Ave Los Angeles, CA 90011 323-582-7348 www.precisionballs.com
www.qualitymag.com
February 2011 | QUALITY QLT09091baltec.indd 1
23 8/4/09 8:48:14 AM
Q UA L I T Y I NNOVAT I ONS
The DataMan 500 is the only highspeed array vision-based barcode reader on the market. Source: Cognex Corp.
Picture Perfect Advanced barcode reader offers reliability at a low cost. B Y KA RI O ’ROURKE , M A NAGI NG E DI TOR
I
t has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and it is no different when talking about barcode readers where it is important to capture an entire area in a single snapshot. In factory automation applications where there is a need for code reading, tracking and sorting, laser-based
scanners and image-based readers are typically the systems in place. The laser scanner provide high read rates when there are good quality barcodes, however, when the conditions are less than perfect, it can be difficult to attain a read. Line scan-based camera systems tend to be used in high-scale applications
because of their cost, but they do provide improved read rates. While both systems have their own advantages, there has been a need in the market for a lower cost reader with the effectiveness of the image-based systems. Launched at the beginning of the year, the DataMan (DM) 500 series from Cognex Corp. (Natick, MA) is the only high-speed, area-array imagebased barcode reader on the market that combines the simplicity of a laser scanner with the reliability of an image-based reader. “With breakthrough, proprietary imaging technology, combined with best-in-class one-dimensional (1-D) reading algorithms, the DM500 is able to bring the read rates of imagebased readers to the high-speed lines of the logistics market,” says Jorge Schuster, Cognex’s director of ID sales, Americas. “Essentially, the DM500 combines the read rates of vision technology with the ease of use of traditional laser-based barcode readers.” Unlike lasers, the DM500 allows the operator to see what the reader sees live. For example, if there is a “no read,” it is easy for the operator to understand that a label is missing by looking at the image. This can be done on a monitor or saved for viewing later by using an automatic FTP transfer for image archiving, which is enabled by the Ethernet connectivity that provides a direct connection to the factory network. “The 1-D Max algorithm provides best-in-class barcode reading, with
SPECIFICATIONS Image sensor: 1,024 by 768 global shutter Acquisition max: 1,000 fps Decode rate: Max 90 per second Lens type: CS-mount Auto focus: Optional liquid lens Trigger: Manual; external: single, burst and continuous; internal: self and presentation
Dimensions: 106 millimeters by 70 millimeters by 52 millimeters Operating temperature: 0 C to 40 C (32 F to 104 F) Lighting: integrated bright field Protection: IP65 RoHS certified: Yes Operating system: Windows 7 and Windows XP
Material: Aluminum housing
Communications: Ethernet and RS-232
Weight: 350 grams
Power: 36VDC to 57VDC (PoE)
24
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
the ability to handle the types of codes that cause problems for laser readers, including low contrast, short height, quiet zone violations and damage and extreme perspective,” says John Keating, manager, product marketing. “The DM500 also has the ability to decode 1-D and twodimensional (2-D) bar codes. As companies migrate to include DataMatrix codes, image-based technology can grow with them. This reader helps to future-proof the production line as operators can upgrade their existing DM500 systems with DataMatrix reading capability when they have that requirement.” The concept for the DM500 is a result of a market demand for a highspeed imaging processer to handle a variety of different applications, one being to decode barcodes on highspeed conveyor lines. According to Schuster, the system is unique due to the fact that it can process images at a speed of 1,000 frames per second (fps) making use of Cognex’s proprietary vision system on a chip (VSoC) technology. In addition, the DM500 provides an omnidirectional reading so there is no blind spot for the reader. Unlike laser scanners, there are no moving parts, thereby increasing the robustness and reliability of the reader. Other features include auto-trigger and auto-focus, which is accomplished by the liquid lens technology that provides the DM500 with maximum operating range flexibility for even the highest speed applications. This technology may sound familiar because it is already implemented in all Cognex industrial readers. The DM500 will compete against all laser readers, line scan camera systems and radio frequency (RF) technology, and customers range from material handling integrators, packaging companies, tire manufacturers and food companies, among others. For more information, contact: Cognex Corp. One Vision Drive Natick, MA 01760 (508) 650-3000 www.cognex.com
www.qualitymag.com
The DataMan500 has image acquisition rates of up to 1,000 fps. Source: Cognex Corp.
Flexible interface alternatives are offered. Source: Cognex Corp.
Micro•Vu Precision Measurement Systems 13 New Machine Models NEW
NEW
Vertex 251 250x160x160 mm Automated 3D Starting at $32,000
Excel 501 500x400x160 mm Automated 3D Starting at $43,000
Systems Include
NEW
InSpec Metrology Software Advanced Vision Tools Programmable Lighting Programmable Zoom Automated Reporting Free Updates
NEW Excel 1001 1000x1000 mm NEW Excel 1601 1600x1000 mm NEW Excel 1651 1650x1250 mm 160, 250, and 400 mm Z available
Vision
Sol 161 160x160x160 mm Manual 3D, Auto Zoom Starting at $12,000
Touch
Laser
Established 1959
www.microvu.com
Micro-Vu Corporation 7909 Conde Lane Windsor CA 95492 1-707-838-6272
[email protected]
February 2011 | QUALITY
25
50 Y e ar s of Qualit y THE BEGINNING
SPC Unleashed
In 1918, Shewhart joined the inspection engineering department of the Western Electric Co. Western Electric manufactured telephone hardware for Bell Telephone. Engineers at Bell Telephone had been working to improve the reliability of their transmissions systems. They needed to reduce the frequency of failures and repairs to their amplifiers, connectors and other equipment, which were buried underground. Bell Telephone had already realized that reducing variation in manufacturing processes would have a positive impact on repair costs. At the same time, the company determined that continual adjustments in process parameters reacting to nonconformances resulted in increased variation and a degradation of quality. Bell Telephone’s discoveries in product variation resulted in an inspection
Since the introduction of computers in the manufacturing process, the capabilities of SPC have grown. B Y G ILLIA N C A MP BE LL , E DI TOR
C
behavior of the variations witnessed in the quality characteristics of manufactured goods during production. Through the statistical study of these patterns of variation, it is possible to attribute certain types of variation to certain types of fault sources and thereby develop a knowledge and understanding of the types of corrective actions that may be required. But where did it all begin? Walter A. Shewhart is credited with being the father of statistical quality control.
alipers, gages and the like can be used to measure a dimension. Statistical process control (SPC) techniques provide the tools to measure the performance of an operation and express it in numbers. By looking at the numbers, quality engineers can determine whether the operation is running smoothly or whether it needs to be adjusted. The techniques of SPC employ basic probability laws and statistical methods to develop models for the
Fill Weight of Small Lotion Bottles Date
04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/16/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/17/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09 04/18/09
Time
09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM 07:00 PM 08:00 PM 09:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM 09:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 01:00 PM 02:00 PM 03:00 PM 04:00 PM 05:00 PM 06:00 PM
Subgroup No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
1
59.3 59.4 58.8 59.8 60.1 60.8 59.1 60.0 59.6 58.9 59.8 58.1 60.8 59.7 59.5 59.7 59.6 58.7 60.3 59.6 59.6 60.8 58.5 60.2 59.3 59.5 59.8 59.4 58.5 59.8 58.7 59.6 61.0 58.1 59.2 60.1 59.1 59.8 59.3 59.4
2
60.2 59.9 60.1 59.5 59.2 61.2 58.7 59.7 60.1 60.1 60.8 58.8 60.9 60.0 59.8 59.7 60.1 59.3 60.6 60.0 59.6 60.5 58.5 59.5 60.3 60.0 60.3 60.2 59.9 59.3 59.7 59.5 60.9 58.2 60.0 60.3 59.5 59.8 58.9 59.8
3
60.3 59.8 60.7 60.2 60.1 61.0 59.0 59.9 60.8 60.4 60.7 58.9 61.5 60.5 60.7 59.7 59.8 58.7 61.3 60.3 60.0 61.1 58.7 60.4 60.4 59.9 60.3 60.2 60.6 60.5 60.1 59.8 61.4 58.7 60.5 59.4 60.0 60.2 60.3 60.7
4
59.5 60.5 59.2 60.3 59.9 60.7 58.8 60.0 59.9 60.3 60.1 59.6 60.7 59.9 60.6 59.9 60.3 57.5 61.2 59.7 60.4 61.4 58.4 60.6 59.4 60.0 59.7 60.5 59.7 59.0 61.0 59.9 60.8 58.1 59.8 60.1 60.8 60.2 60.0 58.9
Average
59.83 59.90 59.70 59.95 59.83 60.93 58.90 59.90 60.10 59.93 60.35 58.85 60.97 60.03 60.15 59.75 59.95 58.55 60.85 59.90 59.90 60.95 58.53 60.18 59.85 59.85 60.02 60.08 59.68 59.65 59.88 59.70 61.03 58.28 59.88 59.98 59.85 60.00 59.63 59.70
Range
1.0
1.1
1.9
0.8
0.9
0.5
0.4
0.3 1.2
1.5
1.0
1.5
0.8
0.8 1.2
0.2
0.7
1.8
1.0
0.7
0.8
0.9
0.3 1.1
1.1
0.5
0.6 1.1
2.1
1.5
2.3
0.4
0.6
0.6 1.3
0.9 1.7
0.4
1.4
1.8
62.00
61.00
Average
60.613
60.00
59.872
59.131 59.00
58.00 5.00
Range
4.00 3.00 2.32 2.00 1.00
1.02
0.00
Control charts provide a picture of the process and visually show when and where variability occurs so manufacturers can evaluate and adjust the process and monitor the results of our adjustments. They allow even subtle shifts in the process to be seen that might be missed if only lists of data were examined. Source: Quality Magazine
26
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
ing interpretable program, ensuring in results was a process specification and qualre ity standards to avoid ccompleted long after the production run sending defective prodth being analyzed had ucts to the customer. b Even though this proffinished. This delay complicated the task gram was somewhat c of effective, it was costly o addressing process problems that continto inspect and sort the p ued finished goods. u to change—and probably resulted in By 1924, Shewhart p additional process determined the proba hart Walter A. Shew variation—in the lem of variability in v interim.” terms of assignable i cause and chance cause. In May 1924, 1924 Today’s software softwar eliminates some of yesterday’s headaches. Many timesaving Shewhart prepared a memo of less features have been added to advance than one page and forwarded it to SPC software usability. These software his manager, George Edwards. About systems leverage other technologies one-third of the page was devoted to such as automation standards and a simple diagram that today is recogInternet access to simplify and integrate nized as a control chart. This memo tasks, making administration, data colset forth the essential principles and lection, statistical analysis and reportconsiderations that became known as ing easier for today’s technicians. process quality control. With automated SPC, data enters Shewhart’s principle was that bringthe system and immediately appears ing a process into a state of statistical on the control chart. The computer control would allow for the distinction finds the average, ranges or sigma and between assignable and chance cause instantly draws the results of a sample variations. By keeping the process in on the chart. It calculates control control, it would be possible to predict limits and alerts the operator of outfuture output and to economically manage processes. This was the beginning of the modern scientific study of process control.
of-control conditions for corrective action in real-time. This instant access to process data means an out-of-control process can be detected immediately, thereby saving time and money. With the advent of the Internet and Web-based solutions, no longer did an engineer even need to be in the same plant, much less the same country, to be alerted to an out-of-control process. Just a few short years ago, Software as a Service (SaaS) SPC emerged to deliver quality intelligence for an entire enterprise and supply chain via the Internet through secure servers. The application allows facilities and corporate offices to share data in realtime. In addition, supplier data and analysis can be viewed. Permissions and security features ensure that suppliers cannot see each other’s data. Supply chain managers and executives can evaluate incoming materials prior to delivery, and strategically select suppliers based on the quality intelligence provided. Over the years SPC software has matured in functionality, making statistical analysis quicker, more powerful and more flexible. SPC software will continue to develop and as technologies evolve, so too will the role of SPC.
SOFTWARE ENTERS THE PICTURE SPC alone cannot improve quality but statistics can point out where the problem lies. Statistics can be used to summarize past events, and by analyzing and understanding those events, predictions can be made about the future. But performing those calculations and drawing charts by hand is time-consuming. As access to computers in the manufacturing environment became more widespread, products that automated statistical analysis tasks were introduced to the market. While they provided the tools to analyze the process, the systems were often difficult to use. “They required tedious data entry and a Ph.D. statistician’s knowledge to configure the software and analyze the data—a combination of tasks and abilities not easily married,” Frank Tappen wrote in a 2006 Quality article. “Furthermore, obtain-
LISTEN TO THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS WITH Q-CAST Q-Cast Podcasts feature the latest news and information for quality test and inspection professionals—all in a bi-monthly newscast format that you can download to your computer or listen to directly from Quality Magazine’s Web site.
LISTEN TO THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS WITH Q-CAST
Q-Cast Podcasts feature the latest news and information for quality test and
Visit www.qualitymag.com
inspection professionals—all in a bi-monthly newscast format that you can download to your computer or listen to directly from Quality Magazine’s Web site. 0909-house-qcast-Orange-rast.indd 5
www.qualitymag.com
11/10/09 10:05:36 AM
February 2011 | QUALITY
27
|
QUA LIT Y M EA SU REM E N T
|
Extending the
FRONTIERS of Noncontact Surface Inspection
T
he pace of progress in precision manufacturing in all industry sectors is creating an ever-increasing demand for new and innovative methods for noncontact inspection of manufactured part and assembly surfaces. Sometimes existing products can be found to perform the required function in terms of resolution, speed, robustness, field-of-measurement, depth-of-measurement, sensitivity and the many other factors that define an application’s requirements. But more often, the desired higher level of manufactured item quality and performance requires the development of new solutions that stretch the state of measurement and inspection technology in one or more critical directions. Often three-dimensional (3-D) inspection is a critical part of the solution. In most industrial and commercial sectors, the benefits of automated noncontact surface inspection are clear and substantial. They include most or all of the following factors:
Development of noncontact optical inspection solutions often can provide a level of product quality assurance that is not affordably achievable by either human visual inspection or by general-purpose inspection products. BY C .W. SWO N G E R , AL E X K L O O STE R J R ., D R . C AR L C . AL E K SO F F AN D D R . B I N LI
• Significantly reduced scrap or rejected product. • Reduced manufacturing costs and reduced manufacturing downtime. • Higher customer-perceived product quality. • Reduced warranty costs and product liability. • Higher product performance and customer satisfaction. The technologies of lasers, optics, dynamically controlled illumination, photonic sensing, image and signal processing (or vision) algorithms and software, and even mechanical part and surface positioning all come together as multidimensional ingre-
dients of each advanced noncontact surface inspection solution. All of these technologies are advancing steadily albeit at different paces. What was not possible last year and last month is now often readily achievable with expert system engineering and integration. Technical solutions offered to satisfy proven large markets are often not as capable as can be provided to meet a specific focused application’s requirements.
SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS DEFINITION The starting point of an advanced application solution is the careful, knowledgeable and quantitative definition of the complete set of application
TECH TIPS Surface inspection inherently entails detecting and often measuring surface phenomena. The most prudent approach to accomplishing an advanced solution development is a step-by-step experimental and analytical series of planned project phases.
28
QUALITY | February 2011
With today’s newest technologies, an advanced surface inspection solution can replace tedious, distracting and fatiguing manual tasks, detect defects not visible to a human operator, process surface areas faster than human visual perception can accomplish and perform detection.
www.qualitymag.com
requirements. This involves much more than simply stating what must be detected or measured and how rapidly the solution must operate. As Albert Einstein famously said: “Things should be kept as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Surface inspection inherently entails detecting and often measuring surface phenomena—some considered to be defects and others considered to be just acceptable artifacts or desired features. These have some range of sizes, visibilities, optical spectral, scattering, polarization and other characteristics. The surfaces themselves also have important characteristics—perhaps consistent and perhaps highly variable in space or time. An application’s end-user and the solution development engineering team must work together to identify all parameters and trade-offs that will define the bounds of acceptable and optimum solutions for the application. A few of the usual questions include: 1. What are all of the types of phenomena (such as defects) to be detected or measured? 2. What range of 3-D or two-dimensional (2-D) sizes of those phenomena must be detected or measured? 3. What range of surface shapes, or what one nominal surface shape, is to be inspected? 4. What is the required probability of detection of those phenomena? 5. What will be the physical condition of the surface when inspected (such as dirt, dampness, oil, etc.)? 6. What is the allowable false alarm rate—the rate of detections when no defect actually exists? 7. What is the desired or required amount of surface to be inspected per unit time? 8. What are the spectral characteristics of the surface and the defects? 9. What will be the various system operator’s skill levels and form of output information that they desire? 10. What variety of phenomena on the surface can occur that should NOT be considered to be defects? Agreement on clear and quantitative answers to questions such as these is a key starting point for ensuring that all expectations are aligned and a responsive development can be proposed and executed.
www.qualitymag.com
CASE STUDY 1
Laser welding is increasing in its importance due to significant energy savings, speed and avoidance of excess metal margins around traditional spot welds. But defective laser welds caused by incomplete material fusion must be avoided. By use of a controlled laser light source and infrared imaging as welds are made, defective incomplete welds can be immediately detected and the location of the defect can be isolated with high resolution without use of tedious and destructive testing procedures. Source: Coherix
CASE STUDY 2
Minor cosmetic or dysfunctional dimensional defects on bare metal surfaces, even those that are too subtle for the human eye and brain to discern, can be detected and measured by rapid interferometric sensing of surface deformations. These defects, if not detected, can become unacceptably more visible when the metal surface is finally finished or is placed in adverse lighting conditions. Or they can even prematurely fail when the part is put into operation. Illustrated is a portion of a surrogate surface. An entire curved or flat surface shape can be measured to a few microns of accuracy in seconds. Source: Coherix
EXPLOITING THE PACE OF TECHNOLOGY PROGRESS A substantial range of technologies is available, each best suited to a subset of inspection applications defined by those answers. With today’s newest technologies, an advanced surface inspection solution can replace tedious, distracting and fatiguing manual tasks, detect defects not visible to a human operator, process surface areas faster than human visual perception can accomplish and perform detection, as well as the measurements that often are critical in judging defect severity.
Recent underlying technology breakthroughs of particular value include: • High-speed computer-controlled dynamic illumination of surfaces with combinations of wavelengths and spatial patterns that bring out subtle but critical characteristics. • Real-time model-based algorithms that relate sensor data to the design reference data, which defines a correct surface for either a part or a complex assembly. • Knowledge-driven sensor perspective and positional control that allows curved surfaces to be rapidly captured and analyzed.
February 2011 | QUALITY
29
|
QUA LIT Y M EA SU REM E N T
|
CASE STUDY 3
• Interferometric sensing configurations that can accommodate large surfaces of more than one square meter. Along with advances such as these, the availability of ever-increasing lowcost computer power and the extended performance and reliability of light sources ranging from lasers to LEDs allow reliable systems to be devised for continuous operation on plant floors or elsewhere.
Microscopic surface corrosion defects at the micron level can affect the strength or function of large critical structural elements. This surface degradation can be detected and measured using multi-wavelength holographic interferometry as shown for a familiar corroded steel artifact. The 3-D extent/depth of detected corrosion is measured to submicron accuracy. Source: Coherix
CASE STUDY 4
Products subject to various specific types of surface contamination can be inspected with computer-controlled multispectral illumination and sensing to discriminate acceptable surface artifacts from contaminants on all surfaces at a rate of tens of thousands of product units per hour. Shown are different contamination types and areas found on 3-D object surfaces on the fly. Source: Coherix
CASE STUDY 5
Products processed at blinding speeds during fabrication, coating or assembly are usually either small in size or very detailed in their required surface characteristics. Newgeneration sensor and processing technology allows them to be inspected at production rates that a human visual inspector simply cannot match for any useful length of time. Source: Coherix
30
QUALITY | February 2011
SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES The most prudent approach to accomplishing an advanced solution development is a step-by-step experimental and analytical series of planned project phases. These typically consist of: 1. An experimental and analytical feasibility investigation phase. This is designed to “home in” on the best overall approach to meeting the original requirements that were as defined as described above. The result will be a report of feasibility findings and a description of the proposed system concept. This phase may require weeks to a few months. 2. The engineering prototype phase. In this phase, a working implementation is created to demonstrate the fundamental capability that is required. At this stage, system packaging and peripheral features or functions may be deferred in the interest of achieving an economical “proof of principle.” Examples of deferred features might include speed or operator convenience functions. This phase may take from several months to as long as a year. 3. A fielded prototype (if quantities of systems will ultimately be desired) or a final system delivery phase. In this phase, a complete packaged system solution will typically be built, tested, validated and installed either in an evaluation setting or in the final end-use venue. This phase may require several months to as long as a year for completion depending on the operating and environmental requirements for the ultimate system. 4. If the desired solution will be desired in substantial quantity, then the fielded prototype phase may be followed by a manufacturing engineer-
www.qualitymag.com
Surface inspection inherently entails detecting and often measuring surface phenomena. Call Sunny Coverly at (610) 932-8350, or FAX: (248) 283-6587 ing phase aimed at cost minimization, producibility engineering, reliability engineering or other objectives. The result will normally be a production prototype. Several months will usually suffice for completing this phase. The manufacturer today who seeks to supply products with high perceived and actual quality at competitive costs must seriously examine how his product’s external and internal surfaces and appearance will be reliably and 100% inspected at high resolution, while not adversely impacting his production rates and other operating requirements. The specific types of variances and defects to be detected and avoided will differ across product classes. Development of noncontact optical inspection solutions, focused on a specific product’s characteristics and requirements, often can provide a level of product quality assurance that is not affordably achievable by either human visual inspection or by general-purpose inspection products. Q C.W. “Ron” Swonger is director of contract R&D, Dr. Carl C. Aleksoff is consulting optical scientist, Alex Klooster Jr. is consulting electro-optical engineer, and Dr. Bin Li is chief engineer of lasers and optics at Coherix (Ann Arbor, MI). For more information, call (734) 922-4066, e-mail RonS@ coherix.com or visit www.coherix.com.
VisionGauge
®
Digital Optical Comparator (Patent Pending)
The Fastest, Easiest, Most Accurate Way to Compare a Part to a CAD File™ t'VMMZEJHJUBM t)JHIFSBDDVSBDZ t"VUP1BTT'BJM t)JHIFSUISPVHIQVU t4NBMMFSGPPUQSJOU t0QFSBUPSJOEFQFOEFOU t"VUPNBUJDBMMZDPNQVUF EFWJBUJPOTGSPNOPNJOBM
house-class.indd 2
12/23/10 9:03 AM
t6TFTFYJTUJOH$"%EBUB /PNPSFPWFSMBZT t$BOFBTJMZCFNPWFE t$PMMFDUDPNQMFUFFMFDUSPOJD EPDVNFOUBUJPOEFWJDFIJTUPSZ t"WBJMBCMFJOCPUIIPSJ[POUBM BOEWFSUJDBMDPOGJHVSBUJPOT
QUALITY ONLINE For more information on noncontact surface inspection, visit www.qualitymag.com to read the following: • “Noncontact Inspection: From Shadowgraph to Multisensor” • “Noncontact Inspection Keeps Pace with Production” • “Taking the Edge Out of Noncontact Measurement”
www.qualitymag.com
VisionGauge
®
8FCXXXWJTJPOYJODDPN &NBJMJOGP!WJTJPOYJODDPN 5FM
February 2011 | QUALITY
31
|
QUA LIT Y T EST & IN S P EC TI O N
|
Smart
Machine Vision Systems M
achi achine hine vision hi viisiion iiss tthe he appli applicalica li tion of computer vision to the real-time inspection of products in a manufacturing environment. It is an automated vision system that is tailored to factory use for product characterization, defect detection, gaging and product feature, or code identification, as well as product and process control. It should provide reliable actions despite various challenges from acceptable variations in the products to hardware and environmental variations. Decisions to provide actions are quantitative. A computer digitally decides to accept or reject an action, or it digitally provides a quantitative measurement that is used for either inspection or process control. Ultimately, a machine vision system is a number cruncher that may respond to noise signals from irrelevant changes in surface texture or color, product dis-
Machine vision systems with smart software can provide measurements more efficiently than ever before. BY DR . NOR MAN N . AX E L RO D
placement, illumination intensity, and uniformity or environmental factors. These change the photodetected image signal that provides the numbers for the decisions. All parts of the system, and their interactions, can affect this decision. The quality level lives or dies by the numbers used in this decision.
SMART FUNCTIONALITY Where possible, the machine vision system should contain smart functionality that anticipates, senses and responds to acceptable changes in features specific to the products being made, the performance of the vision hardware and soft-
ware used, and the environment. Smart machine vision systems can provide these functions with or without burdening the machine vision computer using smart sensors, smart optics and smart software. Possible interferences with the decision should be a center of attention in design and operation. The word smart has been applied to various aspects of sensing systems, as well as entire systems. However, it is used with different meanings in different contexts. Even though smart sensors have an IEEE 1451.4 standard for different aspects of sensing, signal conditioning and calibration, interfacing and communication, one part of it—the transducer
TECH TIPS The machine vision system should contain smart functionality that anticipates, senses and responds to changes in features specific to the products being made.
32
QUALITY | February 2011
Software can be used to verify that practical and consistent results have been obtained by the initial image acquisition and digital image processing.
The golden rule for any computerbased sensing system with multiple stages—including machine vision, radar systems and smart bombs—is to obtain the highest signal-to-noise ratio in the first stage.
www.qualitymag.com
electronic data sheet—is available for calibration of sensors without use of the other parts of the standard. The word smart is used to promote various products with different specifications and features to suggest responsive functionality.
SMART SENSORS Smart sensors and software can provide additional intelligence and a dynamic functionality that enhance their performance. Smart sensors can be small and rugged, contain a microprocessor, provide calibration and communicate wirelessly with a processor or network. This provides extended functionality, reliability in the sensor calibration, extended communication capabilities and off-loading of computer processing for faster operation. Smart sensors are becoming increasingly common. Smart phones carry sensors to detect ambient light to adjust display illumination, proximity sensors to turn off displays when the phone is nearly dead and accelerometers to change a screen’s orientation to match the orientation of the device. Municipalities have used smart sensors in monitoring city-wide utility networks. For smart machine vision systems, smart sensors can be used to monitor hardware—such as light intensity variations—and provide measurements with a minimum burden on the machine vision system.
For example, laser diffraction provided by a wire gives greater accuracy as the diameter of the wire decreases to wavelengths of light, with no image formed of the wire. By Babinet’s Principle, the diffraction pattern from the wire should be the diffraction pattern from a single slit except for the on-axis intensity. Sensing can even eliminate all irrelevant detail in an imaged object. For example, an optical color filter
matched to the color of a feature of interest (FOI) can eliminate all details but that of the FOI. For defect detection of integrated circuits, optical spatial filtering has been used to eliminate the image of the required circuit detail, and provide an image of defects only.
MEASURE THE MEASUREMENT Software can be used to verify that practical and consistent results have
LIGHTING, OPTICS, SMART OPTICS The golden rule for any computer-based sensing system with multiple stages— including machine vision, radar systems and smart bombs—is to obtain the highest signal-to-noise ratio in the first stage. For machine vision systems and smart machine vision systems, the signal is the detected light from the feature of interest and the noise is the detected light from all other causes. Optical techniques to improve the optical contrast are known from photography including the use of filters, polarizers and directional lighting. Smart optics extends this. According to a November 2010 Economist report, smart optics improve reliability and simplify software and hardware. Optics can even eliminate the need for an image of the object if sufficient information is provided for a decision.
www.qualitymag.com
SEE US AT MD&M WEST, BOOTH 3031
February 2011 | QUALITY
33
|
QUA LIT Y T EST & IN S P EC TI O N
|
been obtained by the initial image acquisition and digital image processing. Internal consistency of results from expected features of the product’s image can be used to confirm the reliability of detection and measurements. Gaging the thickness of a coating on a wire, for example, can provide two coating thickness values—one for each edge of the wire—as well as the value of the wire diameter. It should be confirmed that the sum of these three values equals the value of the outer diameter of the assembly. Additionally, using measurements from multiple scan-lines of the camera, statistical standard deviations of measurements provide a measure of gaging reliability. Large standard deviations in coating thickness measurements from multiple scan lines have been used to alert operators to the presence of scratches formed by worn-out extrusion tools. For defect detection, periodically measuring the average value of the light intensity along a long featureless product can be used to confirm (or adjust)
the threshold intensity value that determines the detection of a defect.
THE FUTURE OF SMART SYSTEMS AND SENSORS Smart machine vision systems are just a small part of smart systems in the world. In November 2010, The Economist said that countries are spending “large chunks” of their stimulus money on smart infrastructure, with Siemens and General Electric at the helm of smart system innovation. These smart systems will incorporate increasing amounts of smart sensors to provide information about the product produced, manufacturing machinery operation and degradation, and environment. For the near future, one can expect that smart machine vision systems will utilize signals from more smart sensors— both optical and electronic—in addition to the cameras that give these systems their vision. Machine vision systems continue to expand their functionality and reliability with enhanced software and hardware.
The use of smart machine vision systems is expanding as the systems’ own functionality increases and with the increasing availability of simple, small, inexpensive sensors to augment and even replace machine vision functions. Decreased size and cost of microprocessors have been the driving force for the growth of electronics. Decreased size and cost of smart sensors, and the growth of IT structures will continue to fuel growth of machine vision systems as standalone and networked systems. Q Dr. Norman N. Axelrod has more than 20 years of experience with contract development and consulting for electro-optical sensing and control systems. For more information, call (212) 7416302, email
[email protected] or visit www.axelrodassociates.com.
QUALITY ONLINE For more information on machine vision, visit www.qualitymag.com for the following: • “Can Machine Vision be Your Answer?” • “Why Machine Vision Needs Standards” • “Selecting a World-Class Vision Systems Integrator”
Look Beyond Compliance. At NSF-ISR, Competitive Performance is Key. ƵƚŽŵŽƟǀĞ DĞĚŝĐĂůĞǀŝĐĞƐ džƉĞƌƚĞƌŽƐƉĂĐĞ^ŽůƵƟŽŶƐ ŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͕,ĞĂůƚŚĂŶĚ^ĂĨĞƚLJ dƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ &ƌĞĞǁĞďŝŶĂƌƐŽīĞƌĞĚƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚϮϬϭϭ͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚƵƐ͊ E^&/ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů^ƚƌĂƚĞŐŝĐZĞŐŝƐƚƌĂƟŽŶƐ hŶŝƚĞĚ^ƚĂƚĞƐ dŽůů&ƌĞĞ͗ϴϴϴͲE^&ͲϵϬϬϬͮdĞů͗ϳϯϰͲϴϮϳͲϲϴϬϬ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶΛŶƐĨͲŝƐƌ͘ŽƌŐͮǁǁǁ͘ŶƐĨͲŝƐƌ͘ŽƌŐ ĂŶĂĚĂ dĞů͗ϭͲϮϴϵͲϴϯϴͲϮϮϬϰͮĐĂŶĂĚĂΛŶƐĨͲŝƐƌ͘ŽƌŐ
34
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
Plot Your Course for Real
SUCCESS Working with Clear Seas Research allows you to competitively position your business within the industry market and ultimately guides your company to make successful and informed decisions, establish a plan for the future and reach it’s overall objectives.
At Clear Seas Research, we develop customized market research solutions.
CLEAR SEAS RESEARCH. Making the Complex Clear.
Find out how we can customize a research solution to help your bottom line. BETH SUROWIEC | 248.786.1619
[email protected] www.clearseasresearch.com
As a CASRO member, we subscribe to the Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research established by the Council of American Survey Research Organizations.
|
QUA LIT Y SO FTWA RE & A N A LY S I S
|
Make the
Connection W
hile much has been written about calibration software, relatively less literature exists concerning the relationship of metrology services to the enterprise and better ways of connecting metrology information and services to the equipment operators. There is a three-phased approach for improving this interface: • Integrating disconnected calibration information islands into a more cost-effective consolidated enterprise metrology services system. • Establishing a common data set of equipment tracking and management attributes with the business units and organizations that deploy the equipment to improve recall and status tracking processes. • Standardizing equipment descriptions across the enterprise to provide a common language for describing test and measurement assets.
Most companies have long since standardized and consolidated accounting, HR and manufacturing information functions into enterprise resource planning systems, but few have consolidated and integrated their calibration and equipment management operational systems. B Y PH I L CH A S E The phases can be implemented concurrently or one phase at a time. All of them involve either higher levels of information integration or standardization of the information attributes used to administer metrology and equipment management functions and processes across the enterprise. There are several dimensions of integration, including vertical integration between active lifecycle functions, horizontal integration over the time axis and organizational integration across the enterprise—and each must be addressed in a comprehensive solution.
In all of these dimensions, the goal should be to guide the calibration services function away from becoming an island. For example, the calibration recall function must know the current location, status, responsible organization and contact individual in order to seamlessly and efficiently issue recall notices. In the absence of effective integration—all too often in real life—keeping track of these simple connections can cause a lot of wasteful activity. The following discussion highlights ways to improve these connections.
The need for a common language is particularly critical in more modern open enterprise systems wherein the customer is empowered to inquire on and make selected updates to his equipment data.
Structured cataloging, when coupled with other equipment management tools, can reduce annual capital expenditures for test and measuring equipment by as much as 10%.
TECH TIPS There are several dimensions of integration, including vertical integration between active lifecycle functions, horizontal integration over the time axis and organizational integration across the enterprise— and each must be addressed in a comprehensive solution.
36
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
CONNECTING THE DOTS The history of information management revolves around achieving ever higher levels of information integration where quality functions that were once fragmented across disconnected sites have been and are being combined into more highly integrated knowledge bases. However, calibration management software has lagged behind the general trend, and many isolated islands still remain, whether in the sense of having a limited functionality, being confined in their reach to a single location or facility, or residing on obsolete computer platforms or databases that lack vital security and integrity capabilities. An architecture for consolidating metrology information islands typically involves a more complex and sophisticated infrastructure, including a Web-based front end for anytime, anywhere access; the ability to handle a wide range of tasks beyond calibration, including repair, preventive maintenance, proof load and inspection, and other useful features, such as real-time status tracking, structured history and procedures databases, and automatic e-mail alerts for recall, delinquency or out-of-tolerance notices. Further capabilities specific to the metrology function include database partitioning so that metrology service providers at each separate location or business unit have exclusive access and control over their own data; support for in-house as well as tracking outsourced vendor-performed services; a generalized application programming interface to facilitate import of results data from so-called benchtop systems and automatic calibrators into a single history repository; interactive capture of readings data and automatic flagging of out-of-tolerance conditions. Of course, key to the success of this model is the underlying database, which must provide full data integrity, full commit-rollback features and automatic backup to ensure that no data gets lost. The structure of the database also must be able to impose order on how and what data is entered and ensure that the same types of events are recorded in a consistent manner. Thus, table-driven validation of all crucial data attributes, such as technician IDs, condition or result codes, and accounting charge numbers needs to
www.qualitymag.com
An architecture for consolidating metrology information islands typically involves a more complex and sophisticated infrastructure, including a Web-based front end for anytime, anywhere access; the ability to handle a wide range of tasks beyond calibration, including repair, preventive maintenance, proof load and inspection, and other useful features such as real-time status tracking, structured history and procedures databases, and automatic e-mail alerts for recall, delinquency or out-of-tolerance notices. Source: AssetSmart
be combined with an unlimited, structured, history database (as opposed to free-form text notes), to capture labor, environmental test conditions, parts/ materials used, standards traceability and readings data in the form of individually defined discrete data attributes. Obviously, the ability to share data is particularly important in enterprises where members of the quality or metrology teams may be scattered in several different geographic locations. At the same time, a system that allows internal customers to help themselves rather than relying on the quality department or metrology staff for generic types of requests also can make a huge difference in productivity. Such features would include integral service request and work backlog management tools accessible over the Web, as well as hooks to digital media documents so that a manufacturer’s calibration procedures and other manuals may be accessed electronically. For quality managers, key features would include real-time status tracking and externally defined (tabled) workflow logic for total visibility over
jobs, equipment, technicians and vendors, not to mention security features to manage and control user roles and access to transactions and data functions, with a role-oriented transaction structure to facilitate smooth and complete work in process operational flow.
COMMON TRACKING DATA All too often audits reveal that data definitions and values for the tracking of instruments and equipment are inadequately controlled and at variance with those used by a company’s accounting or property departments. This is counterproductive to achieving an efficient customer interface, which should not have to deal with different records systems in order to track its resources. The need for a common language is particularly critical in more modern open enterprise systems wherein the customer is empowered to inquire on and make selected updates to his equipment data. The technical solution is straight forward—simply define a common set of tracking attributes and establish validation tables and logic to enforce the values.
February 2011 | QUALITY
37
|
QUA LIT Y SO FTWA RE & A N A LY S I S
|
Validation tables may contain basic data attributes, such as a responsible employee code and name, or may exist in more sophisticated forms called reference tables. For example, a more complete employee reference table also might contain first and last name, departments, home address, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses.
STRUCTURED CATALOGING Equipment cataloging is a value-added process that standardizes and structures asset descriptive attributes into consistent formats and values and automatically combines attribute data into useful management information so as to enhance asset and metrology management processes. Modern computer search algorithms and languages such as SQL can obviously search for instruments by descriptive attributes, such as manufacturers, model numbers and descriptions in any database. However, unless the data is first accurately structured and normalized in the database, searches are likely to be slow, nonintuitive, incomplete and unreliable, particularly as inventory volume grows beyond a few thousand items. Structured cataloging methodology was invented to solve this problem some number of years ago. The human-to-computer interface works most cost-effectively when equipment data formats are current, consistent, complete and in a natural operator language format, as opposed to cryptic codes, which must be interpreted and translated, and therefore are not as user-friendly. The human interface is equally unreliable in manually administering consistent descriptive attributes in equipment databases over a long time span of months or years. While legions of computer classification code schemes have been attempted over the years to help solve the problem, none of them have ever met all of the necessary requirements. Many organizations attempt to solve the problem via brute force, by assigning analysts to continually revalidate and manually sanitize the asset records, often relying on endless physical inventories and paperwork audits to support this costly and futile effort. Others attempt to use one or another of numerous classification and coding
38
QUALITY | February 2011
systems that are in existence across industry and government. However, these codes can only provide a unidimensional categorization of assets— whether by manufacturer, product type or model number—but are generally incapable of describing assets in terms of multiple attributes. For metrology or equipment management purposes, single-dimension classification codes are of limited value. At a minimum, a three-level configuration is required. Since calibration requires detailed procedures and tolerance specifications, normally oriented by the manufacturer and
equipment models in the catalog dictionary. These added dimensions provide two important capabilities. First, the attributes are defined in metadata relationships as separate defined data entities. Once implemented, the performance attribute capability enables an automated sideby-side comparison of operational characteristics for different models of equipment—a typical equipment management search request. Further, multifunction or reconfigurable products may be crossreferenced across multiple noun and performance families. For instance,
In the absence of effective integration—all too often in real life—keeping track of simple connections can cause a lot of wasteful activity. model of the device, these two attributes plus a standard noun description would typically comprise a primary three-level coding structure. But, because humans require lookup tables for codes, a more sophisticated and operator-friendly approach involves building a database dictionary where the attributes are automatically combined into operator-friendly relationships by database linkages. For example, a typical output defining a discrete model would look like this: MULTIMETER, DIGITAL - - AGILENT - - 3458A Since there is ideally a unique reference code defining these relationships, entry of the code automatically drives the relationship and may be used to reference unlimited external documents and related data sets such as calibration procedures, manufacturers’ manuals and calibration history. It is essential to metrology quality that all instrument or equipment models be tied to the proper procedures and history data and vice versa. Ideally these key data attributes become standardized across every use in the enterprise system. The three-attribute design may be extended into an even more interesting five-level structure where performance specification data may be attached to
a search for voltmeters will typically turn up multimeters having the equivalent selectable function. Structured cataloging, when coupled with other equipment management tools, such as life-cycle replacement planning and equipment rental pools, can reduce annual capital expenditures for test and measuring equipment by as much as 10%. Structured cataloging turns an otherwise ordinary asset database into an operational tool that enables operators to locate needed in-house resources in a few seconds, thereby speeding up technical projects. Equipment requests can be easily and quickly matched up with redeployable assets available elsewhere in the organization. Properly done, cataloging enables operators to participate in a single easyto-use enterprise system, rather than laboriously creating duplicative records systems on their desktop PCs. For enterprise metrology purposes, structured cataloging allows recall template records, procedures databases and quality history data to be precisely organized by manufacturer, mode and standard noun description, thereby eliminating unnecessary duplication of records, speeding up setup time for new items and enhancing the accuracy and precision of quality metrics.
www.qualitymag.com
BENEFITS Most companies have long since standardized and consolidated their accounting, HR and manufacturing information functions into so-called enterprise resource planning systems. Very few modern companies today would consider running their separate business units with disparate accounting systems that could not efficiently communicate with one another. For all the same reasons, they have every incentive to consolidate and integrate their calibration and equipment management operational systems. In doing so, they can improve their ability to maintain frequent and continuing close coordination between metrology services, equipment management processes and customer operational requirements. The use of standard systems and information likewise speeds up support for projects and processes being supported. But the benefits do not stop there. As regulatory standards become more stringent and complex, a single-
controlled information structure makes complying with regulations infinitely more efficient than trying to work with disparate computer data bases and hardware. Finally, consolidating information for metrology and equipment tracking into a single structured catalogued asset database will help reduce costs. A unified, integrated system can eliminate duplication of information systems and functions, enable widely separated team members to work together more effectively with less face time, and reduce redundant investment in duplicate equipment and resources. Q Phil Chase is chairman of AssetSmart (Santa Monica, CA). For more information, e-mail pc@ assetsmart.com or visit www.assestsmart.com.
QUALITY ONLINE For more information on enterprisewide software, visit www.qualitymag.com to read the following: • “Enterprisewide Software Comes In Focus” • “Manage Metrology Documentation” • “Software with a Global Reach”
Leading Edge Inspection
Measures: •digitized geometry of blade leading edge •thickness of blade •deviation from nominal to user-specified limits
www.qualitymag.com
February 2011 | QUALITY QLT10094Orig.indd 1
39 9/2/09 10:57:34 AM
QUA LIT Y M A N AG EM E N T
| Source: BAE Systems
|
QUALITY LEADERSHIP 100 T
his year’s Quality Leadership 100 runs the gamut from manufacturers in the automotive industry to the aerospace industry to the defense and science industries and just about every industry in between. Those involved in quality know it is not someone else’s responsibility—quality is everyone’s responsibility. This is evident in this year’s top company, Brembo North America (Homer, MI). According to Dan Sandberg, president and CEO of Brembo North America, all 400 employees are dedicated to quality. “We have a very, very strong dedication to quality. We make a safety component, so in order to do
For this year’s top companies, quality is everyone’s responsibility. B Y
QUAL IT Y STAF F
that, you have to have the entire company really focused on quality.” For some companies, scrap and rework, which adds to the cost of a product, is not an option. “Our mission statement is basically do it right the first time and do it on time at a competitive price,” says Mike Trimble, vice president of operations at Heat Treating Inc. (Springfield, OH), this year’s number five company. “That lays out everything we aim for in our quality levels. We can [supply our products] on time because we don’t have to rework a
product. We can maintain a competitive process for the same reason.” It is this type of dedication that drives the companies in this year’s Quality Leadership 100.
Editor’s note: Listen to the audio interviews with management from some of the top Quality Leadership 100 companies on Q-Cast Podcasts at www.qualitymag.com.
SURVEY CRITERIA More than 400 manufacturers participating in the Quality Leadership 100 were surveyed on criteria such as scrap and rework as a percentage of sales, warranty costs as a percentage of sales, rejected parts per million shipped and contribution of quality to profitability and shareholder value.
40
QUALITY | February 2011
Companies also were evaluated based on the number of quality programs in place; registration to various standards; percentage of employees dedicated to quality responsibilities; average number of hours monthly that employees receive quality training; and the role quality professionals play in the acquisition of test, measurement and inspection tools, software and services.
www.qualitymag.com
1
Brembo North America Homer, MI, location
When you are manufacturing a safety component, such as the brakes on a car, quality is a matter of life and death. After all, brake failure can be a terrifying and life-threatening occurrence. That is why Brembo North America (Plymouth, MI) takes their job seriously. And while their products are meant to slow us down, there has been none of that for the company as they race up in the leadership ranks from 6th last year to top place this year. In 2007, Brembo purchased the brakes operation of Hayes Lemmertz and those plants were converted to the Brembo quality system over the years. With 4,900 employees on a global scale, and 400 employees here in the states, Brembo has been in business for half a decade. According to Dan Sandberg, president and CEO of Brembo North America, all 400 employees are dedicated to quality. “We have a very, very strong dedication to quality. We make
2
a safety component, so in order to do that, you have to have the entire company really focused on quality. In regards to people who are directly quality type people, I would say upwards of 10% to 12% of the workforce.” The company is TS 16949 certified and its Homer, MI, plant was one of the first 100 facilities in the country to receive TS 16949 certification. Sandberg adds that the company is an early adopter of most quality certifications. “The quality people that we have are not only trained in visual inspection, but part of the success that we have on the quality side is that we use a lot of automation to detect defects and to do the measurement involved,” says Sandberg. “Most of the products that we have and sell are 100% inspected; in other words, we are not using capability studies to determine if we are within range, or typically any of the key measuring statistics that we have to take on the parts themselves. Those specifications are done 100% with end-of-the-line gaging. That is important and a must with a safety component.”
The company is a supplier to leading automakers General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Mazda and Volkswagen and has been in North America since 1988. Their products also are used in motorsports and road racing. For more information, visit www.brembo.com/US.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Portsmouth, NH
Thermo Fisher Scientific (Waltham, MA) prides itself as being one of the top leaders in science. According to the company, they enable their customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer by providing analytical instruments, equipment, reagents and consumables, software and services for research, analysis, discovery and diagnostics. Formed in 2006 as a result of a merger between Thermo Electron Corp. and Fisher Scientific International Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific is a publically traded company with 35,000 employees in 40 countries with annual revenue of $10 billion. This Fortune 500 company has a vast portfolio of solutions geared toward laboratory research and analysis, healthcare and clinical science, and manufacturing and the field. They create value for their key stakeholders through two premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, which offer a unique combination of continuous technology development and the most convenient purchasing options.
www.qualitymag.com
All Thermo Fisher facilities worldwide are ISO 14001 certified. According to the company’s mission statement, they fulfi ll their mission by working every day in accordance with their values, which they call the “4 I’s”—integrity, intensity, innovation and involvement. For more information, visit www.thermofisher.com.
February 2011 | QUALITY
41
|
QUA LIT Y M A N AG EM E N T
3
|
Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. company Columbus, GA, location
Pratt & Whitney is one of the most well-known American aircraft engine manufacturers of products used in both civil and military aircraft. Although the company is headquartered in East Hartford, CT, its Georgia Forging Business located in Columbus, GA, has especially shone in this year’s Quality Leadership 100. The plant, which comprises the company’s forging business, implemented a quality improvement system called Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) in 1997. Employees at the plant worked together to achieve gold status through the 12-step ACE tool process in February 2010, a feat Quality Engineer James Billhimer is particularly proud of. “Implementing the ACE philosophy across our business unit has been our biggest step forward,” Billhimer says. “It’s defi nitely been the biggest single thing to improve quality and to satisfy our customers.” ACE incorporates a set of tools that helps the organization spot process
4
improvement opportunities, resolve problems and help with decision making processes. It is put into practice on the micro level; employees are trained to execute the standard processes across the company. Through a datadriven process, employees and Pratt & Whitney as a whole progressed through the qualifying, bronze, silver and gold levels of ACE. When the staff implemented the tools in 1997, they were on a “big learning curve,” Billhimer explains. “We divided our manufacturing business unit into seven cells, and each cell had to meet qualifications for each of the four steps—qualifying, bronze, silver and gold. Eventually, after all seven cells reached the gold level, we went for site gold. I would say that was our most proud company moment.”
JKM Manufacturing Eufaula, AL
JKM Manufacturing Inc. has made a name for itself as a provider of precision products for defense, communications and aerospace industries, supplying everyone from the Department of Defense to NASA with its parts. Since 1997, it has built products used on guided missiles, military aircraft, flight simulators, helicopters, tanks, industrial robots and sonar test equipment. JKM upholds the military certification DoD MIL-I-45208A. JKM’s products are designed to be used in harsh environments, so their reliability is of the utmost importance. To ensure their consistency, their products undergo stringent environmental and electrical testing, and JKM says they are held to the highest available standards in the United States. JKM does not understate the demands its products undergo, and therefore holds them to a strict quality standard. “Our products range from the very simple to the very complex,” the company states. “Every step of the way, attention to detail and high regard to quality and reliability are part of our welldocumented military quality control system. “Whether providing design and development, build-toprint, prototype-to-production, producibility analysis or production transition capabilities, JKM’s experts ensure that our customers consistently receive high-quality products made in the most cost-effective and efficient manner.”
42
QUALITY | February 2011
Quality clinic process charting is a defi nitive ACE tool, Billhimer says. “It uses the methodology of eliminating anything that impedes the flow of material or information along its intended path—or what we call turnbacks,” he explains. “Anything that’s a turnback is an inefficiency. We continuously take more data month after month to eliminate turnbacks. We go along the path to get rid of waste and inefficiencies and the process flows much better.” The result of such a commitment to quality is a loyal clientele, Billhimer says. “The ACE is Georgia Forging’s way of doing business to achieve that number one market share and delight our customers,” he says. For more information, visit www.pw.utc.com.
The manufacturers’ customers include General Dynamics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Honeywell Defense, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, L-3 Communications, the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and Defense Logistics Agency. Its electro-mechanical assemblies are used in aircraft, tanks, armored vehicles, helicopters, missiles, gun systems, flight simulators, outdoor electric signs, industrial robots, air conditioning units, sonar test equipment, trucks, ships, boats and other military and aerospace applications. The company staffs 25 people at its 22,000-square-foot, vertically integrated production facility. It employs skilled staff, the company says, who have a range of skills—from high-volume commodity manufacturing to high-tech systems integration. It handles materials acquisition, kitting, inventory control, multilevel production testing, distribution and shipping. JKM says its engineering staff tirelessly pursues advancements in manufacturing technology and processes to preserve quality. For more information, visit www.jkm-mfg.com.
www.qualitymag.com
5
Heat Treating Inc. Springfield, OH
Heat Treating Inc. does not take its customer relationships lightly. Established in 1959, the Springfield, OH-based metallurgical services supplier holds its staff to a rigorous standard to ensure consistent levels of quality throughout its operations and maintain strong client-relationships in the process. “Our mission statement is basically do it right the first time and do it on time at a competitive price,” says Vice President of Operations Mike Trimble. “That lays out everything we aim for in our quality levels. We can [supply our products] on time because we don’t have to rework a product. We can maintain a competitive process for the same reason.” Trimble, who has been with the company for 37 years, is proud of its thorough employee training program. The company’s Department of Laborcertified heat treat apprenticeship training program is one of only a few in the country that provides students with on-the-job training in addition to their class work, resulting in a journeyman’s license. Such investment in staff is reflected in the company’s qualifications—it upholds ISO 9001 and ISO TS 16949 certifications, and maintains an ASQ-certified engineer on staff. In addition to its quality certifications, Trimble says the company’s biggest secret to success lies in continuously seeking customer feedback. “We started to work more with customers,” he explains. “It used to be that when you’d get a job in the door that you’ve never seen before, you had to figure out how to do it and get it to a customer as soon as possible—and do right. Now, we contact customers beforehand. They’ll send us prints so we can review them and get their thoughts on the best way to manufacture a part. So, our biggest continuous improvement technique is to actually maintain constant contact with our customers.” Heat Treating’s staff also stays educated through online seminars and training from the Metal Treating Institute, a loosely affiliated group of heat treaters around the world. “We go through lessons and take tests, and these grades are kept and become part of our training records,” Trimble notes. This constant education process is one of the more positive developments the industry has seen over the years, he says. “Old folks like me will go out and show a [staff member] how to do something, and now [the employee] asks ‘why’? Back when I started, they said, ‘You do this, this way and that’s it.’ Now, young people don’t accept that—they want to know why. It keeps me on my toes.” For more information, visit www.heattreatinginc.com.
www.qualitymag.com
Measurably Different Fetura® sets the new benchmark for optical metrology throughput and precision. Fetura Vision Metrology Systems combine the world’s fastest optical zoom technology with powerful software and precision mechanics to offer a notable advantage in offline inspection and quality control. • Image Navigator streamlines maneuvering on complex parts • Color edge detection finds edges that gray scale cannot • Intelligent lighting automatically sets intensity for optimal imaging
Image Navigator
• Optional Laser autofocus and scanning for surface analysis • Visual Basic scripting speeds customized programming • Multipoint autofocus streamlines detailed surface topography
Color Edge Detection
• Optional PowerMatch software compares direct to CAD
For more information, contact Qioptiq today. US/Can: 800-429-0257
Surface Deviation Map
Fairport, NY USA
[email protected] www.qioptiq.com
February 2010 | QUALITY
43
|
QUA LIT Y M A N AG EM E N T
|
2011 QUALITY LEADERSHIP 100 RANK
COMPANY
LOCATION
WEB SITE
1
Brembo North America
Homer, MI
www.brembo.com
2
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Portsmouth, NH
www.thermofisher.com
3
UTC
Columbus, GA
www.pw.utc.com
4
JKM Manufacturing Inc.
Eufaula, AL
www.jkm-mfg.com
5
Heat Treating Inc.
Springfield, OH
www.heattreating.com
6
Carl Zeiss Optronics
Raleigh, NC
www.meditec.zeiss.com
7
Charles Industries Ltd.
Rolling Meadows, IL
www.charlesindustries.com
8
Roche USA
Oro Valley, AZ
www.rocheusa.com
9
ECC Inc.
Tucson, AZ
www.eyecareandcure.com
10
Hilite International
Whitehall, MI
www.hilite.com
11
St. Jude Medical
Sylmar, CA
www.sjm.com
12
Zest Anchors
Escondido, CA
www.zestanchors.com
13
Abbott Laboratories
Temecula, CA
www.abbott.com
14
Goodway Technologies Corp.
Stamford, CT
www.goodway.com
15
Q.E.D. Systems Inc.
Virginia Beach, VA
www.qedsysinc.com
16
National Biological Corp.
Beachwood, OH
www.natbiocorp.com
17
Communications & Power Industries Inc.
Camarillo, CA
www.cpii.com
18
Beckman Coulter Inc.
Miami, FL
www.beckmancoulter.com
19
Motorola
Schaumburg, IL
www.motorola.com
20
Dynalco, Div. of Crane Co.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
www.dynalco.com
21
Palco Inc.
Huntsville, AL
www.palcotelecom.com
22
Silver Eagle Manufacturing
Portland, OR
www.silvereaglemfg.com
23
Howard Industries Inc.
Laurel, MS
www.howard-ind.com
24
Supreme Corp.
Goshen, IN
www.supremecorp.com
25
PrecisionForm Inc.
Lititz, PA
www.precisionform.com
26
Schleifring
Elgin, IL
www.schleifring.com
27
Aero-K
El Monte, CA
www.aero-k.com
28
Bosch
Anderson, SC
www.bosch.us
29
Caterpillar
Peoria, IL
www.cat.com
30
TRW Automotive
Livonia, MI
www.trw.com
31
Spartech
Salisbury, MD
www.spartech.com
32
DME Co. LLC
Madison Heights, MI
www.dme.net
33
Manitowoc Pattern
Manitowoc, WI
www.mpmonline.com
34
Spirit AeroSystems
Wichita, KS
www.spiritaero.com
35
ParkOhio Products Inc.
Cleveland, OH
www.parkohioproducts.com
36
ITT Geospatial Systems
Rochester, NY
www.ssd.itt.com
37
Dometic Corp.
Pompano Beach, FL
www.dometic.com
38
Wellman Products Group
Catoosa, OK
www.wellmanproducts.com
39
Valmont Industries Inc.
Valley, NE
www.valmont.com
40
Inficon EDC
Overland Park, KS
www.inficon.com
44
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
RANK
COMPANY
LOCATION
WEB SITE
41
WestEngineering Co. Inc.
Richmond, VA
www.west-engineering.net
42
Universal Lighting Technologies
Huntsville, AL
www.unvlt.com
43
Rami Technology
Miami, FL
www.ramitechnology.com
44
Woodward MPC
Skokie, IL
www.mpcproducts.com
45
NSK Steering Systems America
Bennington, VT
www.nskamericas.com
46
US Endoscopy
Cleveland, OH
www.usendoscopy.com
47
Concote Corp.
Coppell, TX
www.concote.com
48
Jerome Industries
Elizabeth, NJ
www.jeromeindustries.com
49
Semitool
Kalispell, MT
www.semitool.com
50
Teledyne Monitor Labs
Pittsburgh, PA
www.teledyne-ml.com
51
Oatey Co.
Cleveland, OH
www.oatey.com
52
Manchester Tool & Die
North Manchester, IN
www.manchestertoolanddie.com
53
Kaman Precision Products
Middletown, CT
www.kamansensors.com
54
JTEKT Automotive Texas LP
Ennis, TX
www.jtekt.co.jp/e/
55
Delta Systems Inc.
Streetsboro, OH
www.deltasystemsinc.com
56
TransCore
Albuquerque, NM
www.transcore.com
57
Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc.
Cincinnati, OH
www.ethiconendosurgery.com
58
Osteogenics Biomedical
Lubbock, TX
www.osteogenics.com
59
Central States Business Forms/Manufacturing
Atlanta, GA
centralstates.net
60
Sapa Extrusions
Burlington, NC
www.sapagroup.com
Y.CT Compact
Easy Access to the Advantages of Computed Tomography Complete Range of CT Solutions
Q Q Q
Latest in Digital Technology
Q Q Q
X-Ray Source OEM
Q Q Q
In-house CT Services for Low Volumes Standard CT Systems for Various Needs Custom Designed CT Solutions Digital Image Intensifiers Full Range of Digital Flat Panel Detectors Exclusive LDA Technology Microfocus with Sub-Micron Resolution Exclusive Metal/Ceramic X-Ray Solutions Linear Accelerator with over 9 MeV
YXLON.The reason why Compact.Fast.Easy www.qualitymag.com1 QLT02094Yxlon2.indd
YXLON International Inc., 3400 Gilchrist Road, Akron, OH 44260 t: 330-798-4834, f: 330-784-9854, e-mail:
[email protected], www.yxlon.com
February 2011 | QUALITY 45PM 1/13/09 2:05:07
|
QUA LIT Y M A N AG EM E N T
RANK
|
COMPANY
LOCATION
WEB SITE
61
Eaton Corp.
Cleveland, OH
www.eaton.com
62
Newman Technology South Carolina
Aiken, SC
newmantech.com
63
Braun Industries
Van Wert, OH
www.braunambulances.com
64
Heckethorn Products Inc.
Dyersburg, TN
www.hecomfg.com
65
Mitutoyo America Corp.
Aurora, IL
www.mitutoyo.com
66
RSR Technologies Inc.
Dallas, TX
67
Dowco
Manitowoc, WI
www.dowco-inc.com
68
Snap-Tite
Erie, PA
www.snap-tite.com
69
Pittsburgh Glass Works
Pittsburgh, PA
www.pgwglass.com
70
Ford Motor Co.
Dearborn, MI
www.ford.com
71
Aluminum Extruded Shapes
Cincinnati, OH
www.alum-ext.com
72
Intel
Santa Clara, CA
www.intel.com
73
BAE Systems
Brea, CA
www.baesystems.com
74
Johnson and Hoffman LLC
Carle Place, NY
www.johnsonhoffman.com
75
Plexus
Neenah, WI
www.plexus.com
76
PATS Aircraft LLC
Georgetown, DE
www.decraneaerospace.com
77
Akrion Systems
Allentown, PA
www.akrionsystems.com
78
Cummins
Columbus, IN
www.cummins.com
79
Dart Controls Inc.
Zionsville, IN
www.dartcontrols.com
80
OrthoHelix Surgical Designs
Medina, OH
www.orthohelix.com
AM 46
QLT06084West.indd 1
QUALITY | February 2010
™
www.qualitymag.com 4/29/08 QLT04084Ram.indd 1:10:22 PM 1
3/4/08 2:01:22 PM
RANK
COMPANY
LOCATION
WEB SITE
81
NEL Frequency Controls Inc.
Burlington, WI
www.nelfc.com
82
Cessna Aircraft
Wichita, KS
www.cessna.com
83
Source1cable
San Jose, CA
www.source1cable.com
84
Motive Equipment Inc.
Milwaukee, WI
www.motiveequipment.com
85
Thomson Casting
Cleveland, OH
www.thompsoncasting.com
86
SGL Carbon
Saint Marys, PA
www.sglgroup.com
87
Honeywell International
Morristown, NJ
www.honeywell.com
88
Cyclonic Valve Co.
Tulsa, OK
www.cyclonic.com
89
Henman Engineering
Muncie, IN
www.henmaneng.com
90
Advanced Transit Manufacturing (ATM)
Canisteo, NY
www.atmrail.com
91
Florida MicroElectronics
West Palm Beach, FL
www.flmicroelec.com
92
Watlow Electric Manufacturing Co.
St. Louis, MO
www.watlow.com
93
Quality Bolt & Screw Co.
Brecksville, OH
www.qualbolt.com
94
CooperSurgical
Trumbull, CT
www.coopersurgical.com
95
Alcoa Fastening Systems
Fullerton, CA
www.alcoa.com
96
Quantimetrix Corp.
Redondo Beach, CA
www.4qc.com
97
Pridgeon and Clay
Grand Rapids, MI
www.pridgeonandclay.com
98
Townsend Design
Bakersfield, CA
www.townsenddesign.com
99
Inteva Products
Brownsville, TX
www.intevaproducts.com
Bard
Tempe, AZ
www.bardpv.com
100
TM
Dimensional
Calibration Services Top Quality Gage Calibration ISO 17025 NVLAP • Gage Blocks
• Gage Calibration
• Master Rings
• Fast Turnaround
• Special Masters
• Competitive Prices
Any Gage
-
+
Mahr Federal - let us demonstrate our complete line of dimensional gages. Contact Mahr Federal Inc., Providence, RI Phone: 800-343-2050, Fax: 401-784-3246 or E-mail:
[email protected], Internet: www.mahr.com
www.qualitymag.com
February 2010 | QUALITY
47
CA SE ST U DI ES
Dan Powers, president of RUAG Ammotec USA, is pictured next to the Gi-360 sorting machine at the RUAG Ammotec plant. Source: General Inspection Inc.
A key part of the overhaul was the introduction of General Inspection’s
Gi-200 laser gaging sorting system. Designed for inspection of projectiles prior to loading, the system is equipped with a one-profile, single laser measurement module. The totally automated machine measures lengths, diameters and tapers at rates up to 300 parts per minute. It has a 5-minute setup time and userfriendly controls, and measures each individual part and automatically segregates defective units. RUAG Ammotec GmbH also found benefits with the laser-based Gi-360 system. The quantitative measuring system inspects fully loaded rounds and incorporates an array of lasers in a 360-degree configuration. Part characteristics and print tolerances are entered into the machine’s software once, where they are saved for recollection and part changeover. All external part geometries, including overall length, body diameters, tapers, extractor groove diameter, head diameter/height, length-to-shoulder, concentricity, radii and straightness can be measured at up to 300 parts per minute. Designed for cases, cartridges and projectiles, the Gi-360 can inspect 300 parts per minute for small caliber ammunition, 40 to 120 parts per minute for medium caliber ammunition and is utilized after the loading of primer, powder and projectiles. Another machine RUAG Ammotec added to its family was the Gi 6V, which was designed to catch all critical, major and most minor defects. The machine has a case vision inspection module consisting of eight cameras, five ring lights of various sizes and programmable light/dark defect searches. An array of lasers takes
Now able to check all of its values, RUAG Ammotec USA has improved its pre-loading performance by 100%.
The Gi and LaserLab family of machines feature 360 degree laser inspection.
Inspection
Machines Sort Out Production
W
hen ammunition company Precision Ammunition was acquired by RUAG Ammotec USA (Tampa, FL), a division of RUAG Ammotec GmbH, in 2009, the manufacturer’s technologies were combined with facilities in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden and Hungary, leading to increased production volume. Initially, the company handled its inspections visually by using gaging. But as its output grew, the company began to incorporate increasing amounts of automation. RUAG Ammotec USA needed to revamp its quality control system. RUAG Ammotec USA CEO Dan Powers already had a company in mind to help it with the upgrade. In 2007, Powers had witnessed a demonstration of General Inspection’s (Davisburg, MI) high-speed, laser-based sorting and inspection
machines. With more than 600 installations worldwide and extensive experience in the ammunition industry, the staff at General Inspection recommended several solutions adapted to different stages of manufacturing. “At the time, Dan and his company were making significant investments in automation machinery,” says General Inspection President Mike Nygaard. “With production quantities that can range up to 500,000 projectiles per day on one shift and 200,000 to 300,000 completed rounds, [RUAG Ammotec] needed inspection systems that could keep up with production volume and guarantee full inspection capability.”
THREE AMMUNITION INSPECTION SOLUTIONS
BENEFITS RUAG Ammotec USA improved quality on its projectiles by 100% using General Inspections’ inspection machines.
48
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
Before every scan, the LaserLab automatically calibrates itself via a NIST-traceable calibration device mounted directly on the machine. Source: General Inspection Inc.
measurements 360 degrees around the part circumference. The Mouth Vision option detects cracks and splits on the mouth, and the Primer Vision feature measures head diameter, flash hole presence, head stamp presence and primer pocket diameter. The unit can inspect 300 parts per minute for small caliber ammunition and 40 to 120 parts per minute for medium caliber ammunition.
COMPLETE PROFILE INSPECTION
DRAMATIC RESULTS
RUAG Ammotec GmbH found success when it implemented the LaserLab into its automation processes. This 3-D inspection system is used in both statistical process control (SPC) and lowvolume, high-value part inspections. Like the Gi-360, the LaserLab incorporates an array of lasers positioned around 360 degrees. Designed for parts from 2 to 38 millimeters in diameter, measurement time ranges from 10 to 30 seconds per part. The part is fixtured by hand and remains stationary while undergoing laser scanning. Parameters can be set in two ways: Either an initial part can be fixtured in the system and inspected, thereby creating a template in the LaserLab’s control against which other parts will be measured, or parameters can be input into the control prior to the first inspection. Graphic representations and numerical data are stored in the control memory and can be recalled at any time for future inspections. The 100% profile inspection covers all part characteristics including lengths, diameters, radaii, tapers, minimum/maximum material, thread concentricity and recess depth. Before every scan, the LaserLab automatically calibrates itself via a NIST-traceable calibration device mounted directly on the machine. As a result, quality does not deteriorate over time or with changing environmental conditions. At RUAG Ammotec USA, the LaserLab is used to inspect casings or other components sourced from outside. In-process inspections of projectiles, loaded cartridges and casings are also easily accomplished over the multiple caliber and ammunition types.
Powers says he and his staff have seen significant improvements from the new inspection systems. The company enhanced quality on its projectiles by 100%, with a 70% improvement on loaded ammunition, Powers notes. “We’ve also been able to check all values, [which is] extremely important to us,” he says. “For instance, if LaserLab catches an error on our brass casings, we can recheck the dimensional values and correct the situation prior to load-
www.qualitymag.com
ing,” he adds. “This has enabled us to improve our performance in preloading by 100%. “In another instance, we were able to catch a problem in the machine setup,” says Powers. “When we detected that one of our loading machines was damaged, we were able to fix the machine, thereby saving a lot of money and time.” General Inspection Inc. (248) 625-0529 www.geninsp.com
High Quality, Simple, Affordable
VIDEO MICROSCOPE
Starting at $4,995! Computer and monitor not included.
Luxxor Video Microscopes ®
QDocumentation and
From the makers of:
Measurement Software +/- .001” Q Comfortable Viewing vs. Stereo Microscopes Q 15x - 200x Magnification Q f/4.5 Zoom Lens
Q
gradientlens.com 800.536.0790
Booth 954 • Aneheim, CA February 8-10, 2011
Q Q
Digital Video Image Capture Optional Borescope Attachment Made in the USA
Visit us at:
February 2011 | QUALITY
49
CA SE ST U DI ES
Triumph Fabrications’ core capability is the stretch-forming of sheet, extruded, rolled shape and light plate metals for the aerospace industry. Source: Renishaw Inc.
Getting in
Shape An in-gage machine-tool probe has the right touch for form measurement of 5-axis aerospace parts.
after a one-time calibration routine. The RMP600, combined with Renishaw’s OMV Pro software, gives the company’s Zimmerman CNC 5-axis portal mill coordinate measuring machine (CMM)-like capabilities, allowing measurement results that routinely come within 0.001 inch when double-checked with other devices. As a result, offline checks of work on a true CMM have been eliminated, saving the company many hours of production delays, potential damage and accuracy problems that arise when moving and re-fixturing high-value parts. According to Triumph, it is hard to quantify the time savings, but it can be in the range of five times the cycle time for the part. For example, if a part can be machined in one hour, the extra setups caused by offline measurement can be five hours. The key is that the part is processed in one setup, improving overall cycle time and delivery.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
F
lat surfaces and straight lines are rare among the parts produced at Triumph Fabrications (Shelbyville, IN), which is mainly why the company upgraded its machine tool probe on one of its high-accuracy portal mills to a strain-gage-based Renishaw RMP600. As an aerospace stretch-forming specialist, there is hardly a part or a die in Triumph’s shop that is not sporting a parabolic, compound curved or cone shape. Rapid, precise measurement of machining work on these parts— while the parts are still fixtured on the
machine tool—is a core skill the company’s computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) department developed and refined to facilitate lean manufacturing. But it took an RMP600 straingage probe to bring the refined touch needed for consistent, high-accuracy measurement of small hole diameters, contours and geometric tolerances. With no lobing—or true 3-D triggering characteristic—and a repeatability of 0.00001 inch, the straingage probe delivers high accuracy when triggered from any direction
Triumph Fabrications’ core capability is the stretch-forming of sheet, extruded, rolled shape and light plate metals for the aerospace industry. The company’s press capacity ranges from 10 to 750 tons, with the ability to stretch-form reverse forms using bulldozer attachments of 150 and 400 tons on its Cyril Bath presses. The company also has unique stretch forming capabilities to support complex single-plane and multiplane forming of a variety of metals. Various types of computer numerical controlled (CNC) machine tools are used to produce features on these formed parts, as well as to shape the
BENEFITS Unlike a conventional machine tool probe, the strain-gage-based RMP600 does not have to be calibrated for each vector.
50
QUALITY | February 2011
Strain gages measure the contact force applied to the stylus and generate a trigger once the strain threshold is exceeded, resulting in a true 3-D triggering characteristic.
The RMP600 delivers significantly higher metrology performance, particularly on 3-D surfaces where many sensing directions are used.
www.qualitymag.com
forming dies themselves. Supporting this work upstream and downstream is a CAD/CAM department equipped with Catia V4 and V5, Vericut 7.0, Renishaw OMV Pro, AutoCAD, Inventor and other desktop engineering tools. The other key to Triumph’s success is programming the model and geometry. The probing program runs on the CNC to collect the measurement data, which is then evaluated offline in OMV software with CMM-type algorithms. The software compares the measurement data with the map/ model file and produces graphical and numerical reports. The software reports on the deviations from the nominal and will plot a graph to show the ranges. Unlike a conventional machine tool probe, the strain-gage-based RMP600 does not have to be calibrated for each vector, which saves significant cycle time in a 5-axis environment. The RMP600 is fundamentally different from conventional machine tool probes in that its patented Rengage sensing mechanism eliminates lobing, an error inherent to all conventional machine tool probes. If the lobing is excessive and high enough to impact measurement accuracy, operators must compensate by calibrating the probe along each measurement vector. This requires a complex calibration cycle and management of numerous probe offsets. The RMP600 eliminates this. Strain gages measure the contact force applied to the stylus and generate a trigger after the strain threshold is exceeded. This results in low trigger forces, less stylus bending, submicron repeatability, no lobing and a true 3-D triggering characteristic. The RMP600 delivers significantly higher metrology performance, particularly on 3-D surfaces where many sensing directions are used, or in setup, when approach vectors to the workpiece may not be known. Logic inside the probe eliminates unexpected triggers resulting from shock and vibration by determining whether the strains seen at the gages are caused by contact with the part surface or a random event.
machine’s capabilities, condition and calibration history, Triumph Fabrications believes an inspection on its machine is equal to a CMM inspection. The machine is tested and calibrated to essentially the same requirements as its CMMs, and easily capable of producing part profile accuracies of 0.015 inch. Triumph can verify its metrology performance by probing a known artifact, which has all the features it would encounter in its parts. Because of the high accuracy of this machine and its 5-axis capability, the straingage probe has proven to be a better match for Triumph’s measurement requirements. Periodic double checks against other measurement devices rarely show deviations greater than a thousandth of an inch, giving Triumph a high level of confidence and operational efficiency. Renishaw Inc. (847) 286-9953 www.renishaw.com/machinetool
The RMP600, combined with Renishaw’s OMV Pro software, gives the company’s Zimmerman CNC 5-axis portal mill CMM-like capabilities. Source: Renishaw Inc.
HIGH CONFIDENCE With its knowledge of the Zimmerman CNC 5-axis portal mill
www.qualitymag.com
February 2011 | QUALITY
51
QUALITY
PRODUCTS DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE SENSOR The SDP2108-R measures air flow in medical ventilation applications. The differential pressure sensor has a measuring range of 0 to 3500 pascal. It has similar mechanical, electrical and physical characteristics to the SDP1108-R, which covers a smaller measuring range of 0 to 500 pascal. It is fully calibrated and temperature compensated. It has a response time of 8 milliseconds and provides an analog output signal with a range of 0-4 volts. SENSIRION INC. (805) 409-4900 WWW.SENSIRION.COM
DIGITAL AMBIENT-LIGHT SENSOR The MAX9635 has two photodiodes and an adaptive gain block that automatically selects optimum gain range. It measures 2 by 2 millimeters. The unit has a 4-million-to-1 dynamic range for lux readings in all ambient-light conditions. It has a 0.65 micrampere operating current, consumes 1.1 microwatts and operates from a 1.7 to 3.6 volt supply. It measures light levels from 0.045 to 188,000 lux. MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS (408) 737-7600 WWW.MAXIM-IC.COM
CLOUD COMPUTING SOFTWARE XRF ANALYZERS Handheld Thermo Scientific Niton XRF analyzers are engineered for portable elemental analysis. They are designed for any location and field environment or weather condition. The units have analytical ranges from magnesium through the transuranic elements and have detection limits and shorter measurement times than previous models. THERMO SCIENTIFIC (800) 875-1578 WWW.NITON.COM
52
QUALITY | February 2011
The Synergy 3000 statistical process control (SPC) system is designed to gather, organize, analyze and report on the data sets required for real-time quality management. It can input measurements or inspection counts, monitor process status, troubleshoot processes, track and trace production samples and exchange quality assurance data with customers and supply chain partners. ZONTEC (866) 955-0088 WWW.ZONTEC-SPC.COM
www.qualitymag.com
MINIATURE INFRARED SENSOR
MOUNTING BRACKETS
PROCESS FILTER GAGE
The thermoMETER CSlaser is a miniature infrared sensor with an integrated controller. The unit has a two-beam laser aiming feature, which marks the actual spot size at any distance. The controller is already integrated into the sensor. The sensor can be optimized for specific measurement tasks by using different lenses. Objects of 0.5 millimeter can be measured at a distance of 150 millimeters from the sensor. MICRO-EPSILON UK LTD. (919) 787-9707 WWW.MICRO-EPSILON.CO.UK
Designed for use with series 28 and 29 photoelectric sensors, OMH-RL29-06 mounting brackets have alignment and positioning flexibility and a protective shroud that covers two sides of the sensor housing. The bracket is fastened on a 0.5 inch diameter rod or bolt and has half-clamp mounting that can be rotated 360 degrees to align to the sensor. Applications include automotive, material handling and packaging industries. PEPPERL+FUCHS (330) 425-3555 WWW.PEPPERL-FUCHS.US
The Series PFG2 process filter gage is designed for determining the state of an in-line filter. The differential pressure indicator determines the pressure drop on either side of a filter through its 0.08 inch female NPT pressure connections, and relates the value to one of three zones. It is designed for filter applications, line loss and valve drop differential pressure applications. DWYER INSTRUMENTS INC. (800) 872-9141 WWW.DWYER-INST.COM
NE
W
Height Gages Accuracy - Innovation - Value Digimar® 816 CLM • Precise measuring results in your production environment • Simple to use - yet high performance functions • Extremely accurate using double scale system
Motorized measuring carriage eliminates user error and improves accuracy -
+
Mahr Federal - let us demonstrate our complete line of dimensional gages. Contact Mahr Federal Inc., Providence, RI Phone: 800-343-2050, Fax: 401-784-3246 or E-mail:
[email protected], Internet: www.mahr.com
www.qualitymag.com
February 2011 | QUALITY
53
|
QUA LIT Y P RO D U CT S
|
INJECTION MOLD TESTING MATERIAL Mold-Align is a surface pressure indicating material that is designed to improve yields and reduces defects in the injection molding process by minimizing flash, shorts and burns, and to indicate mold face planarity. When placed between mold halves that are compressed together, the material changes color, revealing how pressure is being distributed between the mold faces. Uniform surface pressure across the parting line and platens is needed for the two mold halves to be aligned. SENSOR PRODUCTS INC. (800) 755-2201 WWW.SENSORPROD.COM
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE GAGE The Model 220 has a two wire 4-20mA transmitter option using the same CSA, UL and ATEX rated sensor and explosionproof housing. The transmitter has an industrial type terminal strip and is housed in heavy-duty, cast aluminum housing. Wiring access is through a half-inch NPT port. Accuracy is ±2% from 20% to 100% of full scale. Indicator accuracy is ±2% and is independent of the transmitter. Weatherproof construction includes standard 4.5 inch dial and shatter-resistant lens. MID-WEST INSTRUMENT (800) 648-5778 WWW.MIDWESTINSTRUMENT.COM
54
QUALITY | February 2011
CARBIDE ENDMILL The XE solid carbide endmill is designed for aerospace machining and has a geometric design with deep flutes and high helix cutting edges. The design of the unit enables the tool to slot and profile to higher radial and axial engagements and run at higher surface speeds and feeds than previous models. It is designed for use in difficult-to-machine materials. STELLRAM (615) 641-4200 WWW.ATISTELLRAM.COM
ETHERNET TESTER The 5850 is a handheld Gigabit Ethernet tester designed for the installation and maintenance of Ethernet networks. The tester performs network testing, data packet capture, traffic generation, line testing, bit error ration testing and RFC2544 benchmark testing. It also conducts connectivity tests, including Ping, Trace and ARP Scan. The tester identifies cable faults such as short circuit open circuits and determines cable length. The unit has a USB drive for data exchange. Test results are shown on an LCD screen in text or graphic format. GAO COMM INC. (877) 585-9555 WWW.GAOCOMM.COM
VIDEO BORESCOPES Voyager Video Borescopes are 0.22 inch or 0.44 inch diameter probes with flex-and-stay, semi-obedient design. The units inspect automobiles, pipes, walls, ductwork and difficult-to-access areas. Each probe has a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) video camera chip in tip, which will capture 720 by 480 pixel JPEG images and AVI video recorded at 30 frames per second with a defined focal range of 0.8 to 11 inches. The unit’s portable monitor has an adjustable screen that stands up or lays flat against a handle. MEDIT INC. (800) 239-9934 MEDITINC.COM
DATA LOGGING SYSTEM
CNC HONING SYSTEM
The LogMessage is a data collection, control and alarming system. It comes in seven configurations with up to 30 analog inputs and a sampling rate up to 1,200 hertz. The system has universal, differential, galvanically isolated analog inputs. It is designed for remote equipment monitoring, product testing, quality and reliability testing, process monitoring, research and development, and fault analysis. CAS DATA LOGGERS (800) 956-4437 WWW.DATALOGGERINC.COM
The SV-410 CNC honing system provides control for cylinder geometry, surface finish and crosshatch parameters for ring seal, uniform lubrication, minimal leak down and heightened horsepower. The system allows for in-line 4- and 6-cylinder engines. It has walk-in access doors and stainless steel enclosure preconfigured for use with automated part loading systems, while the CNC control includes an automation interface. SUNNEN PRODUCTS CO. (800) 325-3670 WWW.SUNNEN.COM
www.qualitymag.com
The
NONCONTACT SENSING SYSTEM The KD-2306 is a noncontact. linear displacement measuring instrument. It has resolution down to 10 nanometers and speeds to 50 kilohertz. It makes high-precision static and dynamic measurements, and supports ambient, moderate temperature, and cryogenicrated sensors. Applications range from lab work to production and process automation. The DIN rail mount packaging makes the system ideal for integration into OEM equipment and industrial control applications. KAMAN PRECISION PRODUCTS (719) 635-6957 WWW.KAMANSENSORS.COM
Global 8 Capture & document your torque data
CAVITY PROBE The V3FGA06H cavity probe is designed for use in the automotive industry. It fits through small openings in a car body to measure coating thickness. The probe head has three-point support of the probe tip and a variable back stop, which defines the distance from the entry hole to the measurement area. FISCHER TECHNOLOGY (860) 683-0781 WWW.FISCHER-TECHNOLOGY.COM
1 controller... 8 tools. Improve your quality and your profits see it at www.srtorque.com!
RESEC SYSTEMS, INC. Precision Sorting Equipment
Fast, Accurate Inspection of Small Parts • • • • • •
100% Inspection Up to 10,000 Parts/Hour Optical Measurements to ±0.0001” Flexibility for Different Parts Easy to Operate Low Cost Benchtop Units
93-A South Railroad Avenue - Bergenfield, NJ - 07621 Phone: (800) 394-6758 www.resecsystems.com
www.qualitymag.com
QLT02101resec.indd 1
February 2011 | QUALITY 1/20/10 12:27:40 PM
55
2011 CASE STUDIES SPEC IAL ADVERTISING SECTION This Case Studies Special Advertising Section features manufacturing companies with real-world challenges using quality equipment, software and services to solve their problems and improve their processes. These problem-solving stories describe myriad manufacturing challenges and how the correct application of a supplier’s product or service made the difference, providing quantitative benefits to quality and manufacturing issues. The suppliers in this special section present these real-world problems and solutions to help Quality Magazine subscribers who may have similar experiences.
ADVERTISER CASE STUDY INDE X
56
ADVERTISER
PAGE
Assetsmart
57
ELECTRONIC MANUFATURER SAVES $2 MILLION
Cybermetrics Corp
58
FACILIWORKS WORKS FOR ROCKWELL AUTOMATION
Gradient Lens Corporation
64
HAWKEYE BORESCOPES TARGET RIFLE BARREL DEFECTS
Hexagon Metrology Inc.
61
PORTABLE ARM COMPRESSES INSPECTION CYCLE
Hommel- Etamic
61
OPTICAL SHAFT INSPECTION IS A H-O-G
Kaman Precision Products
58
KAMAN'S THREADCHECKER
Mark 10 Corporation
62
180 DEGREE PEEL TESTING
Micro-Vu
62
MULTI-SENSOR MACHINE REPLACES CMM
Mitutoyo America Corp.
60
SURFACE ROUGHNESS MEAUSREMENT
NSF International
59
WANT EFFECTIVE COST AND RISK MANAGEMENT?
Optical Gaging Products
57
AUTOMATED MEASURING SYSTEMS
Qioptiq Linos Inc.
63
INCREASING METROLOGY THROUGHPUT
Renishaw
64
NEW 5-AXIS HEAD FOR TOUCH-TRIGGER
S-T Industries Inc
63
SAVE $$$$$$$$$
Scienscope International
65
XT-2000 VMP Integral
VisionX Inc.
59
CASE STUDY
Yxlon International
60
CT SOLUTIONS
QUALITY | February 2011
CASE STUDY TITLE
www.qualitymag.com
ADVERTISEMENT
AUTOMATED MEASURING SYSTEMS SPEED PRODUCTION AND REDUCE COSTS As a solution, Tessy implemented ten SmartScope® video metrology systems from Optical Gaging Products (OGP®) to supplement their installed base of comparators and CMMs. As explained by Mark Towers, Director of Quality Assurance, “We use CMMs for many dimensional measurements, and SmartScope systems when parts are too flexible for touch probing, or when the parts are simply too small to probe.” Parts are mounted on custom fixtures and measured in batches on SmartScope systems. Automated measurement routines free the operator to perform other tasks. Injection molding is a continuous process with batches of parts being formed while others are measured. When the molding process drifts out of tolerance, many “bad” parts may be produced before the problem is detected. Tessy monitors its processes by sending all SmartScope measurement results to QC-Calc™ software for graphical statistical monitoring. QC-Calc presentation of SmartScope measurements allows Tessy engineers to adjust processes before out-of-tolerance parts are produced. Accurate, speedy SmartScope measurements allow Tessy to maintain quality with lower labor costs. Tessy Plastics (www.tessy.com, Elbridge NY) is a plastic injection molder that produces a mix of products for medical and consumer companies. Tessy initially relied on CMMs and optical comparators to measure molded parts to keep processes in spec. Not only was this slow, it was labor intensive. In addition, the industry trend was toward part miniaturization. Tessy needed to automate their measurement processes to speed things up, reduce labor costs, and to measure new parts too small to measure on a comparator.
Optical Gaging Products (OGP®) 850 Hudson Avenue | Rochester, NY 14621 585.544.0400 or 800.647.4243 | Fax 585.544.8092
[email protected] | www.ogpnet.com
ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURER SAVES $2 MILLION WITH QUALITY DATA CATALOG
AssetSmart’s SMART/ENCATS™ Enterprise Cataloging System enforces quality data standards for customer equipment and calibration records by identifying and properly classifying assets that are hidden from view due to incorrect, incomplete, or missing descriptions. The SMART structured cataloging software and companion data standardization process has helped many customers reduce capital expenditures by as much as $2 million by enabling them to better utilize the assets they already own, but couldn’t find due to
www.qualitymag.com
poor records quality. SMART/ENCATS connects all the accounting, operational and calibration databases together by applying a uniform catalog language across all of them. ENCATS provides a bonus capability by providing performance specification data attached to equipment models. Once implemented, the performance attribute capability enables an automated side-byside comparison of operational characteristics for different models of equipment that provide the same functions – a typical equipment management search request. Further, multi-function or re-configurable products may be cross-referenced across multiple noun and performance families. For instance, a search for voltmeters will also typically turn up multi-meters having the equivalent selectable function. Quality data cataloging, when coupled with other equipment management tools such as life-cycle replacement planning and equipment rental pools, can reduce annual capital expenditures for test and measuring equipment by as much as 10%. Data cataloging turns an otherwise ordinary asset database into an operational tool that enables end users to locate needed in-house resources in a few seconds, thereby speeding up technical projects.
2800 28th Street, Santa Monica, California 90405 www.assetsmart.com Contact:
[email protected] Tel: 1.800.755.3968
February 2011 | QUALITY
57
2011 CASE STUDIES
ADVERTISEMENT
KAMAN’S THREADCHECKER™ CHECKS FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL THREADS WITHOUT CONTACT ThreadChecker is an application-specific sensor system that checks for thread presence or absence. A "Go/No Go" tool, ThreadChecker discriminates between threaded and unthreaded holes or studs and provides both analog and switched outputs. Reliable, repeatable, and high-speed, it detects all thread specifications on ferrous and non-ferrous materials, including aluminum. ThreadChecker’s universal electronics can be used with any size sensor/probe without factory recalibration. Kaman's seven sensors inspect hole sizes M3 through M14, and stud sizes M4 through M10. Fixed-gain analog output and opto-isolated NPN switching output make ThreadChecker ideal for set-it-and-forget-it applications, including automated assembly and test and inspection. ThreadChecker sensors and the electronics package are rugged and reliable, meeting IP-67 specifications, and ideal for machine shop, in-die, or other industrial environments. There is no need to clean and dry the parts being checked, as ThreadChecker’s inductive sensors are unaffected by moisture, oils, cleaners, grease, dirt, and grime. Setup is a simple matter of "teaching" ThreadChecker to recognize threaded holes/studs vs. unthreaded ones. The user inserts the sensor into a threaded hole or over a threaded stud, and presses the "teach" button. He then inserts the same sensor into an unthreaded hole or over an unthreaded stud, and presses the "teach" button again. A switched output and system LED will indicate if a hole or stud is threaded or unthreaded. Kaman Precision Products is the world leader in high-precision inductive sensing and offers personalized applications support.
Contact Kaman at 800-552-6267 or at www.kamansensors.com.
FACILIWORKS® WORKS FOR ROCKWELL AUTOMATION Rockwell Automation helps
tion processes. Mike Haensgen, Project Engineer, says that “It’s
manufacturers succeed and
flexible and easy to use. We looked at other products that offered
grow with industrial automa-
two separate pieces of software that supposedly worked together,
tion control and information
but FaciliWorks gives us the option of incorporating calibration, so
solutions that give their customers a competitive advantage world-
it’s completely seamless.”
wide. So, when it came to managing Rockwell Automation’s assets,
Nearly 600 staff members use FaciliWorks 8i to manage Rockwell’s
a world-class asset management solution was in order. Rockwell
assets. They can schedule preventative maintenance and calibrations on the same asset, view their operations and asset status in real time with dashboard analytics and use the workflow management system to define tasks, triggers and notification events. “FaciliWorks keeps our facilities running smoothly. It was definitely the right choice for us,” Mike says. Whether your business has a single location or multiple facilities worldwide, whether used by management, engineers or technicians, FaciliWorks 8i can be scaled to fit your needs and your budget and is designed to grow with your organization. FaciliWorks 8i is available in
scales across many production sites, while maintaining central-
English, Spanish, French and German.
ized asset control, so Rockwell chose CyberMetrics’ FaciliWorks 8i which provides the world-class asset management they needed, the advantage of internet-based scalability and the capability to manage maintenance and gage calibration as needed, site to site. FaciliWorks 8i is the right fit for Rockwell Automation because it’s an all-in-one solution that can streamline maintenance and calibra-
58
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
ADVERTISEMENT
WANT EFFECTIVE COST AND RISK MANAGEMENT? NSF-ISR CAN HELP. NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR) offers solutions to help our customers grow and innovate in their industry sectors. Palm Bay Utilities Department (PBUD) Environmental
mental aspects and associated risk, the utility used its EMS to reduce environmental and associated business risks. Within a year of certification, Standard &
Management System (EMS) was the fi rst
Poor’s raised PBUD’s bond rating to an ‘A’
water and wastewater utility in the state
based on reduced risks. The higher bond
of Florida to receive certifi cation under
rating enables the utility to borrow money at
the ISO 14001:2004 EMS standard.
As
a result of the EMS, the department achieved a 31 percent reduction in energy use for its water treatment plants from 2007
lower interest rates and stabilize customer costs while maintaining service levels. NSF-ISR partnered with PBUD to conduct an ISO audit and identify areas for improve-
through 2010. The utility was recognized with a
ment. NSF-ISR’s expertise in quality and EMS
number of awards, including the Association of
enables us to focus on a variety of industries with
Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) Gold Award
confidence. Our diverse auditor base compliments
for exceptional utility performance.
our technical expertise, providing the total solution your organization requires.
Other benefits PBUD experienced include: Cost Savings. With a management system commitment to continual
Contact:
improvement, operating expenses have maintained an average fis-
John Arvay (
[email protected])
cal year savings of 9 percent since certification. This savings easily
734.657.4567
offsets the cost of EMS implementation.
www.nsf.org
Reduced Liability. Through an EMS protocol to identify environ-
CASE STUDY: THE FASTEST, EASIEST, MOST ACCURATE WAY TO COMPARE A PART TO A CAD FILE
Using the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator (Patent Pending), a major orthopedic and medical device manufacturer increased inspection accuracy and throughput, eliminated operator subjectivity, freed up floor space and was able to start recording complete product documentation and device history. A major orthopedic and medical device manufacturer implemented the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator and achieved significant improvements on many different fronts: • No more overlays: VisionGauge® works directly with the CAD data and completely eliminates all of the problems having to do with the production, storage and management of overlays.
www.qualitymag.com
• Increase accuracy: VisionGauge® is a very high resolution software-based system that works directly with the CAD data. It is much more accurate than traditional optical comparators. • Eliminate operator subjectivity: with VisionGauge®'s Auto Pass / Fail tool, there is no more operator subjectivity! • Increase throughput: VisionGauge® can be setup so that it automatically pulls up the correct overlay when the operator scans in the part's barcode. Also, part changeover and part settings recall can be done with a single mouse click. This represents a huge time savings! • Inspect parts beyond the optical field of view: with VisionGauge®, the CAD overlay "tracks the part" when you move the stage. This allows you to compare parts to their CAD data across the entire stage travel, as opposed to just within the optical field-of-view as is the case with traditional optical comparators. • Improved documentation: the VisionGauge® can be used to capture complete time/date stamped product documentation and device history. • Less floor space and portable: VisionGauge® is much smaller than traditional optical comparators and can be moved without requiring re-calibration. • Ease of use: operators can quickly and easily transition over to VisionGauge®.
VISIONx INC.
[email protected] www.visionxinc.com (514) 694-9290
February 2011 | QUALITY
59
2011 CASE STUDIES
ADVERTISEMENT
SURFACE ROUGHNESS MEASUREMENT OF TUBE IDS CRITICAL TO VOLUME PRODUCER OF NEEDLES
(Top) Detail of stainless steel micro tube bevel-cut to produce needle point. (Bottom) Finished needle. Image courtesy K-Tube Corp.
Stylus of Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-400 surface roughness tester is shown traversing ID of sectioned K-Tube micro tube needle stock. Image courtesy K-Tube Corp.
Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-400 with display/ printer unit shown at top. Image courtesy Mitutoyo America Corp.
Stainless steel micro tubing – typically ranging in diameter from approximately 0.2” to 0.004” sometimes even smaller – is found in a wide variety of manufacturing applications including: medical, aerospace, energy, automotive and myriad other industries for fluid transport, dispensing, and mechanical structure. A sub-category of stainless steel micro tubing, medical/dental/ hypodermic needle tubing, as the name implies, is small diameter needle stock which is hard drawn, cut and then ground to points to make hypodermic needles. With ever-tightening tolerances demanded by all parties to medical manufacturing processes, needle ID surface roughness is now commonly specified. K-Tube Corporation of Poway, California, (www.k-tube.com), the largest independent manufacturer of stainless steel micro tube in the United States, was an early adopter of measuring needle bore ID surface roughness – about 15 years ago it began engaging outside labs to make the measurements. But as interest in specifying ID rough-
ness values continued to grow among K-Tube’s customers, (some of whom started to ask for Ra, Rq, and Rz parameters*) the company decided to attain an in-house, ID roughness measurement capability. Therefore about five years ago, the company installed a Mitutoyo Surftest SJ-400 portable surface roughness tester capable of making as many as 36 kinds of roughness measurements satisfying the latest standards issued by ISO, DIN, ANSI, and JIS. The instrument provides a measuring resolution of 0.000125µ-m/0.005µ-in. and a traverse range of 800µ-m/0.032µ-in. Surface roughness is evaluated using Mitutoyo’s SURFPAK-SJ roughness analysis software program. K-Tube samples finished tube ID roughness on every production run down to 0.018” ID. To obtain measurements, samples generally 2” long are sectioned length-wise by grinding so that one-half the tube is removed leaving the other one-half undisturbed and accessible to the SJ-400 instrument’s measuring stylus. The roughness data becomes part of K-Tube’s customers’ order certification and quality records. * Roughness profile parameters: roughness average (Ra), root mean square roughness (Rq), roughness height (Rz). Roughness profiles are the finer scale surface variations that remain after form and waviness variations have been filtered out of the raw profile. Mitutoyo America Corporation 965 Corporate Blvd. Aurora, Illinois 60502 USA Phone: (630) 820-9666 Fax: (630) 820-2614 www.mitutoyo.com - Shawn Lawrence, Marketing Manager,
[email protected]
K-Tube Corporation 13400 Kirkham Way Poway, CA 92064 USA Phone: (800) 394-0058 Fax: (858) 513-9459 www.k-tube.com - Lori Tysdal, Quality Manager,
[email protected]
CT SOLUTIONS - INDUSTRIAL COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY SYSTEMS
Non-destructive testing with Computed Tomography (CT) systems
solutions for the inspection of tires and wheels. Based on our experi-
offers new possibilities to meet increasing quality demands in many
ence we can also offer special solutions for your CT inspection task.
areas of industrial production. Using Computed Tomography systems flaws can be simultaneously detected and located in almost any
In our application labs you have the possibility to use our CT systems and our know-how for application services.
material – without destroying the object. The measurement of the internal and external geometry is likewise precisely done by indus-
Yxlon International Inc.
trial Computed Tomography systems. Industrial prototypes can thus
3400 Gilchrist Rd.
faster be led to serial production with Computed Tomography. YXLON
Akron, OH 44260
International offers a wide range of Computed Tomography (CT)
t: 330-798-4834 f: 330-784-9854
systems: we develop and produce compact standard CT systems,
email:
[email protected]
microfocus CT systems, modular CT systems, CT systems for univer-
www.yxlon.com
sal usage or for the inspection of standing items as well as special
60
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
ADVERTISEMENT
PORTABLE ARM COMPRESSES INSPECTION CYCLE quickly to tell them if their setup is good, so they can continue running the part. You do not want a machine or an operator sitting idle.” Inspection times have been dramatically reduced using the PCMM. A cylinder head casting would usually take about 30 minutes for a single inspection using traditional benchtop equipment. However, after 20 minutes of programming, every subsequent cylinder head casting only takes 5 minutes, an 83% speed improvement. “No matter how well you serve the customer, as a small company competing with larger manufacturers, it is an absolute must that we produce a quality product. At Hycomp, every compressor built goes through 4 to 8 hours of rigorous testing before it ships to the customer, and we build a lot of compressors as complete systems. Going the extra mile pays off as our warranty rate is incredibly low. Our metrology capabilities put us one step closer to achieving even higher goals.” Consistent quality across all product lines is the goal of Hycomp, a small Utah manufacturer of compressors, who wanted a metrology solution that provided both fl exibility and high precision. The ROMER INFINITE 2.0 portable coordinate measuring machine (PCMM) met their requirements. Hycomp can inspect many products without multiple setup times.
ROMER, a brand of Hexagon Metrology 250 Circuit Drive
“The ROMER PCMM allows us to measure complex parts in a sim-
North Kingstown, RI 02852
plified manner. Measurements that were time consuming and difficult
Tel: 800-218-7125
are now fast and easy. When we can inspect parts faster, it affects
[email protected]
our overall productivity.
We can get back to the machinists very
www.ROMER.us
OPTICAL SHAFT INSPECTION IS A H-O-G “We measure diameters to 4 microns with a gage R&R of 5%,” reports Clay. “You can’t touch that anywhere.” Hommel-Etamic’s Opticline noncontact CNC shaft gaging system measures form, dimensional, and positional tolerances of shaft-type parts in submicron detail with a maintenance-free two-camera system, recording results instantly. “With air gaging or hard gaging, there is a lot of setup and timeconsuming changeover, but with the Opticline,” Clay said, “I can change programs in about 15 seconds and be ready for the new part number. Flexible chucking helps also.” To create a program, Clay scans the part with the Opticline cameras, establishes a length of scan, and then starts a measurement cycle. “To accomplish the shaft measurements with air gages or ring gages, you would have multiple gages, which require setup, mastering, and maintenance. This adds up to greater cost over 3-4 shaft designs with a couple of sizes of each,” Clay said. The family of turbocharger shafts produced at Cummins Turbo Technologies, Palmetto, SC, have up to 11 diameters and various lengths—a complex part to inspect consistently and at rates that keep up with production. But Clayton Butler, metrology technician has a solution that has been working on the Cummins shop floor alongside the grinding machines for several years. He calls it his HOG -- the Hommel Optical Gage. Machine operators use the Opticline from Hommel-Etamic America to measure a shaft and turbine impeller wheel assembly for the turbochargers it produces-- diameter, runout, straightness, length. The staff also uses the gage on the shop floor alongside the grinders to measure an impeller mounted on an arbor. Each part is measured between centers in less than a minute.
www.qualitymag.com
Hommel-Etamic America 1505 West Hamlin Rd., Rochester Hills, MI 48309 Tel. 1-248-853-5888 www.hommel-etamic.com Email
[email protected]
February 2011 | QUALITY
61
2011 CASE STUDIES
ADVERTISEMENT
180 DEGREE PEEL TESTING - DETERMINING THE SEAL STRENGTH IN PACKAGING The amount of force required to open a bag of
test is consistent test speed, the ESM301’s pro-
pretzels or candy isn’t typically first and foremost
grammable speed ensures that the rate of peel
in our minds. Opening a package of snack foods
is consistent.
is normally a mundane affair – unless the package
An adjustable upper grip is attached to the
is too difficult or too easy to open. That’s when it
force gauge, pulling the material upwards, while
becomes more obvious that proper testing is criti-
the lower grip remains stationary. The force gauge
cal to achieving customer satisfaction.
records the maximum breaking strength. Then the
The testing of sealed pouches for such items
test stand’s crosshead reaches a limit switch and
as snack foods, medical devices, and consumer
returns automatically to the home position. The
products is often done to conform to ASTM D903
force gauge transmits data to a PC for further
and ASTM F88. These procedures call for a 1”
analysis in MESURgauge software. Anomalies in
wide strip of material to be pulled apart at the
peel force consistency can be viewed on a graph.
seal at an orientation of 180 degrees. A constant
Upper and lower acceptable force limits are deter-
rate of speed, typically 6” or 12” per minute, is
mined by the manufacturer, allowing for quick
required. The end result is a force measurement
identification of failures.
value, typically in Newtons or pounds. One manufacturer of snack foods has been
By Mark Fridman, Marketing Manager
performing such testing with their Mark-10 force
[email protected]
testing system, consisting of a model ESM301
Toll Free: 888-MARK-TEN
motorized test stand with digital force gauge and
Tel: 631-842-9200
pair of film & paper grips to secure each end of
Fax: 631-842-9201
the material. Since an important element of this
MULTI-SENSOR MACHINE REPLACES CMM To meet the needs of new medical customers and to stay ahead of competition, a precision plastic injection company in Santa Rosa, CA searched for a multi-sensor inspection system. They needed to measure smaller features, reduce programming time, reduce measurement time, and improve operator/programmer easeof-use compared to their CMM. The company selected the Micro-Vu Vertex 320 vision system with a 4-station touch probe kit and a 12"x12"x6" measurement capacity. The company retired its CMM within months. The company's metrologist began programming parts using Micro-Vu's InSpec Metrology Software during the first demonstration. Small holes, angles, gaps, and steps are programmed and measured in seconds. Previous "operators" become "programmers" with InSpec's point-and-click programming. Parts from multiple mold cavities are measured in a single inspection program and setup. While the Vertex measures multiple pieces, the operator completes other quality/inspection tasks. When the inspection program is complete, the operator can quickly review toleranced and exported features in a summary window. If needed, the operator can edit tools from the multi-capture cache of images.
62
QUALITY | February 2011
Tools can be reviewed and edited even after parts have been removed from the stage. When the company expanded, it purchased a second Vertex. InSpec's lighting calibration ensures that programs from one machine can run on another. Also, the system price with the 2-port touch probe kit, didn't require a VP's signature. Micro-Vu Corporation was established in 1959 and is a leading manufacturer of optical comparators, video systems, and multi-sensor measurement systems. Micro-Vu machines are designed, manufactured, and assembled in the United States.
Micro-Vu Corporation http://www.microvu.com
[email protected] 707-838-6272
www.qualitymag.com
ADVERTISEMENT
INCREASING METROLOGY THROUGHPUT WITHOUT COMPROMISING QUALITY
Within the custom manufacturing industry each job presents new challenges and every application requires special attention to detail. There does seem to remain one constant however… “Deliver highest quality parts at lowest possible cost”. To achieve this goal, companies continue to develop their metrology capabilities looking to achieve faster inspections without sacrificing the quality assurances delivered to their customers. Vision-based measuring systems are a key component in achieving quality-control productivity as vision-based systems typically surpass contact metrology alternatives in speed and throughput, while maintaining precision and capturing comprehensive data. Additionally, vision metrology systems eliminate potential part damage from contact inspection. The new Fetura® Vision Metrology Systems from Qioptiq represent a vanguard approach to optical measurement, combining years of optomechanical expertise with cutting-edge software and robust mechanics to deliver unparalleled productivity, flexibility, and precision. At the heart of the system is the market’s fastest and most precise zoom imaging lens technology. Nearly 10-times faster than conventional zoom lenses across a 12.5X optical zoom range, Fetura images from low to high magnification in less than 1-second (approaching that of digital zoom speeds). This important feature affords users the ability to perform critical quality inspections in shorter cycle times with greater
operational savings… a value they can pass on to their customers. In one particular case, a customer required 100% parts inspection of a high-volume medical components process. Metrology speed and accuracy gains were a necessity in achieving maximum throughput and ultimately greater quality and net productivity. The Fetura System’s imaging agility and high-speed mechanics, combined with multi-part fixturing readily achieved the customer’s aggressive inspection throughput and productivity goals. In this case, each individual component required measurements to be taken at multiple magnifications. With the Fetura’s unmatched imaging speed, the customer reduced their inspection time for each lot by more than 8 minutes. This translated to 33% more parts inspected per shift and ultimately more than $31,000 projected savings in the first year of production in inspection costs alone. This increased speed at inspection also means savings across the complete manufacturing process. In addition to its unmatched speed, the unique design of the Fetura’s imaging lens enables it to maintain optomechanical precision over 1 million zoom cycles with virtually zero performance degradation. This means prolonged and consistent precision and accuracy over the extreme rigors of a high-volume inspection application like the medical components case cited above, without the need for recalibration and uncertain software compensations. The Fetura Vision Metrology System is a robust measurement workhorse that meets the needs of demanding global manufacturing markets. The Fetura Vision Metrology Systems offer an alternative in the metrology industry that is measurably different. Article and images by: Thomas Goundry Metrology Product Manager Qioptiq, Inc. www.qioptiq.com 585-223-2370
SAVE $$$$$$: LET US “REMANUFACTURE” YOUR SCHERR-TUMICO 30” COMPARATOR FOR A FRACTION OF THE COST OF A NEW ONE assemblies for profile and surface illumination, new protractor ring with digital readout Q axis in DRO, new glass screen, new curtains, replace all required lenses in the lamphouse and replace all electrical components as required. The remanufactured 2500/2600 unit is as new--it cannot be distinguished from a new unit. REMANUFACTURED COMPARATOR AND DRO CATALOG NO. DESCRIPTION 21-2600-01 REMANUFACTURED 21-2600-02 REMANUFACTURED 21-2600-03 REMANUFACTURED 21-2600-05 REMANUFACTURED 21-2800-01 REMANUFACTURED
2500/2600 2500/2600 2500/2600 2500/2600 2500/2600
WITH WITH WITH WITH WITH
QC-121 DRO QC 221 QC 221E QC 5215 QC 5215 CNC
If the unit is to be upgraded from an original tippet and toggle system to the new style joystick system which includes all new electronics, motor control power boards, new lamphouse and joystick, or if the unit is upgraded with a 6-position power lens changer, see price list.
Left: Actual photo of customer’s 26 year old 2600 Series 30" Comparator when received at S-T Industries to be remanufactured. Right: Actual photo of the same 2600 Series 30" Comparator after being remanufactured at S-T Industries, ready to ship back to the customer. When S-T Industries remanufactures your 2600 Series 30" Comparator, it is returned to you in “As New Condition” with a certifi cate to NIST. The remanufactured price includes installation and training at your facility and a new 2-year warranty. A complete 2500/2600 remanufacture consists of the following: We completely strip down the unit, repair any damage to the body, enlarge the side door to current specs, and totally repaint the body to current paint specs. Rebuild the entire stage assembly, regrind or replace the table top and bearing ways, install new bearings, new .00005"/.001mm Acu-Rite glass scales, new bellows, new surface illuminator assembly, new long-life tungsten halogen bulb
www.qualitymag.com
UPGRADE OPTIONS CATALOG NO. 21-1700-00 21-2140-00
DESCRIPTION JOYSTICK CONTROL UPGRADE 6-POSITION POWER LENS CHANGER UPGRADE
NOTE: On most occasions we have remanufactured units available for sale. NOTE: If you have an old S-T/SCHERR-TUMICO 2500/2600 Series 30" Comparator that you are not using and do not intend to use and are interested in selling, regardless of its condition, call us at 1-800-326-2039.
301 Armstrong Blvd. North | St. James, MN 56081-0517 Phone: 1-800-326-2039 | (507) 375-3211 | FAX 507-375-4503
[email protected] | www.stindustries.com
February 2011 | QUALITY
63
2011 CASE STUDIES
ADVERTISEMENT
HAWKEYE BORESCOPES TARGET RIFLE BARREL DEFECTS past, inspectors would simply look through the barrel by eye, and defects appeared as shadows. Sabre quality inspectors also make use of Hawkeye Borescope Video Systems which can display images on a computer monitor. Hawkeye borescopes have a 10x magnification, and the video camera adds another 3x. The resulting 30x magnification offers a large, on-screen image. “This helps our people see even the smallest of defects more clearly,” Blanton says. Hawkeye borescopes and video system “really ensure our visual inspection standards are met,” he added. Ultimately Sabre’s efforts to give customers durable, dependable products have paid off. A Hawkeye borescope and video system are used to inspect a finished AR-15 barrel after proof-firing. Sabre Defence Industries, LLC, manufactures a wide range of firearms, and weapons components, in its Nashville, Tenn., factory. For the United States government, Sabre produces barrels for weapons
Sabre’s history of making the AR15 rifles, which was derived from the M16, helped win the M16 contract, according to Blanton. He believes another factor in the win is that people have come to recognize the Sabre name because of its extensive, long-standing experience with government products and its aim for quality.
like the U.S. Army M2 Browning 50-caliber machine gun, M60 Barrel Assembly, and the U.S. Air Force M134 7.62 mm Minigun. Sabre also recently became one of only three companies in history to receive a manufacturing contract for the U.S. military-specified M16 rifle.
Gradient Lens Corporation gradientlens.com 800-536-0790
“Borescopes are really the only way to handle internal visual inspections,” says Morris Blanton, Sabre’s Quality Manger. In the
NEW 5-AXIS HEAD FOR TOUCH-TRIGGER INSPECTION ON CMMS GIVES UP TO THREE-FOLD INCREASE IN THROUGHPUT 5-axis technology enables faster and more
forces, directional sensing options and
comprehensive measurement for improved
extensions to meet application require-
process control.
ments. The detachable modules provide
Renishaw is introducing another innova-
crash protection and can be automatically
tive measurement product that is expect-
changed using the MCR20 change rack.
ed to transform inspection performance
Companies with existing TP20 systems
on a wide range of co-ordinate measur-
will be able to upgrade to PH20 and utilize
ing machines(CMMs). Utilizing technol-
their existing modules.
ogy developed for the multi-award winning
While REVO has set the benchmark for
REVO® measurement system, the new
5-axis scanning measurement on larger
PH20 probe head offers unique ‘head
CMMs, the exciting new PH20 probe head
touches’ for rapid touch-trigger measure-
opens up access to new Renishaw tech-
ment, and fast infinite 5-axis positioning
nologies for most existing users of CMMs.
to guarantee optimal feature access. Its
Learn more at www.renishaw.com/ph20
compact design makes it suitable for new CMM purchases and as a retrofit to the vast majority of existing CMM touch-trigger installations. The new PH20 probe head also benefits CMM users with adaptive positioning to accommodate part misalignment, fast calibration routines, and an integral TP20 probe mount that optimizes the working volume of the CMM, bringing 5-axis capability to smaller machines for the first time.
64
Renishaw Inc. Hoffman Estates, IL
By incorporating the industry standard TP20 touch-trigger probe,
web: www.renishaw.com
users of the PH20 probe head will immediately have access to a
email:
[email protected]
range of proven probe modules, providing a wide selection of trigger
phone: 847-286-9953
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
ADVERTISEMENT
XT-2000 VMP INTEGRAL Scienscope video measurement systems are specifically designed for non-contact measurement and inspection of small, delicate, or complex components. They are the next generation of traditional measuring measuring microscopes and optical comparators. All Scienscope measurement systems are ready to go out the box for easy setup and use. We have a variety of models to best fit your needs. Product features • Compact and ergonomic • Efficient • Self-contained • Precision granite base and column. • 1/2" color 1.3 mega pixel USB digital camera. • High resolution image. • 23" Widescreen LCD monitor with large live image. • Zoom lens with detents. • Quick release steel stage. • LED top and bottom lighting. • 1 year warranty. • Intuitive Measurement Software The OVM PRO is easy to use full feature geometric measurement software with advanced edge detection tools. Advanced tools permit instant click and drag multiple feature measurement. OVM PRO is programmable with sequence and direction prompts that trigger auto edge detection thus eliminating time consuming fine adjustment. As well, the system features multiple datums, image capture, and CAD overlay.
5751 Schaefer Ave, Chino, CA 91710 TEL (909) 590-7273 TOLL-FREE (800) 216-1800 FAX (909) 494-5513 EMAIL
[email protected]
Quality webinars are an easy, effective and convenient way
Valuable Industry Training
to get educated and informed on the latest industry topics. Best of all, they’re FREE!
webinars.qualitymag.com www.qualitymag.com
February 2011 | QUALITY
65
— ADVERTISEMENT —
S H O W C A S E This Quality Showcase section brings you information on new products and services available through print and online. To receive more information about the the products and services in this section, visit Quality Quick Clicks online at www.qualitymag.com. Reserve your FREE 2011/12 Cole-Parmer® General Catalog Select the latest fluid handling, laboratory research, industrial process, and electrochemistry products to help you get your job done! More than 2,600 pages feature brand names such as Masterflex®, Oakton®, Polystat®, and many more. To reserve your copy, call 800-323-4340 or visit ColeParmer.com/8263.
Cole-Parmer 625 East Bunker Court Vernon Hills, IL 60061-1844 www.coleparmer.com
New Patent
Calibration Services Hexagon Metrology’s Universal Calibration Services is your one-stop shop for on-site calibrations, no matter what you need to calibrate. Competitive rates, nationwide ISO 17025 certified for: • All brands of CMM • Machining Centers • Boring Mills • Turning Centers • Rotary Tables • Surface Plates
Hexagon Universal Calibration Services www.HexMet.us/qshucs 248-449-9508
Pendin
g
Made in the U.S.A.
ILLUMINATING IDEAS & DESIGNS Since 1883
Exclusive Green-Lite™ LED Magnifiers with 4 Diopter Lenses 7” x 5.25” Rectangular LED Magnifier
ESD
7.5” Round LED Big Eye™ Magnifier
6” Round LED Magnilite®
82400-4 (Shown in optional Blaze Red finish)
62400-4 (Shown in optional Brilliant Orange finish)
42400-4 (Shown in optional Spectre Blue finish)
• • • • •
ESD Safe 4x Brighter Than Standard Fluorescent 5 Year/50,000 Hour Warranty 2x Standard (2.25x Optional) Magnification Choice of 10 Colors AT NO EXTRA CHARGE
www.green-lites.com 1-888-OCWHITE (888-629-4483) 66
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
— ADVERTISEMENT —
Styli and Accessories from Carl Zeiss • Large selection and great prices on M5, M3, and M2 styli and other popular accessories. • Over 500 products in stock and available for same-day shipping. • Find styli fast using new convenient search tools: shop by size, material, length, and sensor type.
www.zeissmetrology.com Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology 6250 Sycamore Lane North Maple Grove, MN 55369 (800) 327-9735
Custom Gage Applications • Fast and Accurate • Simplified Dimensional Control for in-process or post-process inspection of lengths, depths, diameters, position of slots or shoulders and angle of taper (male or female) • Mechanical or Electronic Indicators • Bench top or Hand Held • Quick Change and Interchangeable • Standard Gages or Customer Designs
Dow Gages for Quality Control Since 1946 169 White Oak Drive, Berlin, CT 06037 Phone (860) 828-2450 • Fax (860) 828-2451 •
[email protected]
First Article Inspection: Get DISCUS DISCUS will help you save 50% to 80% of your time complying with AS9102, PPAP, Part 820 You can balloon drawings/models and simultaneously create the corresponding inspection sheets. Customizable for various customer/internal formats. DISCUS Software Company 829 Bethel Rd Columbus, OH 43214 (614) 360-2424 www.DISCUSsoftware.com
FREE SPC eBook A complimentary electronic version of The Book of Statistical Process Control is now available from Zontec. The 200+ page publication helps demystify SPC methods, techniques and calculations for the non-statistician. Each chapter is complete with examples, charts, tables and diagrams that can be adapted to any quality operation. Request your copy (a $34.95 value) at the Zontec web site or call (866) 955-0088 today.
www.zontec-spc.com
Dimensional Measuring System
Low Cost, High Performance Machine Vision Cameras
ProTable™ is a battery operated dimensional measuring system designed for use in a manufacturing environment. Measurements are displayed with a resolution of .001in., 01mm, or .001cm. Steel bearings, temperature and non-linear error compensation maintain an accuracy of ±.010 in. (±.003 optional) over the entire range. Standard models are available to measure up to 19.5 feet. Custom designs also available.
PixeLINK has released the PL-E530 series of machine vision cameras. • Available in 1.3, 3.0, or 5.0 MP • Aptina CMOS Sensor • Color or Monochrome Versions • 8 & 10-bit output • Rolling shutter • Simple and easy to use SDK for all cameras
613-247-1211 Email:
[email protected] Web:www.pixelink.com www.proscale.com
[email protected] 828-654-7920
www.qualitymag.com
February 2011 | QUALITY
67
— ADVERTISEMENT —
Full Service Dimensional Measurement Lab For Your Product’s Perfection
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
CMM First Article Inspection Reverse Engineering DCC Full Automation Capability Contract Inspection & Layout Non-Contact Video Inspection Vane & Blade Profile Analysis 2D & 3D Digitizing White Light & Laser Scanning 3D CAD Model Based Inspection CAD Solid Modeling Capability Studies Roundness Testing Fixture Calibration Surface Finish Analysis
Since 1987
Q-PLUS Labs • Irvine, CA www.qpluslabs.com Tel: (949) 380-7758 • Fax: (949) 380-7790
S iemers I nspection S ervice, Inc. Est. 1983 Dimensional Inspection Statistical Process Control First Piece/Multiple Lots
ISO/IEC 17025-2005 713 W. Prairie St. Tel: (269) 649-4434 Vicksburg, Michigan 49097 Fax: (269) 649-2338 Call for a brochure or visit our Website: www.siemersinspection.com
y t i l a u Q t n a W
e r o m
ox? b n i our y ustry o t d n i y l f ds o rect n i rs, a d e s t u t d o e l e h ew s ver the t N f s e o y deli e t w i n l e o a u y n /e lread ing the Q a m t o o ’re n g .c c eiv a m If you ionals re ity l s s a e f u pr o w. q y ! w w oda t visit e b i r ubsc s d n a
68
QUALITY | February 2011
www.qualitymag.com
Wednesday, May 4, 2011 8:30am – 3:30pm EDT
! E E R F Event Sponsors:
An educational virtual event covering trends in manufacturing from design to delivery.
What is a virtual event? A virtual event is a gathering of people sharing a common environment online to create an interactive experience similar to a conventional trade show.
Webinar Line-Up
As an attendee, you can interact with booth personnel, network with peers, watch equipment video demonstrations and webinars and download product catalogs or other technical documents into your virtual trade show bag, just as you would at a conventional trade show.
Keynote Presentation: Harry Moser -
Since virtual trade shows can be attended by your entire team and be viewed from a single computer screen, cost of travel, lodging and time away from the office issues are essentially eliminated.
Educational Topic from FARO Technologies
Founder and President of The Reshoring Initiative SPONSORED BY
Educational Topic from Stanley Assembly Technologies
Register by March 4 to be entered to win an iPad! www.TechManufactureXPO.com Exhibitors:
Media Sponsors:
Questions? Email
[email protected] | FAQs at www.bnpevents.com/vts.htm
CL A SSI F I ED
To place a classified ad in Quality, call Sunny Coverly at (610) 932-8350, or FAX: (248) 283-6587
PRODUCTS
SERVICES
SERVICES
The Worlds Largest Selection Of Markers!
DIMENSIONAL CALIBRATION CONTRACT MEASUREMENT-Surface/Form
Tune in to Q-Tube and SEE the latest in quality technology, practices and information.
*MPD 15, 576+ Markal, 72+
Call 1-800-486-8858 • Fax 401-784-3195
[email protected] • www.mahr.com
LAMP BUYERS: SAVE $$$ ● ● ●
Microscopes Comparators Infrared (IR)
● ● ●
PCB Mfg. UV Curing Germicidal
CAPROCK 800-222-0325 ●
www.caprockdev.com
Markingpendepot.com Paint Markers, $1.10* China Markers, .50** Artline, Dixon, Dykem, Markal, Sharpie, Unipaint
ISO 17025 Accredited Gage Blocks—Master Rings and Discs Mechanical Gage Calibration Fast turnaround / Competitive prices
Walk Exhibit Floors with Quality Magazine Catch Up on the Quality Innovations View the Latest in Products Watch Industry Leaders
Mahr Federal Inc. Providence, RI
Call 888-906-9370
V isit www.qualitymag.com and click on Q-Tube. 1108-house-qtube.indd 5
10/21/08 4:48:39 PM
Quality Magazine Classified Ads Policy
class-QM01114markpen.indd 1
SERVICES
Classified ads are accepted at the discretion of the publisher, and are limited to: 12/23/10 8:55 AM
Used/Refurbished Equipment Aftermarket Accessories and Replacement Parts
Employment Black & White or 2-color ads (no 4-color ads accepted)
PART INSPECTION SERVICES
Services, including laboratories
We can measure everything inside parts as well as all external features. Let us scan your part!
New equipment in a classified ad will be rejected unless the company has a contracted and approved display advertising program.
ō Satisfaction Guaranteed ō Intricate Parts ō First Article Inspection ō Nondestructive Testing ō Gage R&R
ō Fast Turnaround ō Clear Plastics ō Reverse Engineering ō Assembly Analysis ō 3D Analysis
5 www.qualitymag.com Top
reasons to visit
Valuable information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in the world
Find your favorite article in archives and forward to a friend
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Use our searchable Buyer’s Guides
Easy access to the latest breaking news in your industry
Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology
[email protected] (248) 867-3699 www.zeiss.com/ct-services
Get more information online by subscribing to our FREE enewsletters
5Reasons_Half20-QLT.indd 1
70
QUALITY | February 2011
10/29/08 12:25:57 PM
www.qualitymag.com
March 21-24, 2011
McCormick Place North, Chicago, Illinois USA
North America’s broadest automation event has the right solutions for you! UUÊSee integrated solutions using robots, machine vision, motion control, sensors and related automation technologies UUÊDiscover new applications to solve your challenges UUÊGet practical guidance from global industry experts UUÊFind the latest cutting-edge automation technologies from the world’s leading suppliers
Register today for FREE show badge
www.automate2011.com BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Scan this QR code for registration Use your smart phone to scan the QR code for a shortcut to the registration page. Check your apps store for a QR reader.
REGISTER TODAY
Your Automate badge also gets you into the collocated ProMat Show
A DV E RT I SI NG I NDEX
155 N. Pfingsten Rd., Suite 205 Deerfield, IL 60015
Group Publisher Darrell Dal Pozzo (847) 405-4044
[email protected]
REGIONAL MARKETING
ADVERTISER
PAGE
Assetsmart
3
www.assetsmart.com
Automate
71
www.automate2011.com
Bal-tec Division, Micro Surface Engr. Inc.
23
www.precisionballs.com
Clear Seas Research
35
www.clearseasresearch.com
Cybermetrics Corp.
BC
www.cybermetrics.com
Deltronic Corp.
51
www.deltronic.com
Easy-Metric
55
www.easymetric.com
Gradient Lens Corp.
49
www.gradientlens.com
Hexagon Metrology Inc.
19
www.HexMet.us/qm211
5
www.hommel-etamic.com
Imada
53
www.imada.com
Kaman Precision Products
39
www.kamansensors.com
1, 47, 53
www.mahr.com
Mark-10 Corp.
7
www.mark-10.com
Micro-Vu Corp.
25
www.microvu.com
MicroRidge Systems
47
www.microridge.com
Mitutoyo America Corp.
IFC
www.mitutoyo.com
NSF International
34
www.nsf-isr.org
Optical Gaging Products
33
www.ogpnet.com
Origin Technologies Corp.
39
www.origintech.com
Qioptiq Linos Inc.
43
www.qioptiq.com
Ram Optical Instrumentation
46
www.ramoptical.com
Renishaw
13
www.renishaw.com
Resec Systems
55
www.resecsystems.com
9
www.stindustries.com
Scienscope International
23
www.scienscope.com
Sturtevant Richmont
55
www.srtorque.com
VisionX Inc.
31
www.visionxinc.com
Western Gage Corp.
46
www.westerngage.com
Yxlon International
45
www.yxlon.com
Hommel-Etamic America
New England and Mid-Atlantic Barbara Grim 1288 Centerton Rd. Pittsgrove, NJ 08318 Phone: (856) 358-4800 FAX: (856) 358-0900
[email protected] Central and Southeast Bill DeYoe 109 Willow Springs Trail Mt. Holly, NC 28120 Phone: (704) 822-6434 FAX: (704) 822-6834
[email protected] Midwest, Southwest, West and Northwest Buck Bicek 5820 Middaugh Ave. Downers Grove, IL 60516 Phone: (630) 971-0904 FAX: (630) 227-0204
[email protected]
Mahr Federal Inc.
S-T Industries Inc.
INSIDE SALES Classified Ad Sales/ Reprints/Trade Shows Sunny Coverly 116 Cooper Ln. Oxford, PA 19363 Phone: (610) 932-8350 FAX: (248) 283-6587
[email protected]
WEB SITE
This index is provided as a reader service. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.
QUALITY (ISSN 0360-9936) is published 13 times annually, monthly except semi monthly in November, by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $178.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $216.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $228.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: QUALITY, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to QUALITY, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or
[email protected].
72
QUALITY | January 2011
www.qualitymag.com
www.qualitymag.com
Reaching the BEST BUYERS in Quality and Manufacturing
Practical Methods to Improve Your Manufacturing Processes
nondestructive testing including materials test
www.ndtmag.com
www.visionsensorsmag.com
The Practical Use of NDT and Materials Test Technology
Real-World Application of Vision and Sensor Systems, Components, Software and Services
Contact your Quality Marketing Manager today! Group Publisher Barbara Grim Bill DeYoe Buck Bicek Darrell Dal Pozzo (856) 358-4800 (704) 822-6434 (630) 971-0904 (630) 694-4342 Fax: (856) 358-0900 Fax: (704) 822-6834 Fax: (248) 502-1086 Fax: (248) 502-1024
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Inside Sales/Classifieds Sunny Coverly (610) 932-8350 Fax: (248) 283-6587
[email protected]
FaciliWorks Works for Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation helps manufacturers succeed and grow with industrial automation control and information solutions that give their customers a competitive advantage worldwide. So, when it came to managing Rockwell Automation’s assets, a world-class asset management solution was in order. Rockwell scales across many production sites, while maintaining centralized asset control, so Rockwell chose CyberMetrics’ FaciliWorks 8i which provides the worldclass asset management they needed, the advantage of internet-based scalability and the capability to manage maintenance and gage calibration as needed, site to site.
Mike Haensgen, Project Engineer, says that “It’s flexible and easy to use. We looked at other products that offered two separate pieces of software that supposedly worked together, but FaciliWorks gives us the option of incorporating calibration, so it’s completely seamless.” Nearly 600 staff members use FaciliWorks 8i to manage Rockwell’s assets. They can schedule preventative maintenance and calibrations on the same asset, view their operations and asset status in real time with dashboard analytics and use the workflow management system to define tasks, triggers and notification events. “FaciliWorks keeps our facilities running smoothly. It was definitely the right choice for us,” Mike says. Whether your business has a single location or multiple facilities worldwide, whether used by management, engineers or technicians, FaciliWorks 8i can be scaled to fit your needs and your budget and is designed to grow with your organization. FaciliWorks 8i is available in English, Spanish, French and German.
FaciliWorks 8i is the right fit for Rockwell Automation because it’s an all-in-one solution that can streamline maintenance and calibration processes.
A Special Section to
Magazine
February 2011 www.ndtmag.com
nondestructive testing including materials test
Product Index p. 4 NDT Product Listing p. 6 NDT Supplier Directory p. 24 NDT
Choose the Right Ultrasonic Equipment p. 30 NDT The Origins of Quick Break p. 32 NDT Elemental Compliance Screening with XRF p. 36 NDT
38DL PLUS
ULTRASONIC THICKNESS GAGE
Advanced Features, Simple Operation The 38DL PLUS is an innovative instrument that signals a new era in ultrasonic thickness gaging. Ideally suited for almost every ultrasonic thickness application, this handheld thickness gage is compatible with a full line of dual and single element transducers. • A full line of dual and single element transducers - Dual element for corrosion measurements - Single element (0.5 MHz to 30 MHz) for thin or difficult to penetrate materials • Rugged, IP67 sealed • Vibrant full VGA display • Wide thickness range: 0.08 mm (0.003 in.) to 635 mm (25 in.)* • THRU-COAT® and Echo-to-Echo avoid paint removal • Internal Oxide/Scale software option • V-Path Builder for better precision when using non-standard transducers • Multilayer (up to four layers) software option * depending on material and transducer selection
Indoor display setting, B-scan mode
Onboard DB Grid View with three programmable colors
For worldwide representation visit www.olympus-ims.com •
[email protected]
2011 SOURCE BOOK nondestructive testing including materials test
from A to Z NDT’s 2011 Source Book is the industry’s most comprehensive source for the products and services needed to improve manufacturing processes. Whether looking for measurement, test and inspection equipment, or software and services, such as NDT training and consulting, it’s all here. The 2011 NDT Source Book is an invaluable reference tool that should be kept within reach throughout the coming year. If a colleague borrows your copy of the NDT Source Book, the issue is also available online at www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide.
The Source Book is organized into two main sections: 䡲 An alphabetical listing of product categories, such as ultrasonic test equipment, hardness testing, X-ray and software. The product categories are then divided into subcategories by type or associated services. To find a product category, use the index that begins on p. 4 NDT. 䡲 An alphabetical listing of suppliers. This section gives the names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, e-mail addresses and Web sites of the suppliers.
CONTENTS 4 NDT......................................... NDT Product Index 6 NDT....................................NDT Product Directory 24 NDT ...............................NDT Supplier Directory 30 NDT ........................................Choose the Right Ultrasound Inspection Equipment
32 NDT ....................... The Origins of Quick Break 36 NDT ............................. Elemental Compliance
Screening with XRF
40 NDT .......................................... Business Cards 40 NDT .................................................... Ad Index
2 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
A Powerful, Multi-LED, Broad-Beam UV-A Inspection Lamp!
TRITAN™ 365 Multi-LED UV-A Inspection Lamp
Weigh s Just 1 lb!
Unlike conventional HID inspection lamps, the TRITAN™ 365 features three powerful ultra-high-flux UV-A LEDs that run cool to the touch! The lamp’s broadbeam profile provides wider coverage than standard UV inspection lamps, while its compact size allows access into areas inaccessible to larger lamps. The TRITAN™ 365 is the ideal lamp for all your NDT inspection applications!
Features : Nominal steady-state UV-A intensity of 5,500 μW/ cm2 at 15 inches (38 cm)
Large 4 inch (10 cm) diameter coverage area, with a minimum UV-A intensity of 2,000 μW/cm2
30,000 hour LED life Convenient white light LED illuminates dark work areas with just a flick of a switch!
Instant-on operation. Lamp reaches full intensity immediately!
Electronic Intensity Stabilizer ensures consistent LED performance
Built-in fan keeps LEDs cool to maintain optimum light output during extended use
Choice of 8 foot (2.4 m) or extra-long 20 foot (6.1 m) power cord with AC plug. Available in 120V, 230V, 240V and 100V models.
Meets ASTM UV-A intensity specs for FPI and MPI
For even greater versatility, order the TRITAN™ 365M battery-operated AC/DC lamp kit. Comes complete with TRITAN™ 365M UV lamp, rechargeable NiMH battery pack with adjustable shoulder strap and belt loop, AC and DC cord sets, smart AC charger, UV-absorbing spectacles and soft carrying case. AC charger available in 120V, 230V, 240V or 100V versions.
For more information,
1-800-274-8888 www.spectroline.com call
or visit
3-D Imaging ...................................................... 6
Eddy Current Systems ..................................... 8
H
Comparators ........................................... 8
A Accelerometers and Sensors ......................... 6 Acoustic Emission Testing .............................. 6 Alloy Analyzers................................................. 6
B
High-Speed Analysis ............................. 8 Multichannel ........................................... 8 Single Channel........................................ 8 Sorting/Hardness ................................... 8 Testers, Bar and Billet ............................ 8 Testers, Tubing and Pipe....................... 8 Eddy Current Test Equipment ....................... 8
Hardness Test .................................................10 Brinnell ...................................................10 Microhardness ......................................10 Portable .................................................10 Rockwell.................................................11
I
Blacklight .......................................................... 6
Detectors, Crack ..................................... 8
Illuminators ....................................................11
Bond Tester ....................................................... 6
Instruments, Coating Thickness .......... 8
Image Digitizing Systems ............................11
Borescopes........................................................ 6
Instruments, Conductivity ................... 8
Image Processing Equipment .....................11
Flexible ..................................................... 6
Instruments, Corrosion Detection ...... 8
Immersion Tanks ............................................11
Rigid.......................................................... 6
Instruments, Metals Sorting ................ 9
Impact Testers ................................................12
Video......................................................... 6
Microprocessor-Based........................... 9
Bulbs .................................................................. 6
Eddy Current Equipment, Miscellaneous.... 9
Infrared Testing Equipment .........................12 Process Control Systems, Infrared ....12
Coating Measurement .......................... 9
C Calibration Labs ............................................... 6
Flux Leakage ........................................... 9 Magnetic Induction ............................... 9
Calibration Services, Materials Test Equipment ............................. 6 Cameras, Infrared ............................................ 6 Color Matching................................................. 6 Color Measurement......................................... 6 Color Test ........................................................... 6
Reinforcement Bar Detection .............. 9 Standards, Calibration/Reference ....... 9 Elasticity Testers............................................... 9 Electromechanical Tester ............................... 9 Environmental Testing.................................... 9 Extensometers ...............................................10
Colorimeters ..................................................... 6 Compression Testing....................................... 7
L
Hall Effect ................................................ 9
F
Computed Tomographic Systems ................ 7
Laser Methods ................................................12 Profilometry ..........................................12 Leak Test Equipment .....................................12 Differential Pressure ............................12 Helium ....................................................12 Micro-Flow Technology.......................12 Mass Flow ..............................................12 Pressure Decay .....................................12 Pressure Gages .....................................12 Ultrasonic ..............................................12
Fatigue Testing ...............................................10
Leak Testing Labs / Services ........................12
Fiberoptic Inspection Equipment...............10
LED Ring-Light ...............................................12
Film ...................................................................10
Light Sources ..................................................12
High-Speed ...........................................10
Liquid Penetrant Testing ..............................12
Radiographic.........................................10
Comparator Blocks ..............................12
Flashlamps ......................................................10
Developers ............................................12
Flaw Detectors ...............................................10
Electrostatic Sprayers ..........................13
Data Collection and Analysis......................... 8
Eddy Current .........................................10
Emulsifiers .............................................13
Data Loggers .................................................... 8
Handheld ...............................................10
High-Temperature
Digitizer ............................................................. 8
Ultrasonic ..............................................10
Penetrant Systems .........................13
Flexure Testers................................................10
Meters ....................................................13
Fluorescent Inspection .................................10
Penetrants .............................................13
Fluoroscopic Systems ...................................10
Penetrant Test Kits ...............................13
Corrosion Mapping ......................................... 7 Corrosion Testing ............................................. 7 Crack Detection ............................................... 7 Creep Tester ...................................................... 8
D
Durometers....................................................... 8
E Eddy Current Probes ....................................... 8
Flux Leakage Inspection Equipment .........10
Probes and Coils, Absolute .................. 8
Force Gages ....................................................10
Probes and Coils, Custom ..................... 8 Probes and Coils, Differential .............. 8 Probes and Coils, Reflection ................ 8
G Grips & Fixtures ..............................................10
Probes and Coils, Semi-Differential .... 8
Processing Equipment ........................13 Test Panels .............................................13
M Machine Vision ...............................................13 Magnetic Particle Testing .............................13 Automated Systems ............................13
4 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Coils ........................................................13
R
Demagnetizers .....................................13 Field Indicators .....................................13
Piezocomposite ....................................18 Radiographic Test Systems ..........................16
Instruments/Meters, Field Strength .13
Radioscopic Systems.....................................16
Magnetic Particles ...............................14
Remote Visual Inspection Products ...........16
Magnetizing Equipment .....................14
Resonant Inspection .....................................16
Meters, Light .........................................14
Robotic Inspection Systems ........................16
Rubber, Magnetic .................................14
Roughness Measurement ............................16
Yokes.......................................................14 Materials Analysis Equipment.....................14
Immersion .............................................18
S
Ultrasonic ..............................................18 Tube Testing ...................................................18
U Ultrasonic Calibration Blocks ......................18 Ultrasonic Test Equipment ...........................18 Accessories ............................................18 Inspection System................................18
Materials Testing Consultants .....................14
Scanner, Handheld ........................................16
Portable .................................................18
Materials Testing Services / Labs ................14
Servo Testers...................................................16
Probes ....................................................18
Metallographic Equipment..........................14
Shear Testers...................................................16
Test Blocks .............................................19
Metallography Services ................................14
Software ..........................................................16
Thickness Gages ...................................19
Microscopes ....................................................14
Image Processing .................................16
Ultrasonic Couplants ...........................19
3-D...........................................................14
Location .................................................16
Universal Testing Machines ...............19
Binocular................................................14
Manufacturing Process Setup ...........16
UV Lamps ........................................................19
Compound.............................................14
Pattern Recognition ............................16
Confocal .................................................14
Statistical Waveform Analysis ............16
Digital .....................................................14
Spark Testers...................................................16
Vibration Test..................................................19
Spectrometers................................................16
Video Cameras and Systems........................19
Spectrophotometers.....................................16
Video Measuring............................................20
Strain Measurement......................................16
Videoscopes....................................................20
Digital X-Ray .........................................14 Stereo .....................................................14 Toolmaker ..............................................14 Trinocular...............................................14
V
Surface Topography ......................................16
N
W T
NDT Certification ...........................................14 NDT Consultants ............................................14 NDT Equipment Repair .................................14 NDT Labs .........................................................14 NDT Labs / Services .......................................14 NDT Scanners .................................................15 NDT Training ...................................................15 Noncontact Video Measuring System .......15
O Optical Inspection, Automated...................15
Weld Process Monitor, Inspection ..............20
Thermography ...............................................17
Wire Crimp Pull Tester ...................................20
Flash........................................................17
Wire Testing ....................................................20
Pulsed .....................................................17 Thickness Measurement ..............................17 Torsion Testing ...............................................17 Training ...........................................................17 Eddy Current .........................................17 IR/Thermal .............................................17 Laser Methods ......................................17 Leak Testing ..........................................17 Liquid Penetrant ..................................17
P Penetrant Systems.........................................15 Phased Array Ultrasonic Imaging ...............15 Pipeline Crawlers ...........................................16 Plasticity Testers.............................................16 Power Supplies...............................................16
Magnetic Particle .................................18 Radiography..........................................18 Ultrasonic ..............................................18 Vibration ................................................18 Visual ......................................................18 Transducers.....................................................18 Angle Beam ...........................................18
Pressure Testing .............................................16
Contact ...................................................18
Pulse Echo .......................................................16
Dual.........................................................18
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Weld Inspection Equipment ........................20
Tensile Testing ................................................16
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
X X-ray .................................................................21 Accessories ............................................21 Diffraction .............................................21 Digital .....................................................21 Film .........................................................21 Fluorescence .........................................21 Generators .............................................21 Inspection Services ..............................22 Inspection Systems ..............................22 X-Ray Machine ......................................22 Spectrography ......................................22 Tomography ..........................................22 Tubes ......................................................23 XRF Analyzers .................................................23 XRF Analyzers, Portable ...............................23
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 5
3-D IMAGING Analogic Corp. AV&R Vision & Robotics Inc. Bobier Metrology Solutions FARO Hadland Technologies Inc. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue
BOND TESTER
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Titan Tool Supply Inc. Volpi USA
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc.
VIDEO
BORESCOPES North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. Prexion SICK Inc. N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
ACCELEROMETERS AND SENSORS Physical Acoustics
ACOUSTIC EMISSION TESTING Advanced Test Equipment Rentals
ALLOY ANALYZERS Innov-X Systems Inc. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Niton Analyzers N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue
BLACKLIGHT Blueline NDT Bulbworks Magnaflux, Div. of ITW N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
FLEXIBLE Borescopes-R-Us GE Inspection Technologies N Gradient Lens Corp. (585) 235-2620 See ad in this issue N Instrument Technology Inc. (413) 562-3606 See ad in this issue JME Technologies Inc. Lenox Instrument Co. Inc. N Machida Inc. (800) 431-5420 See ad in this issue Optim LLC RF System Lab Schoelly Imaging Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Titan Tool Supply Inc. Volpi USA RIGID Borescopes-R-Us N Gradient Lens Corp. (585) 235-2620 See ad in this issue N Instrument Technology Inc. (413) 562-3606 See ad in this issue JME Technologies Inc. Lenox Instrument Co. Inc. N Machida Inc. (800) 431-5420 See ad in this issue Schoelly Imaging Inc.
6 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals Borescopes-R-Us N Gradient Lens Corp. (585) 235-2620 See ad in this issue N Instrument Technology Inc. (413) 562-3606 See ad in this issue JME Technologies Inc. Lenox Instrument Co. Inc. N Machida Inc. (800) 431-5420 See ad in this issue RF System Lab Schoelly Imaging Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Titan Tool Supply Inc.
APS Dynamics Inc. Arcadia Aerospace Industries Beta LaserMike Carestream Health Inc. CyberMetrics Corp., Quality Management Div. N Helium Leak Testing Inc. (800) 423-1701 See ad in this issue
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp. MKS Instruments Inc. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Quest Metrology Group LLC N Spectronics Corp. (516) 333-4840 See ad in this issue
CAMERAS, INFRARED BULBS Bulbworks N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals Hamamatsu Corp.
COLOR MATCHING ColorTec
CALIBRATION LABS APS Dynamics Inc. Bobier Metrology Solutions C.S.C. Force Measurement Inc. EMI Gage N Helium Leak Testing Inc. (800) 423-1701 See ad in this issue Laboratory Testing Inc.
CALIBRATION SERVICES, MATERIALS TEST EQUIPMENT
COLOR MEASUREMENT ColorTec Delta Computer Systems, Motion Controllers
COLOR TEST ColorTec
COLORIMETERS ColorTec
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
COMPRESSION TESTING AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue Epsilon Technology Corp. Imada Inc.
N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Qualitest USA LC
CRACK DETECTION N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212
See ad in this issue AV&R Vision & Robotics Inc. Foerster Instruments Inc. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900
See ad in this issue N Spectronics Corp. (516) 333-4840 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp.
COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS
S1 TURBOSD Technology you can trust
Analogic Corp. Hadland Technologies Inc. Laser Design & GKS Nikon Metrology Inc.
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
• Fast alloy ID and chemistry • Completely non-destructive • Prevents material mix-up
CORROSION MAPPING N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue Sonatest Ltd.
The S1 TURBOSD XRF analyzer uses innovative SDD technology which provides fast and accurate alloy analysis. www.handheldxrf.com
[email protected]
CORROSION TESTING Acuren American Standards Testing Bureau Inc., Materials Testing Div. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Visit our website to enter our new Promotional Drawing!
Innovation with Integrity
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
Handheld XRF
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 7
N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue
CREEP TESTER AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue Imada Inc.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS AV&R Vision & Robotics Inc. Beta LaserMike CyberMetrics Corp., Quality Management Div. Laser Design & GKS
DATA LOGGERS Advanced Test Equipment Rentals
DIGITIZER FARO
DUROMETERS AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Qualitest USA LC
EDDY CURRENT PROBES PROBES AND COILS, ABSOLUTE N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc.
(800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue PROBES AND COILS, CUSTOM Criterion NDT Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue PROBES AND COILS, DIFFERENTIAL N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue VM Products Inc. PROBES AND COILS, REFLECTION N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue VM Products Inc. PROBES AND COILS, SEMIDIFFERENTIAL N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
EDDY CURRENT SYSTEMS COMPARATORS Magnetic Analysis Corp. N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue
8 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
HIGH-SPEED ANALYSIS N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue MULTICHANNEL N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc. N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue SINGLE CHANNEL N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue VM Products Inc. SORTING/HARDNESS Criterion NDT Inc. Foerster Instruments Inc. N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue TESTERS, BAR AND BILLET Criterion NDT Inc. Foerster Instruments Inc. Magnetic Analysis Corp. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc. TESTERS, TUBING AND PIPE Criterion NDT Inc. Foerster Instruments Inc. Magnetic Analysis Corp. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc.
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
EDDY CURRENT TEST EQUIPMENT DETECTORS, CRACK Centurion NDT Inc. Foerster Instruments Inc. Magnetic Analysis Corp. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue VM Products Inc. INSTRUMENTS, COATING THICKNESS Fischer Technology Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Oxford Instruments N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue INSTRUMENTS, CONDUCTIVITY Centurion NDT Inc. Fischer Technology Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue INSTRUMENTS, CORROSION DETECTION N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
INSTRUMENTS, METALS SORTING Centurion NDT Inc. Criterion NDT Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue MICROPORCESSOR-BASED Centurion NDT Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
EDDY CURRENT EQUIPMENT, MISCELLANEOUS
See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue FLUX LEAKAGE Foerster Instruments Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue
REINFORCEMENT BAR DETECTION N Proceq USA (724) 512-0330 See ad in this issue
ELECTROMECHANICAL TESTER AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies
STANDARDS, CALIBRATION/REFERENCE Foerster Instruments Inc. VM Products Inc. Mark-10 Corp.
HALL EFFECT
ELASTICITY TESTERS
N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies
MAGNETIC INDUCTION Foerster Instruments Inc.
Mark-10 Corp.
ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING Aero Nav Laboratories American Standards Testing Bureau Inc., Materials Testing Div. APS Dynamics Inc. Innov-X Systems Inc.
COATING MEASUREMENT N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 9
EXTENSOMETERS AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue Epsilon Technology Corp.
FATIGUE TESTING AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue Epsilon Technology Corp.
Mark-10 Corp. MoviTHERM
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
FLASHLAMPS Hamamatsu Corp.
Beta LaserMike N Gradient Lens Corp. (585) 235-2620 See ad in this issue N Instrument Technology Inc. (413) 562-3606 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
FILM HIGH-SPEED Carestream, NDT RADIOGRAPHIC Carestream, NDT FujiFilm NDT Systems North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co.
AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue
FLAW DETECTORS EDDY CURRENT Centurion NDT Inc. Foerster Instruments Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue VM Products Inc. HANDHELD
FIBEROPTIC INSPECTION EQUIPMENT
FLEXURE TESTERS
N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Sonatest Ltd. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue ULTRASONIC N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Qualitest USA LC N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue
10 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp.
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp.
GRIPS & FIXTURES AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue
FLUORESCENT INSPECTION Blueline NDT Proceco Ltd. N Spectronics Corp. (516) 333-4840 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
FLUOROSCOPIC SYSTEMS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
FLUX LEAKAGE INSPECTION EQUIPMENT Magnetic Analysis Corp.
FORCE GAGES AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies C.S.C. Force Measurement Inc. Imada Inc.
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp.
HARDNESS TEST BRINNELL AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Laboratory Testing Inc. N Proceq USA (724) 512-0330 See ad in this issue Qualitest USA LC Wilson Hardness MICROHARDNESS AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Buehler Fischer Technology Inc. Laboratory Testing Inc. N Proceq USA (724) 512-0330 See ad in this issue Qualitest USA LC Wilson Hardness PORTABLE AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Foerster Instruments Inc.
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
N Proceq USA (724) 512-0330 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Wilson Hardness ROCKWELL AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Buehler Laboratory Testing Inc. N Proceq USA (724) 512-0330 See ad in this issue Pro QC International N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue
Wilson Hardness
IMAGE PROCESSING EQUIPMENT
ILLUMINATORS
Image Labs International Kappa Optronics Inc.
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Titan Tool Supply Inc.
IMAGE DIGITIZING SYSTEMS Analogic Corp. Bobier Metrology Solutions N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
IMMERSION TANKS Arcadia Aerospace Industries N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Proceco Ltd. TecScan Systems Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
IMPACT TESTERS N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue
Publications
ASNT Leads the Way for 2011 with the publications you need in nondestructive testing. This new catalog shows ASNT’s full range of method handbooks, personnel qualification and training materials, study guides, journals and standards documents.
Look for new publications and editions in the 2011 Publications Catalog and online at ShopASNT, www.asnt.org.
Order Online at www.asnt.org/shopasnt Order by Phone 800.222.2768 Order by Fax 614.274.6899
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
ShopA
S N T ww w.asn
t.org
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 11
INFRARED TESTING EQUIPMENT PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS, INFRARED Delta Computer Systems, Motion Controllers Lumetrics Inc. MoviTHERM
LASER METHODS PROFILOMETRY EMI Gage
LEAK TEST EQUIPMENT DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE Sciemetric Instruments Uson
HELIUM
PRESSURE GAGES
Alcatel Vacuum Products Inc., Adixen Cincinnati Test Systems N Helium Leak Testing Inc. (800) 423-1701 See ad in this issue MKS Instruments Inc. ULVAC Technologies Inc. MICRO-FLOW TECHNOLOGY Advanced Test Concepts Inc. MASS FLOW Cincinnati Test Systems InterTech Development Co. Uson PRESSURE DECAY Alcatel Vacuum Products Inc., Adixen Cincinnati Test Systems Uson
12 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
Volpi USA
Sciemetric Instruments ULTRASONIC
LIQUID PENETRANT TESTING
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
COMPARATOR BLOCKS
LEAK TESTING LABS / SERVICES N Helium Leak Testing Inc. (800) 423-1701 See ad in this issue
LED RING LIGHT Titan Tool Supply Inc. Volpi USA
LIGHT SOURCES
Magnaflux, Div. of ITW N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue DEVELOPERS Magnaflux, Div. of ITW N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue ELECTROSTATIC SPRAYERS Magnaflux, Div. of ITW
Blueline NDT Hamamatsu Corp.
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
EMULSIFIERS
PENETRANT TEST KITS
Magnaflux, Div. of ITW HIGH-TEMPERATURE PENETRANT SYSTEMS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue METERS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue PENETRANTS Sherwin Inc.
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue PROCESSING EQUIPMENT Proceco Ltd. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue TEST PANELS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
MACHINE VISION Aptura Machine Vision Solutions Boulder Imaging Inc. Delta Computer Systems, Motion Controllers SICK Inc. Visionx Inc. Volpi USA X-Scan Imaging Corp.
MAGNETIC PARTICLE TESTING AUTOMATED SYSTEMS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
QLTBG104SCI.indd 1
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
COILS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue DEMAGNETIZERS Parker Research Corp. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue FIELD INDICATORS Parker Research Corp. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue INSTRUMENTS/METERS, FIELD STRENGTH Parker Research Corp.
1/26/11 12:30 PM
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 13
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue MAGNETIC PARTICLES Parker Research Corp. N Spectronics Corp. (516) 333-4840 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue MAGNETIZING EQUIPMENT Parker Research Corp. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Test Systems International METERS, LIGHT Blueline NDT Parker Research Corp. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue RUBBER, MAGNETIC Dynamold Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue YOKES Parker Research Corp. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
MATERIALS ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Buehler Fischer Technology Inc. Innov-X Systems Inc. Mecmesin Corp. N Olympus NDT
(781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Quickshot XRF Analyzers Shimadzu
CONFOCAL Carl Zeiss MicroImaging Inc. Nikon Metrology Inc. DIGITAL
MATERIALS TESTING CONSULTANTS
Microscope Depot, The DIGITAL X-RAY
American Standards Testing Bureau Inc., Materials Testing Div. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue
MATERIALS TESTING SERVICES / LABS Acuren American Standards Testing Bureau Inc., Materials Testing Div. Arcadia Aerospace Industries Laboratory Testing Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Pro QC International X Ray Associates LLC
Hadland Technologies Inc. KUB Technologies (d/b/a Kubtec) N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue STEREO Buehler Carl Zeiss MicroImaging Inc. Meiji Techno America Microscope Depot, The N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue Titan Tool Supply Inc. TOOLMAKER Meiji Techno America Nikon Metrology Inc. Titan Tool Supply Inc.
N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue X-R-I Testing
NDT EQUIPMENT REPAIR Borescopes-R-Us EMI Gage N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC
NDT LABS
TRINOCULAR
METALLOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT Buehler
METALLOGRAPHY SERVICES Laboratory Testing Inc.
MICROSCOPES 3-D Zygo Corp. BINOCULAR Meiji Techno America Microscope Depot, The N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue Titan Tool Supply Inc. COMPOUND Meiji Techno America Microscope Depot, The
14 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
Meiji Techno America Microscope Depot, The N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue
Applied Technical Services N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Thermal Wave Imaging X Ray Associates LLC X-R-I Testing
NDT CERTIFICATION N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue Applied Technical Services N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue X-R-I Testing
NDT CONSULTANTS Applied Technical Services N Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology LLC (763) 744-2400 See ad in this issue
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
NDT LABS / SERVICES Acuren Applied Technical Services Arcadia Aerospace Industries N Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology LLC (763) 744-2400 See ad in this issue EMI Gage Hadland Technologies Inc. N Helium Leak Testing Inc. (800) 423-1701 See ad in this issue Laboratory Testing Inc. Magna Chek
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. Pro QC International Thermal Wave Imaging X Ray Associates LLC X-R-I Testing N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue Zygo Corp.
NDT SCANNERS Arcadia Aerospace Industries Laser Design & GKS LaserLinc Inc.
N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc.
See ad in this issue Test NDT Thermal Wave Imaging X Ray Associates LLC X-R-I Testing
NONCONTACT VIDEO MEASURING SYSTEM
NDT TRAINING N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue Applied Technical Services N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730
Kappa Optronics Inc. Nikon Metrology Inc. Titan Tool Supply Inc.
OPTICAL INSPECTION, AUTOMATED AV&R Vision & Robotics Inc. Bobier Metrology Solutions Boulder Imaging Inc. LaserLinc Inc. Lumetrics Inc. Quest Metrology Group LLC SICK Inc. Zygo Corp.
PENETRANT SYSTEMS
Proceco Ltd. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
PHASED ARRAY ULTRASONIC IMAGING Acuren AGR Field Operations Arcadia Aerospace Industries N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Sonatest Ltd.
Whatever You Need for NDT You Can Find at TED www.tedndt.com
• Computed Tomography • Digital X-Ray • Magnetic Particle • Liquid Penetrant
• Ultrasonic • Eddy Current • Visual – Borescopes • Residual Stress Analysis
Test Equipment Distributors, L.L.C. Customer Care Center 800-962-1788 Fax: 770-978-0115 Service/ Repairs 800-521-1730 Fax: 248-528-8013
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 15
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
PIPELINE CRAWLERS N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue
PLASTICITY TESTERS AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies
POWER SUPPLIES MKS Instruments Inc.
PRESSURE TESTING N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue Cincinnati Test Systems Delta Computer Systems, Motion Controllers Laboratory Testing Inc.
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Vidisco Ltd. X Ray Associates LLC N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
RADIOSCOPIC SYSTEMS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC
REMOTE VISUAL INSPECTION PRODUCTS Borescopes-R-Us N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue
RADIOGRAPHIC TEST SYSTEMS Acuren
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co.
N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue SICK Inc. TecScan Systems Inc.
SERVO TESTERS
Modal Shop, The N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue
ROBOTIC INSPECTION SYSTEMS Arcadia Aerospace Industries AV&R Vision & Robotics Inc. MoviTHERM N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc.
ROUGHNESS MEASUREMENT Dynamold Inc. EMI Gage Pro QC Intl. N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue Zygo Corp.
16 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
SPARK TESTERS Beta LaserMike
SPECTROMETERS Innov-X Systems Inc. MKS Instruments Inc. Quickshot XRF Analyzers
SPECTROPHOTOMETERS Shimadzu
Delta Computer Systems, Motion Controllers
SHEAR TESTERS AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Mecmesin Corp.
SOFTWARE IMAGE PROCESSING
RESONANT INSPECTION
PULSE ECHO AGR Field Operations N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc.
SCANNER, HANDHELD
Boulder Imaging Inc. Image Labs International TecScan Systems Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue LOCATION CyberMetrics Corp., Quality Management Div. Image Labs International MANUFACTURING PROCESS SETUP CyberMetrics Corp., Quality Management Div. Delta Computer Systems, Motion Controllers Image Labs International PATTERN RECOGNITION
STRAIN MEASUREMENT AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Epsilon Technology Corp.
SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY Dynamold Inc. Zygo Corp.
TENSILE TESTING AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue C.S.C. Force Measurement Inc. Epsilon Technology Corp. Imada Inc. Laboratory Testing Inc.
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp.
Boulder Imaging Inc. Image Labs International STATISTICAL WAVEFORM ANALYSIS Sciemetric Instruments
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
THERMOGRAPHY FLASH MoviTHERM N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Thermal Wave Imaging PULSED MoviTHERM N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Thermal Wave Imaging
LaserLinc Inc. Lumetrics Inc. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
QLT10084NDTsys.indd 1
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
EDDY CURRENT N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue IR/THERMAL
TORSION TESTING C.S.C. Force Measurement Inc.
THICKNESS MEASUREMENT N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue
LEAK TESTING
TRAINING
N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue
N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue Cincinnati Test Systems ULVAC Technologies Inc. LIQUID PENETRANT N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
LASER METHODS Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp.
N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
9/18/08 9:03:14 AM
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 17
MAGNETIC PARTICLE N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue RADIOGRAPHY N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC ULTRASONIC N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue VIBRATION N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue VISUAL N American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) (614) 274-6003 See ad in this issue
TRANSDUCERS ANGLE BEAM N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue
N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue CONTACT N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue DUAL N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue IMMERSION N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue PIEZOCOMPOSITE N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
18 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
ULTRASONIC AGR Field Operations N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
TUBE TESTING Laboratory Testing Inc. LaserLinc Inc. Lumetrics Inc. N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
ULTRASONIC CALIBRATION BLOCKS N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue PH Tool Reference Standards N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
ULTRASONIC TEST EQUIPMENT ACCESSORIES N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Sonotech/Magnaflux
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue INSPECTION SYSTEM AGR Field Operations Arcadia Aerospace Industries LaserLinc Inc. Magnetic Analysis Corp. Matec Instruments Companies Inc. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Verimation Technology Inc. (800) 521-5245 See ad in this issue PORTABLE AGR Field Operations Imperium Inc. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue TecScan Systems Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue PROBES N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
TEST BLOCKS
UV LAMPS
(724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
N Spectronics Corp. (516) 333-4840 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
VIBRATION TEST American Standards Testing Bureau Inc., Materials Testing Div. APS Dynamics Inc.
VIDEO CAMERAS AND SYSTEMS Boulder Imaging Inc. JME Technologies Inc. Kappa Optronics Inc. Lenox Instrument Co. Inc. Schoelly Imaging Inc.
THICKNESS GAGES N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue Beta LaserMike DeFelsko Corp. Lumetrics Inc. N NDT Systems Inc. (714) 893-2438 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Sonatest Ltd. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue ULTRASONIC COUPLANTS Sonatest Ltd. Sonotech/Magnaflux
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINES AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies N Applied Test Systems Inc. (724) 283-1212 See ad in this issue C.S.C. Force Measurement Inc.
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp. Shimadzu
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 19
N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue Thermo Scientific CIDTEC, Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific Titan Tool Supply Inc.
VIDEO MEASURING
VIDEOSCOPES
Bobier Metrology Solutions Kappa Optronics Inc. N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue
N Instrument Technology Inc. (413) 562-3606 See ad in this issue JME Technologies Inc.
Kappa Optronics Inc. Lenox Instrument Co. Inc. Schoelly Imaging Inc. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Titan Tool Supply Inc.
WELD INSPECTION EQUIPMENT
• Positive material identification
S1 TURBOSD Technology you can trust
• Fast alloy ID and chemistry • Completely non-destructive • Light element analysis without He or vacuum
N Instrument Technology Inc. (413) 562-3606 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Sciemetric Instruments N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC
WELD PROCESS MONITOR, INSPECTION N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Sciemetric Instruments
WIRE CRIMP PULL TESTER AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies Imada Inc. The S1 TURBOSD XRF analyzer uses innovative SDD technology which provides fast and accurate alloy analysis. www.handheldxrf.com
[email protected]
Visit our website to enter our new Promotional Drawing!
Innovation with Integrity
20 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
Handheld XRF
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
Mark-10 Corp. Mecmesin Corp.
WIRE TESTING AMETEK, Measurement and Calibration Technologies
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue
X-RAY
Innov-X Systems Inc. Quickshot XRF Analyzers N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
GENERATORS N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Universal Voltronics Corp.
X Ray Associates LLC N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
ACCESSORIES Hamamatsu Corp. North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC X-Scan Imaging Corp. N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue DIFFRACTION Shimadzu DIGITAL Carestream, NDT Hamamatsu Corp. KUB Technologies (d/b/a Kubtec)
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue Vidisco Ltd. X Ray Associates LLC X-Scan Imaging Corp. N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue FILM North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue FLUORESCENCE
METROTOM. We call it a CMM with an x-ray sensor. Metrotomography, the fusion of metrology and tomography, lets you non-destructively validate difficult interior and exterior GD&T dimensions. Both the METROTOM 800 and 1500 are traceable, calibrated gages. These systems are ideally suited in R&D, mold setup and ongoing quality control. They can also be used for assembly verification, void analysis, wall thickness analysis and reverse engineering. www.zeiss.com/METROTOM
Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology (800) 327-9735 www.zeiss.com/metrology
Fischer Technology Inc. www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
Styli & Accessories ð Same Day Shipping ð ZEISS Components ð Dedicated Service ð M2-M5 In Stock
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 21
N Varian Medical Systems, Security & Inspection Products (702) 938-4859 See ad in this issue N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
INSPECTION SERVICES N Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology LLC (763) 744-2400 See ad in this issue Hadland Technologies Inc. Laboratory Testing Inc. Laser Design & GKS
INSPECTION SYSTEMS Carestream, NDT N Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology LLC (763) 744-2400 See ad in this issue Laser Design & GKS Nikon Metrology Inc.
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
ATS calibration blocks... a step (block) above the rest.
X-RAY MACHINE
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Varian Medical Systems, Security & Inspection Products (702) 938-4859 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
KUB Technologies (d/b/a Kubtec) N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC SPECTROGRAPHY N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue TOMOGRAPHY Analogic Corp. N Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology LLC (763) 744-2400 See ad in this issue North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co.
Hardness testing the handy way!
Custom requests are welcome Standard Specifications Metric & English Versions Equotip Piccolo from Proceq SA provides a new fully-integrated portable testing solution for metals:
Carrying Case Available
The one-hand EQUOTIP hardness tester! It’s innovative charge-release mechanism enhances usability and speeds up measurements.
Sets Available
Proceq‘s Piccolo offers: s STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENTS $). !34- ! s TOP TESTING ACCURACY BEYOND THE STANDARDS s AUTOMATIC CORRECTION FOR THE IMPACT DIRECTION s CONVERTS TO ALL COMMON HARDNESS SCALES s STATISTICS AVERAGE STANDARD DEVIATION MINMAX RANGE s BIDIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION VIA 53" AND 0)##/,).+ SOFTWARE Proceq USA, Inc. #ORPORATION $RIVE !LIQUIPPA 0! 4EL &AX
[email protected]
www.proceq-usa.com
22 NDT1● QLT04071ATSNDT.indd
FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION 3/7/07 9:44:26 AM
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
North Star Imaging Inc., An ITW Co. N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue
XRF ANALYZERS
N Scienscope International (909) 590-7273 See ad in this issue Shimadzu
N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Pro QC International Quickshot XRF Analyzers
XRF ANALYZERS PORTABLE N Bruker Elemental (509) 783-9850 See ad in this issue
N Bruker Elemental (509) 783-9850 See ad in this issue N Olympus NDT (781) 419-3900 See ad in this issue Oxford Instruments PANalytical Quickshot XRF Analyzers
NDT BUSINESS CARDS - These easy-to-use cards are a handy and low-cost way to reach NDT and materials test buyers. Sold on a 7-time basis, include your Business Card Ad in every issue of NDT! Your ad will gain the attention of an active NDT buying audience. Promote your training, consulting, calibration or professional service. To place your NDT Business Card Ad, please contact:
Sunny Coverly Inside Sales Manager P: 610.932.8350 F: 248.283.6587 7
[email protected]
EW
TUBES
N Varian Medical Systems, Security & Inspection Products (702) 938-4859 See ad in this issue X Ray Associates LLC N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
N
N Test Equipment Distributors (800) 521-1730 See ad in this issue N Varian Medical Systems, Security & Inspection Products (702) 938-4859 See ad in this issue Werth Inc. N YXLON (330) 798-4800 See ad in this issue
Leak Detection Solutions Since 1960 HLT specializes in helium mass spectrometer leak testing services. Leak testing is an essential aspect of quality requirements in fabrication of new parts, systems and processes. We create solutions for design and product engineers. » » » » » »
State-of-the-art equipment NDT quality certified technicians Library of specifications and procedures Quality work certified to ASME & ASNT Leak location All leak testing methods
We offer quality leak testing services at our facility or at our customer’s site. Within the vast spectrum of industry, HLT assists in developing testing solutions for manufactures and quality engineers. HLT’s experienced staff utilizes a vast library of procedures and specifications. We provide consultation for implementing leak testing processes into comprehensive quality assurance programs. Practical experience of 50 years in business guarantees an answer to your leak testing requirements.
(800) 423-1701 www.heliumleaktesting.com E-mail:
[email protected]
QLT04094Mach.indd 1
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
3/2/09 10:46:50 AM QLT01114HELI_2.indd 1 NDT SPECIAL SECTION
12/21/10 FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 23
3:32 PM
Acuren 43 Arch St. Greenwich, CT 06830 (800) 513-8770
[email protected] www.acuren.com Advanced Test Concepts Inc. 4037 Guion Ln. Indianapolis, IN 46268 (317) 328-8492 (866) 282-4621 Fax: (317) 328-2686
[email protected] www.atcinc.net Advanced Test Equipment Rentals 10401 Roselle St. San Diego, CA 92121 (800) 404-2832 Fax: (858) 558-6570
[email protected] www.atecorp.com Aero Nav Laboratories 14-29 112th St. College Point, NY 11356 (718) 939-4422 Fax: (718) 539-3719
[email protected] www.aeronavlabs.com
✪ AGR Field Operations Wharton Park House Nat Lane Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 3BS England, U.K. +44 (0)1606 590123 Fax: +44 (0)1606 591253
[email protected] www.agr.com AGR Field Operations specializes in design and manufacture of state-of-the-art ultrasonic data acquisition equipment. AGR combines phased array, ToFD and pulse echo into a convenient and powerful range of instruments designed to suit the widest spread of applications. Alcatel Vacuum Products Inc. Adixen 67 Sharp St. Hingham, MA 02043 (781) 331-4200 Fax: (781) 331-4230
[email protected] wwww.adixen.com Alcatel manufactures Adixen brand vacuum products, dry vacuum pumps and pumping systems, rotary vane pumps, ceramic bearing turbomolecular pumps, full five-axis maglev and molecular drag turbopumps, vacuum gages and valves, Helium and hydrogen leak detectors.
American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) 1711 Arlingate Ln. Columbus, OH 43228 (614) 274-6003 (800) 222-2768 Fax: (614) 274-6899 www.asnt.org/contact/ contact.ihtml www.asnt.org ASNT promotes nondestructive testing personnel qualification, education, research and the exchange of technical information. The nonprofit society is the world’s foremost publisher, conference facilitator, certifying entity and membership organization dedicated to nondestructive testing. See ad on page 11 NDT American Standards Testing Bureau Inc. Materials Testing Div. 40 Wall St., 28th Fl. New York, NY 10005 (212) 943-3160 (800) 221-5170
[email protected] www.astb.us
✪ AMETEK Measurement and Calibration Technologies 8600 Somerset Dr. Largo, FL 33773 (800) 527-9999 (727) 538-6000 Fax: (727) 539-6882
[email protected] www.chatillon.com AMETEK offers a comprehensive line of Chatillon handheld force and torque gages and accessories, plus easy-to-use, automated force testers optimized for production applications and designed to improve production throughput. Analogic Corp. 8 Centennial Dr. Peabody, MA 01960 (978) 326-4000
[email protected] www.analogic.com Analogic develops and manufactures medical and security imaging equipment for OEMs and end-users. The company is recognized for innovation in automatic explosives detection, computed tomography, digital mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and advanced signal processing, with growing capabilities in molecular imaging and advanced motion controls.
24 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
Applied Technical Services 1049 Triad Ct. Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 423-1400 Fax: (770) 514-3299
[email protected] www.atslab.com Applied Test Systems Inc. 154 East Brook Ln. Butler, PA 16002 (724) 283-1212 (800) 441-0215 Fax: (724) 283-6570
[email protected] www.atspa.com Applied Test Systems (ATS) is a leading manufacturer of process heating and material testing equipment. ATS manufactures equipment designed for creep and tensile testing, burst testing, sealant testing, asphalt testing and a variety of process heating applications. Our service department is A2LA accredited. You can be assured that ATS equipment will meet your needs and expectations. See ad on page 22 NDT APS Dynamics Inc. 32124 Paseo Adelanto, Ste. 3 San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 (949) 234-9791 Fax: (760) 683-3184
[email protected] www.apsdynamics.com Aptura Machine Vision Solutions 795 Progress Ct. Williamston, MI 48895 (517) 655-7860 x11 Fax: (866) 575-1583
[email protected] www.aptura.com
(800) 242-3910 Fax: (281) 398-3052 www.ashtead-technology.com AV&R Vision & Robotics Inc. 269 Prince Montreal, QC H3C 2N4 Canada (514) 788-1420 Fax: (514) 866-5830
[email protected] www.avr-vr.com Beta LaserMike 8001 Technology Blvd. Dayton, OH 45424 (937) 233-9935 Fax: (937) 233-7284
[email protected] www.betalasermike.com Blueline NDT 34 Dunelm Rd. Bedford, MA 01730 (781) 791-9511 Fax: (781) 791-9519
[email protected] www.bluelinendt.com Bobier Metrology Solutions G4163 Corunna Rd. Flint, MI 48532 (810) 732-4030 sales@bobiermetrology solutions.com www.bobiermetrology solutions.com ISO 17025 accredited dimensional inspection laboratory temperature and humidity controlled to +/-1 degree. Laboratory capabilities include vision/touch/ laser, roundness, surface finish, five-axis CMM and high accuracy Leitz CMM. Part size capability 0.5-millimeter to 3 meters by 2 meters by 1 meters. Boeing Automated Systems P.O. Box 516 St. Louis, MO 63166 (314) 777-7000 Fax: (314) 777-3745 www.boeing.com
Arcadia Aerospace Industries Mooney Ave., Bldg. 110 28000 Airport Rd., A-11 Punta Gorda, FL 33982 (800) 370-2821 (941) 205-5700 Fax: (941) 205-5701
[email protected] www.arcadiaaerospace.com AAI utilizes proprietary technology and extensive aerospace expertise to provide industry leaders with cost-effective and rate sensitive quality solutions to advanced metal and composite material challenges in inspection, engineering, measurement and special process manufacturing. Ashtead 19407 Park Row, Ste. 170 Houston, TX 77084 (281) 398-9533
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
Borescopes-R-Us 2686 Davidson Graveyard Rd. Clarksville, TN 37043 (931) 362-4009 Fax: (931) 362-2650
[email protected] www.borescopesrus.com Borescopes and videoscopes for most any application or industry. In addition, Borescopes-RUs offers guaranteed repair services on any brand videoscope, flexible or rigid borescope; with free repair estimates. For more information, please call (931) 362-4009 or visit www. Borescopesrus.com.
✪ View expanded product info/product spec sheets for these companies at www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Boulder Imaging Inc. 1500 Cherry St., Ste. C Louisville, CO 80027 (303) 604-2368 Fax: (720) 890-7731
[email protected] www.boulderimaging.com
Bruker Elemental 415 N. Quay St., Ste. 1 Kennewick, WA 99336 (509) 783-9850 (800) 466-5323 Fax: (509) 735-9696
[email protected] www.handheldxrf.com Bruker Elemental, a technology leader in handheld XRF alloy analyzers, provides a range of XRF analyzers for use in alloy and elemental analysis. See ad on page 7 & 20 NDT Buehler 41 Waukegan Rd. Lake Bluff, IL 60044 (847) 295-6500 Fax: (847) 295-7979
[email protected] www.buehler.com Bulbworks P.O. Box 586 Succasunna, NJ 07876 (800) 334-2852 Fax: (800) 335-2858
[email protected] www.bulbworks.com
Carestream NDT 1049 West Ridge Rd. Rochester, NY 14615 (888) 777-2072 (678) 270-8346
[email protected] ndt.carestream.com Carestream NDT provides highend solutions for the unique imaging needs in industries such as aerospace, petrochemical, power, military, transportation and many more. Our innovative technology, products and services focus mainly on radiographic imaging applications. We have a broad global presence and extensive portfolio designed specifically to service all of your digital (CR) and conventional (film) NDT testing needs. Carestream Health Inc. 150 Verona St. Rochester, NY 14608
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
(585) 627-1800 (888) 777-2072
[email protected] www.carestreamhealth.com Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology LLC 6250 Sycamore Ln. N. Maple Grove, MN 55369 (763) 744-2400 (800) 327-9735 Fax: (763) 533-0219
[email protected] www.zeiss.com/metrology METROTOM allows you to measure the interior of a workpiece and use the data for every area of R&D, production and quality. Ask us about our inspection services. See ad on page 21 NDT Carl Zeiss MicroImaging Inc. One Zeiss Dr. Thornwood, NY 10594 (800) 233-2343 (914) 747-1800 Fax: (800) 488-6351; (914) 6817445
[email protected] www.zeiss.com/materials Centurion NDT Inc. 1400 Yorkshire Dr. Streamwood, IL 60107 (630) 736-5500 Fax: (630) 736-5700
[email protected] www.centurionndt.com Cincinnati Test Systems 5555 Dry Fork Rd. Cleves, OH 45002 (513) 367-6699 Fax: (513) 367-5426
[email protected] www.cincinnati-test.com ColorTec 28 Center St. Clinton, NJ 08809 (908) 735-2248 Fax: (908) 236-7865
[email protected] www.color-tec.com
Phoenix, AZ 85085 (480) 922-7300 (800) 777-7020 Fax: (480) 922-7400
[email protected] www.cybermetrics.com Dakota Ultrasonics 1500 Green Hills Rd., Ste. 107 Scotts Valley, CA 95066 (831) 431-9722 Fax: (831) 431-9723
[email protected] www.dakotainst.com Danatronics 150 A Andover St., Ste. 8C Danvers, MA 01923 (978) 777-0081 Fax: (978) 777-3798
[email protected] www.danatronics.com DeFelsko Corp. P.O. Box 676 Ogdensburg, NY 13669 (315) 393-4450 (800) 448-3835 Fax: (315) 393-8471
[email protected] www.defelsko.com Delta Computer Systems Motion Controllers 1818 S.E. 17th St. Battle Ground, WA 98604 (360) 254-8688 Fax: (360) 254-5435 technicalsales@ deltamotion.com www.deltamotion.com Dynamold Inc. 2905 Shamrock Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76107 (817) 335-0862 Fax: (817) 877-5203
[email protected] www.dynamold.com EMI Gage 28W144 Industrial Ave., Ste. 100 Lake Barrington, IL 60010 (847) 277-7511 Fax: (847) 277-7911
[email protected] www.emigage.com
Criterion NDT Inc. 3702 W. Valley Hwy. N., Ste. 202 Auburn, WA 98001 (253) 929-8800 Fax: (253) 929-8851 www.criterionndt.com C.S.C. Force Measurement Inc. P.O. Box 887 84 Ramah Cir. N. Agawam, MA 01001 (800) 866-3672 (413) 789-3086 Fax: (413) 789-3598
[email protected] www.cscforce.com CyberMetrics Corp. Quality Management Div. 1523 W. Whispering Wind Dr., Ste. 100
Envision Product Design 7800 King St. Anchorage, AK 99518 (907) 563-1141 Fax: (907) 563-1142
[email protected] www.cmosxray.com Epsilon Technology Corp. 3975 S. US Hwy. 89 Jackson, WY 83001 (307) 733-8360 Fax: (307) 733-8375
[email protected] www.epsilontech.com FARO 250 Technology Park Lake Mary, FL 32746 (407) 333-9911 (800) 736-0234
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
Fax: (407) 333-4181
[email protected] www.faro.com Fischer Technology Inc. 750 Marshall Phelps Rd. Windsor, CT 06095 (860) 683-0781 (800) 243-8417 Fax: (860) 688-8496
[email protected] wwww.fischer-technology.com
Foerster Instruments Inc. 140 Industry Dr., Ridc Pk. W. Pittsburgh, PA 15275 (412) 788-8976 (800) 635-0613 Fax: (412) 788-8984
[email protected] www.foerstergroup.com Foerster, a leading manufacturer of NDT equipment, known for its superior accuracy and precision, also designs and manufactures custom material handling systems to meet your specifications. Contact us with your application and let us provide the solution. FujiFilm NDT Systems 850 Central Ave. Hanover Park, IL 60133 (800) 323-2546 Fax: (630) 582-2292
[email protected] www.fujindt.com Gageline Technology Inc. 121 Lagrange Ave. Rochester, NY 14613 (800) 291-3724 (585) 458-2000 Fax: (585) 458-0524
[email protected] www.gage-line.com GE Inspection Technologies 1100 Technology Park Dr. Billerica, MA 01821 (978) 437-1000 (800) 833-9438
[email protected] www.ge-mcs.com Gradient Lens Corp. 207 Tremont St., Ste. 1 Rochester, NY 14608 (585) 235-2620 (800) 536-0790 Fax: (585) 235-6645
[email protected] www.gradientlens.com Gradient Lens Corp. designs, manufactures and sells its patented line of Hawkeye Precision Borescopes. Hawkeyes deliver all the image quality of the finest instruments in the world, and sell for less than half the price. See ad on inside back cover NDT
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 25
Hadland Technologies Inc. 11 Columbia Dr., Unit 5 Amherst, NH 03031 (978) 835-9547 (978) 880-8883
[email protected] www.hadtek.com Hamamatsu Corp. 360 Foothill Rd. Bridgewater, NJ 08807 (908) 231-0960 Fax: (908) 231-1218
[email protected] http://sales.hamamatsu.com
✪ Helium Leak Testing Inc. 19348 Londelius St. Northridge, CA 91324 (800) 423-1701 www.heliumleaktesting.com Nondestructive helium mass spectrometer leak detection service (ASNT-TC-1A certified); in-house or onsite, leak detectors sales and repair service, vacuum equipment sales and repair service, vacuum gage and helium leak standard certified calibrations—NIST certified See ad on page 23 & 39 NDT Hellier 16631 W. Hardy Rd. Houston, TX 77060 (888) 282-3887 Fax: (281) 873-0981
[email protected] www.hellierndt.com Imada Inc. 3100 Dundee Rd., Ste. 707 Northbrook, IL 60062 (800) 373-9989 (847) 562-0834
[email protected] www.imada.com Image Labs International P.O. Box 1545 Begrade, MT 59715 (406) 585-7225 Fax: (406) 388-0998
[email protected] www.imagelabs.com Imperium Inc. 5901-F Ammendale Rd. Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 431-2900 Fax: (301) 431-0200
[email protected] www.imperiuminc.com Innov-X Systems Inc. 100 Sylvan Rd., Ste. 500 Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 938-5005 Fax: (781) 938-0128
[email protected] www.innovx.com
Instrument Technology Inc. 33 Airport Rd. P.O. Box 381 Westfield, MA 01086 (413) 562-3606 Fax: (413) 568-9809
[email protected] www.scopes.com Instrument Technology Inc. (ITI) is a privately owned U.S. manufacturing company located in Westfield, MA. ITI specializes in the design, development and manufacture of remote viewing instruments (RVI), including endoscopes, fiberscopes and videoscopes. In business for over 40 years, ITI has established itself worldwide as a respected instrument supplier to medical, aerospace, nuclear, industrial and law enforcement markets. See ad on page 19 NDT InterTech Development Co. 7401 Linder Ave. Skokie, IL 60077 (847) 679-3377 Fax: (847) 679-3391
[email protected] www.intertechdevelopment.com Since 1973, leading manufacturers and machine builders worldwide have relied on InterTech Development Co.’s patented technology and proprietary engineering skills for leak testing and calibrating leaks, functional testing, including life cycle testing, electrical testing and more, and assembly and test. JME Technologies Inc. 4005 Niblick Ct. Crystal Lake, IL 60012 (815) 477-8800 Fax: (815) 477-8804
[email protected] www.jmetechnologies.com Kappa Optronics Inc. 825 S. Primrose Ave., Ste. I Monrovia, CA 91016 (626) 256-4343 Fax: (626) 256-6484
[email protected] www.kappa-optronics.com KUB Technologies (d/b/a Kubtec) 270 Rowe Ave., Unit E Milford, CT 06460 (203) 364-8544 Fax: (203) 255-7494
[email protected] www.kubtec.com
Laboratory Testing Inc. 2331 Topaz Dr. Hatfield, PA 19440 (800) 219-9095 (215) 997-9080 Fax: (800) 219-9096;
26 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
(215) 997-9511
[email protected] www.labtesting.com Accredited, independent materials testing, NDT, metrology and certification laboratory performing ultrasonic and hydrostatic pressure testing, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant and X-ray inspection, mechanical testing, chemistry, metallurgical testing, corrosion testing, specimen machining, dimensional inspection and calibration services. Laser Design & GKS 9401 James Ave. S., Ste. 132 Minneapolis, MN 55431 (952) 884-9648 (888) 457-7727 Fax: (952) 884-9653
[email protected] www.gks.com LaserLinc Inc. 777 Zapata Fairborn, OH 45324 (937) 318-2440 (888) 707-4852 Fax: (937) 318-2445
[email protected] www.laserlinc.com LaserLinc manufactures noncontact laser/ultrasonic measurement systems of OD, ID, wall, lobing, and more, for industries including wire, cable, fiber, tube and pipe. PC-based software provides in-process tolerance checking, trending, SPC, control and many other features. Lenox Instrument Co. Inc. 265 Andrews Rd. Trevose, PA 19053 (215) 322-9990 (800) 356-1104 Fax: (215) 322-6126
[email protected] www.lenoxinst.com Lumetrics Inc. 150 Lucius Gordon Dr. West Henrietta, NY 14586 (585) 214-2455 Fax: (585) 214-2458
[email protected] www.lumetrics.com Lumetrics increases customers’ revenue and lowers costs by reducing scrap, increasing yields and understanding production processes. Our thickness solutions are standards in the film, tubing and medical products industries.
Machida Inc. 40 Ramland Rd. S. Orangeburg, NY 10962
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
(800) 431-5420 (845) 365-0600 Fax: (845) 365-0620
[email protected] www.machidascope.com See ad on page 23 NDT Magna Chek 32701 Edward Ave. Madison Heights, MI 48071 (248) 597-0089 (800) 582-8947 Fax: (248) 597-0440
[email protected] www.magnachek.com Magnaflux Div. of ITW 3624 W. Lake Ave. Glenview, IL 60026 (847) 657-5300 (800) 458-4254 Fax: (847) 657-5388; (800) 730-9024
[email protected] www.magnaflux.com Magnetic Analysis Corp. 103 Fairview Park Dr. Elmsford, NY 10523 (800) 463-8622 (914) 530-2000 Fax: (914) 703-3790
[email protected] www.mac-ndt.com
Mark-10 Corp. 11 Dixon Ave. Copiague, NY 11726 (631) 842-9200 Fax: (631) 842-9201
[email protected] www.mark-10.com Mark-10 Corp. is a manufacturer of force and torque measuring instruments used in material testing, product qualification and R&D. Applications include torque tool calibration, seal and joint strength determination, switch contact testing and fastener torque measurement.
Matec Instruments Companies Inc. 56 Hudson St. Northborough, MA 01532 (508) 393-0155 Fax: (508) 393-5476
[email protected] www.matec.com Matec Instrument Companies Inc. is a leading ultrasonic systems integrator and machine builder supplying ultrasonic inspection systems to the avia-
✪ View expanded product info/product spec sheets for these companies at www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
tion and aerospace markets. Products offered by Matec include ultrasonic gantries capable of scanning bonded structures with flat to complex contour geometries, immersion tanks, and multi-channel linear or phased array systems for a variety of parts sizes and shapes.
✪ Mecmesin Corp. 45921 Maries Rd., Ste. 120 Sterling, VA 20166 (703) 433-9247 Fax: (703) 444-9860
[email protected] www.mecmesin.com Mecmesin manufactures force and torque measurement equipment used for quality control testing of components, materials and products in R&D laboratories and on production lines. Applications include compression, crimp joint, friction, peel, shear, tensile, top-load and closure torque testing. Meiji Techno America 3010 Olcott St. Santa Clara, CA 95131 (800) 832-0060 (408) 970-4799 Fax: (408) 970-5054
[email protected] www.meijitechno.com Microscope Depot, The 392 W. Larch Rd., Bldg. 28 Tracy, CA 95304 (209) 839-2990 (888) 777-8835 Fax: (888) 872-4300
[email protected] www.microscope-depot.com MKS Instruments Inc. 2 Tech Dr., Ste. 201 Andover, MA 01810 (978) 645-5500 (800) 227-8766 Fax: (978) 557-5100
[email protected] www.mksinst.com
Modal Shop, The 3149 E. Kemper Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45241 (513) 351-9919 Fax: (513) 458-2172
[email protected] www.ndt-ram.com The Modal Shop Inc. provides resonant inspection nonde-
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
structive testing systems per ASTM E2001-08 for powder metal, cast and MIM parts manufacturers to identify internal and external flaws such as cracks, voids, missed processes and nodularity. Free parts tests are offered. Moritex USA 6862 Santa Teresa Blvd. San Jose, CA 95119 (408) 363-2100 Fax: (408) 363-9980
[email protected] www.moritexusa.com
MoviTHERM 15540 Rockfield Blvd., Ste. C100 Irvine, CA 92618 (949) 699-6600 Fax: (949) 699-6601
[email protected] www.movitherm.com IR NDT equipment for thermography: Pulse/flash, transient, lockin, vibro/US, complimentary sample evaluation. Automated thermal imaging solutions for: remote IR monitoring (ladle, torpedo car, gasifiers, flares) production lines.
✪ NDT Systems Inc. 5542 Buckingham Dr. Huntington Beach, CA 92649 (714) 893-2438 (800) 455-4638 Fax: (714) 439-2100; (714) 897-3840
[email protected] www.ndtsystems.com NDT Systems Inc. is a leading manufacturer of Ultrasonic Test Equipment for the nondestructive testing field providing thickness gages, flaw detectors, bond testers and transducers for over 36 years. See ad on page 12 & 17 NDT Nikon Metrology Inc. 12701 Grand River Ave. Brighton, MI 48116 (810) 220-4360 Fax: (810) 220-4300
[email protected] www.nikonmetrology.com
(763) 463-5650 Fax: (763) 463-5651
[email protected] www.4nsi.com Olympus America 3500 Corporate Pkwy. Center Valley, PA 18034 (484) 896-5000
[email protected] www.olympusamerica.com
✪ Olympus NDT 48 Woerd Ave. Waltham, MA 02453 (781) 419-3900 Fax: (781) 419-3980
[email protected] www.olympus-ims.com Olympus is a world-leading provider of innovative test and measurement solutions for industrial and research applications ranging from aerospace, power generation, petrochemical, civil infrastructure and automotive to consumer products. See ad on inside front cover NDT Optim LLC 64 Technology Park Rd. Sturbridge, MA 01566 (508) 347-5100 (800) 225-7486 Fax: (508) 347-2380
[email protected] www.optimnet.com Origin Technologies 9238 Madison Blvd. Madison, AL 35758 (256) 461-1313 Fax: (256) 461-1390 www.origintech.com Oxford Instruments 300 Baker Ave., Ste. 150 Concord, MA 01742 (978) 369-9933 (800) 447-4717 Fax: (978) 369-8287
[email protected] www.oxford-instruments.com PANalytical Lelyweg 1 P.O. Box 13 Almelo, 7600 AA Netherlands +31 546 534 444 (508) 647-1100 Fax: +31 546 534 598; (508) 647-1115
[email protected] www.panalytical.com
North Star Imaging Inc. An ITW Co. 19875 S. Diamond Lake Rd., Ste.10 Rogers, MN 55374 (800) 635-8392
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
Parker Research Corp. P.O. Box 1406 Dunedin, FL 34697 (800) 525-3935 (727) 796-4066 Fax: (727) 797-3941; (727) 796-0406
[email protected] www.parkerndt.com Parker Research Corp. has manufactured magnetic particle equipment for 45 years. Parker was the originator of the flexible leg Mag Yokes introduced with the model DA200 Contour Probe in 1965. Contour Probe is the registered name of all Parker Mag Yokes. Parker has since introduced models B310, B300, DA400, B100 and the UW115 underwater Yoke. We also offer 750 and 1500 amp Mag units, all accessories and mag powders. PH Tool Reference Standards 4406 Bethlehem Pike Telford, PA 18969 (267) 203-1600 Fax: (267) 203-1601
[email protected] www.phtool.com Physical Acoustics 195 Clarksville Rd. Princeton Junction, NJ 08550 (609) 716-4038 Fax: (609) 716-0706
[email protected] www.pacndtcom Prexion 2955 Campus Dr., Ste. 350 San Mateo, CA 94403 (650) 212-0300 Fax: (650) 212-0310
[email protected] www.prexion.com Proceco Ltd. 7300 Tellier St. Montreal, QC H1N 3T7 Canada (800) 978-6677 (514) 254-8494 Fax: (514) 254-6922
[email protected] www.proceco.com PROCECO manufactures custom-designed, automated and semi-automated liquid penetrant inspection systems ideal for fluorescent penetrant (FPI) and blue etch processes of aerospace components. Penetrant systems are integrating part cleaning and back striping processes.
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 27
Proceq USA 117 Corporation Dr. Aliquippa, PA 15001 (724) 512-0330 (800) 839-7016 Fax: (724) 512-0331
[email protected] www.proceq.com PROCEQ manufactures, sells and services high quality portable testing instruments for the metal, concrete and paper industries. Proceq personnel are specialists in metal hardness testing and working with various instruments to evaluate existing concrete structures. See ad on page 22 NDT Pro QC International 774 Ridgeview Dr. McHenry, IL 60050 (815) 344-1252
[email protected] www.proqc.com Qualitest USA LC 3415 Galt Ocean Dr., Ste. 200 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308 (877) 884-8378 Fax: (954) 697-8211
[email protected] www.worldoftest.com Quality Testing Services 2305 Millpark Dr. Maryland Heights, MO 63043 (888) 770-0607 (314) 770-0607 Fax: (314) 770-0103
[email protected] www.qualitytesting.net Quest Metrology Group LLC 1012 Central Ave. S. Kent, WA 98032 (253) 872-9500 Fax: (253) 872-8967
[email protected] www.qi2.com Quickshot XRF Analyzers 9681 Wagner Rd. Holland, NY 14080 (716) 438-8542
[email protected] www.quickshotxrf.com RF System Lab 123 W. Main St., Ste. 202 Gaylord, MI 49735 (989) 731-5083 Fax: (989) 688-5966
[email protected] www.rfsystemlab.us The VJ from RF System Lab is a highly-portable video borescope. Features include joystick control, four-way articulation, one-click image capture and video recording, one-hand operation and variable LED Illumination. This battery-powered, all-in-one system weighs 20 ounces and requires no external hardware or software to capture, record and review images and video.
Schoelly Imaging Inc. 722 Plantation St. Worcester, MA 01605 (508) 926-8855 Fax: (508) 852-1114
[email protected] www.schoellyimaging.com
Sciemetric Instruments 359 Terry Fox Dr. Ottawa, ON K2K 2E7 Canada (613) 254-7054 Fax: (613) 254-5313
[email protected] www.sciemetric.com
✪ Scienscope International 5751 Schaefer Ave. Chino, CA 91710 (909) 590-7273 Fax: (909) 590-7020
[email protected] www.scienscope.com Scienscope International is a U.S. manufacturer/importer of moderately priced NDT inspection equipment. Our product line includes industrial cabinet style micro-focus X-Ray machines, magnifiers, stereo microscopes, trinocular scopes, video inspection systems, video measurement systems and FOV video measurement software. See ad on page 13 NDT Sherwin Inc. 5530 Borwick Ave. South Gate, CA 90280 (562) 861-6324 (859) 525-6881 Fax: (562) 923-8370; (859) 525-6887
[email protected] www.sherwininc.com Shimadzu 7102 Riverwood Dr. Columbia, MD 21046 (800) 477-1227 (410) 381-1222 Fax: (410) 381-1222
[email protected] www.ssi.shimadzu.com SICK Inc. 6900 W. 110th St. Minneapolis, MN 55438 (952) 941-6780 (800) 325-7425 Fax: (952) 941-9287
[email protected] www.sickusa.com
28 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
Six-Pac 1460 Churchill Downs Ave. Woodland, CA 95776 (800) 242-1442 (530) 666-1442 Fax: (530) 666-1486
[email protected] www.six-pac.com
Sonatest Ltd. Dickens Rd., Old Wolverton Milton Keynes, MK12 5QQ Wales, U.K. +0044 (0) 1908 316345 +(001) 210-6970 335 Fax: +0044 (0) 1908 321323; +(001) 210-6970 767
[email protected] www.sonatest.com
Sonotech/Magnaflux 774 Marine Dr. Bellingham, WA 98225 (360) 671-9121 Fax: (360) 671-9024
[email protected] www.sonotech.com SONOTECH/Magnaflux manufactures a broad line of NDT ultrasonic couplants with over 40 products in seven categories, and more than 55 approvals to aerospace, nuclear and military specifications. Sonotech couplants are supported by four decades of performance, metallurgy, operator safety and an ISO 9001: 2008 certified quality management system. Sonotech products have been trusted by thousands of inspectors for millions of inspections worldwide. Spectronics Corp. 956 Brush Hollow Rd. Westbury, NY 11590 (516) 333-4840 Fax: (516) 333-4859
[email protected] www.spectroline.com Spectronics Corp. manufactures a wide array of medium and high intensity ultraviolet lamps that are used to detect and identify surface and subsurface flaws whenever liquid penetration, magnetic particle or visual inspection methods are performed. See ad on page 3 NDT Te-Co 109 Quinter Farm Rd. Union, OH 45322
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
(800) 543-4071 Fax: (937) 832-1274
[email protected] www.te-co.com
TecScan Systems Inc. 75 Boul De Mortagne, Ste. 122 Boucherville, QC J4B 6Y4 Canada (450) 641-5876 Fax: (450) 641-5873
[email protected] www.tecscan.ca TecScan manufactures a complete line of NDT scanners and systems. Our systems range from small handheld scanners to large automated in-line manufacturing systems and immersion scanners of all sizes all the way to squirter/gantry systems. Tektronix Service Solutions 6120 Hanging Moss Rd. Orlando, FL 32807 (800) 775-2550 Fax: (407) 678-0578
[email protected] www.calibration.com
Test Equipment Distributors 1370 Piedmont Troy, MI 48083 (800) 521-1730 (248) 524-1900 Fax: (248) 528-8013
[email protected] www.tedndt.com TED is celebrating 40 years of service to the NDT industry with competitive prices on quality equipment and supplies for X-ray, magnetic particle, dye penetrant, ultrasonic, eddy current and visual inspection methods. See ad on page 15 NDT Test NDT 193 Viking Ave. Brea, CA 92821 (714) 255-1500 Fax: (714) 255-1580
[email protected] www.testndt.com Test Systems International 27963 Cabot Rd. Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 (949) 582-3163 (800) 835-1954 Fax: (949) 582-3164
[email protected] www.tsi-ndt.com
✪ View expanded product info/product spec sheets for these companies at www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Thermal Wave Imaging 845 Livernois St. Ferndale, MI 48220 (248) 414-3730 x301 Fax: (248) 414-5276
[email protected] www.thermalwave.com Pulse thermographic NDT of metals, composites, polymers and ceramics. Applications include: delamination, adhesive disbond, impact damage, corrosion, water entrapment, FOD, thickness measurement, porosity and TBC coating measurement. Thermo Fisher Scientific Niton Analyzers 900 Middlesex Tpke., Bldg. 8 Billerica, MA 01821 (978) 670-7460 Fax: (978) 670-7430
[email protected] www.thermo.com/niton
Thermo Scientific - CIDTEC Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific 101 Commerce Blvd. Liverpool, NY 13088 (315) 451-9410 Fax: (315) 451-9421
[email protected] www.thermo.com/cidtec Manufactures high performance CID cameras for demanding imaging applications in machine vision, scientific imaging, and radiation environments. Features include wide dynamic range, anti-blooming, UV-NIR and radiation hardened. Scientific, RS-170, progressive and intensified camera formats.
Titan Tool Supply Inc. 68 Comet Ave. Buffalo, NY 14216 (716) 873-9907 Fax: (716) 873-9907
[email protected] www.titantoolsupply.com Serving the NDT, measuring, inspection and microfinishing needs of aerospace, electronics, automotive manufacturing, R&D and universities since 1952.
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
ULVAC Technologies Inc. 401 Griffin Brook Dr. Methuen, MA 01844 (978) 686-7550 Fax: (978) 689-6300
[email protected] www.ulvac.com Universal Voltronics Corp. 57 Commerce Dr. Brookfield, CT 06807 (203) 740-8555 x200
[email protected] www.voltronics.com Uson 8640 N. Eldridge Pkwy. Houston, TX 77041 (281) 671-2000 Fax: (281) 671-2001
[email protected] www.uson.com Varian Medical Systems Security & Inspection Products 6811 Spencer St. Las Vegas, NV 89119 (702) 938-4859 Fax: (702) 938-4833
[email protected] www.varian.com/sip Varian Medical Systems, Security & Inspection Products is the market leader for linear accelerators and matching detector arrays. Varian’s Linatron linear accelerators are used for NDT and cargo screening and are available in both single- and dual-energy versions. See ad on page 1 & 35 NDT
✪ Verimation Technology Inc. 23883 Industrial Park Dr. Farmington Hills, MI 48335 (800) 521-5245 (248) 471-0000 Fax: (248) 471-0055
[email protected] www.verimation.com A single source supplier of automatic gaging, NDT and ultrasonic systems. Formerly K J Law Engineers. See ad on page 9 NDT Vidisco Ltd. 32 Haharoshet St. OR Yehuda, 60375 Israel +972-3-533-3001 Fax: +972-3-533-3002
[email protected] www.vidisco.com Visionx Inc. 274 Lakeshore Pointe-Claire, QC H9S 4K9 Canada (514) 694-9290 Fax: (514) 694-9488
[email protected] www.visionxinc.com
VM Products Inc. 11208 62nd Ave. E. Puyallup, WA 98373 (253) 841-2939 Fax: (253) 841-3016
[email protected] www.vmproducts.net VM Products has supplied premium eddy current probes, calibration standards and test instruments for over thirty years. We are commited to superior customer service, quality products and rapid lead times. We specialize in custom designs.
X-R-I Testing 1961 Thunderbird Troy, MI 48084 (248) 362-5050 Fax: (248) 244-1547
[email protected] www.xritesting.com X-R-I Testing evaluates our customer’s products for integrity, safety and reliability in our laboratories and in the field using a variety of nondestructive testing methods. We also offer consulting services and aerospace-focused NDT training.
VMI Inc. 211 E. Weddell Dr. Sunnyvale, CA 94089 (408) 745-1700 Fax: (408) 745-6721 www.vmivideo.com
X-Scan Imaging Corp. 70 Bonaventura Dr. San Jose, CA 95134 (408) 432-9888 Fax: (408) 432-9889
[email protected] www.x-scanimaging.com
Volpi USA 5 Commerce Way Auburn, NY 13021 (315) 255-1737 Fax: (315) 255-1202
[email protected] www.volpiusa.com Werth Inc. 8 Custom Dr. Old Saybrook, CT 06475
[email protected] www.werthinc.com Werth manufactures optical and multisensor coordinate measuring machines. The TomoScope measuring machine uses X-rays along with a multisensor approach to recalibrate the X-ray point cloud to micron accuracy. Measure completely and accurately. Wilson Hardness 825 University Ave. Norwood, MA 02062 (781) 575-6000 Fax: (781) 575-5770
[email protected] www.wilson-hardness.com Wilson Hardness is the leading provider of testing equipment for hardness testing in the metals and plastics markets. Wilson Hardness designs, manufactures and markets a comprehensive line of rockwell, microindentation, microrockwell, brinell and portable hardness testing instruments, software, accessories and services.
X Ray Associates LLC 482 W. Arrow Hwy., Unit L San Dimas, CA 91773 (909) 599-9150 (909) 599-9153 Fax: (909) 599-9160
[email protected] www.xrayllc.com
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
YXLON 3400 Gilchrist Rd. Akron, OH 44260 (330) 798-4800 Fax: (330) 784-9854
[email protected] www.yxlon.com YXLON International is a leading supplier of industrial X-ray inspection systems and computed tomography (CT) solutions for nondestructive testing of materials (NDT). Since June 2007 YXLON and Feinfocus have joined to become the Systems Division of COMET Holding AG. Now YXLON can cover the increasing demand for microfocus X-ray and computed tomography solutions. See ad on back cover NDT Zontec Inc. 1389 Kemper Meadow Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45240 (866) 955-0088 (513) 648-9695 Fax: (513) 648-0805
[email protected] www.zontec-spc.com Zygo Corp. Laurel Brook Rd. Middlefield, CT 06455 (860) 347-8506
[email protected] www.zygo.com Zygo is a worldwide developer and supplier of optical metrology instruments, precision optics and electro-optical design and manufacturing services. Our precision noncontact measuring instruments and systems enable manufacturers to increase operating efficiencies and product yields.
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 29
Choose the Right ULTRASOUND INSPECTION EQUIPMENT Portability, multiple functions and data management capability add up to the best choice for nondestructive testing instruments. By François X. de Fromont
S
Selecting the right inspection equipment poses Selectin challenges for both service companies that need chall challeng use of their ultrasound inspection to maximize maxi max units nits and an asset owners across multiple industries that seek the right tool for all applications in their segments. How critical is portability? How many segmen segment different types of devices will be needed? Which instruments have all the features and functionality required to perform the inspections and capture the data they require? The good news is that advanced technologies now have enabled the combination of more than one application within the same instrument, a convenient option for both service companies and asset owners that need more than one inspection capability or have specific data reporting requirements. These versatile new instruments—with advanced capabilities for capturing and reporting data within a compact, handheld device—also are more cost-effective than in the past.
Inspection Needs Vary What companies use nondestructive testing (NDT) equipment and what do they need? Service companies with NDT offerings are challenged with finding instruments that are portable and upgradable to accommodate additional inspection types. Their instruments must have size dimensions to allow for easy carrying, yet offer an optimized display size for readability. The devices also must hold up to rigorous use, as well as record and store large of amounts of data. Compatibility with data management sys30 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
The instrument should be lightweight and easy to carry. Source: GE Measurement & Control Solutions
tems and third-party software programs also is a requirement to allow for comprehensive analysis, documentation and reporting. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, price is key to a service provider’s ability to purchase a larger volume of devices to accommodate business need. Asset owners, such as refineries, power plants or airlines, have the same challenges with finding the right type of instruments with the right features—particularly multifunctional capability.
Evaluation Process When evaluating options, be sure to look for the following features, which are now available with selected high-end products from major manufacturers: 䡲 Portability and durability. The instrument should be small to accommodate hard-to-access areas, lightweight and easy to carry, minimizing stress on the operator. The device also should be waterproof and dustproof—adaptable for use in any environment. This feature is particularly important for industrial sites prone to heavy dust. Extensive battery life also is critical to effective operation. 䡲 Easy operation and easy-to-read screen and operator interface. Screen resolution should allow for easy reading in different lighting; www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
for example, bright sun or Combining Functions darkness, and offer different Makes Sense color schemes and background More than ever, companies across changes to compensate for a wide range of industries—oil changes in available light enviand gas, aerospace, power generaronments. tion or automotive—seek more T he idea l i nst r u ment wou ld ways to keep costs down. Cominclude: bining more than one function, 1. A large color screen for readsuch as a thickness gage with ability and a reduced number flaw detection capabilities, makes of controls for ease-of-use. sense because operators are not 2. The ability to be used with required to sacrifice the features one hand, with all functions in of one product in order to purreach of the operator’s thumb. chase another. 3. Ambidextrous functionality, Flexibility is another reason to explore the possibilities of With reasonable pricing made new, multiple-use inspection equipment options. Source: enabling the inspector to switch possible by advanced technology, GE Measurement & Control Solutions hands with one function key. operators now can have multiple 2. Large memory, providing the ability applications, but with the same functo upgrade from a 1 or 2 GB memory tionality and same data management 䡲 Data management capabilities. NDT card to as large as 16 GB via SD card features on one instrument. For example, instruments should have the abiloff the shelf at retail stores. ity to record information and generate a simple function enables the inspector reports on board, without connecting to quickly switch from high performance One thickness gage now available offers thickness measurement to an ultrasonic to a PC—a convenient feature when technicians are working on field assign- an on-board data recorder with a capacity flaw detector—a benefit for inspectors ment and need to produce reports of 100,000 readings in a single file with who use both functions but not necessarimmediately. The device should enable storage of A-scan, B-scan and microgrid ily at the same time. the operator to write reports via secure attachments to thickness readings. The Flexibility is another reason to explore digital (SD) memory card, which then gage supports six different file formats to the possibilities of new, multiple-use cover all possible inspection needs. can be connected to a printer onsite. inspection equipment options. Opera䡲 Associated software packages. To tors can economically start out with just Other requirements include: enable PC compatibility, software one inspection capability and quickly 1. Large capacity to hold a wide range packages should be available with the upgrade to others at any time to accomof data and provide the information product to help generate more detailed modate new business or emergent work in a variety of selectable industry reports in commonly used spreadsheet at a customer site. standard formats such as JPEG (for and graph formats. images), CSV (for spreadsheets), PDF Today’s industrial and regulatory (for reports), and XML or DAT (to 䡲 Multifunction capabilities. Products environments mandate inspection data are currently available that enable that is accurate and reliable. Advanced, interface with other programs) multiple functions with the same flexible options are available, which instrument; for example, a high-end allow service providers and companies in thickness gage for inspecting assets a wide range of industries to essentially such as tubes, vessels, tanks or pipes, design their instruments to suit their or measuring coatings or cast compo- inspection needs—more cost-effectively ● The instrument should be small nents, can be upgraded to a portable than in the past. to accommodate hard-to-access flaw detector for applications, such as Decision makers and buyers should areas, lightweight and easy to carry, inspecting welds, forgings or composcarefully weigh these new, more versatile minimizing stress on the operator. ite parts. A simple software upgrade products against their business needs and ● NDT instruments should have the adds the flaw detection capability. be sure they offer the most up-to-date ability to record information and features required for efficient, safe and generate reports on board, without These instruments can easily be reliable inspections, along with robust connecting to a PC. upgraded by means of a simple phone data, selectable reporting and compatcall to the supplier, eliminating the ibility with other operator platforms. NDT ● To enable PC compatibility, software need to send them back to the manupackages should be available to help facturer. Another benefit is reduced François X. de Fromont is the global product manager– generate more detailed reports in training time because the devices have ultrasonic instrument, GE Energy (Billerica, MA). For commonly used spreadsheet and the same interface and functions for all more information, call (978) 437-1446, e-mail amanda. graph formats. inspection applications.
[email protected] or visit www.ge-mcs.com.
TECH TIPS
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 31
The Origins of
QUICK BREAK Methods for quick break have evolved over the years in magnetic particle inspections for aerospace applications. By Greg Falk In the late 1950s, Magnaflux noted that the sudden breaking of a direct current at the end of the d magnetization shot causes a transient current to m be b induced in the part by a rapid collapse of the external magnetic field. This quick break method ex increases the residual magnetic field inside the part, in which leads to an enhanced ability to find defects in a ferromagnetic part. The U.S. military realized the importance of quick break in relation to the inspection of its parts, and consequently created Mil-Spec MIL-M-6867 through collaboration with Magnaflux Corp. in 1958 to establish the basic requirements for magnetic particle inspection. MIL-M-6867 defines quick break and the quality of the break as measured by the voltage induced in a small air coil placed inside the unitmagnetizing coil. This induced voltage was measured with an oscilloscope. The higher the peak voltage induced during the break at the end of the mag shot, the better the quality of the break, and the faster the associated collapse of the external magnetic field. It should be noted the MIL-M-6867 was the only true reference standard for measuring quick break, and this fact remains true even to this day. In 1991, the governing body of ASTM created the standard ASTM E1444, which also specifies the need for checking quick break regularly on three32 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
phase magnetizing units. According to ASTM, this practice establishes minimum requirements for magnetic particle examination used for the detection of surface or slightly subsurface discontinuities in ferromagnetic material. So how does the ordinary operator of magnetic particle inspection equipment test for quick break? In 1970, Magnaflux developed a small handheld device for testing quick break in a qualitative (go/no go) way, using a small inductive coil, with a neon bulb connected to its output. If the mag unit had quick break, the neon bulb would
Residual field inside a bar generated by a) slow break b) “quick break” transient current. Source: Magnaflux Corp. www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Olympus ultrasound | phased array | eddy current | eddy current array | remote visual inspection | X-ray fluorescence
Olympus designs, manufactures, and globally markets a range of innovative nondestructive testing and remote visual inspection instruments developed with a commitment to technology, design, and user friendliness. These products are used for inspection and maintenance in industrial and research fields ranging from aerospace and energy to transportation and manufacturing. Olympus instruments contribute to product quality and add to the safety of infrastructure and facilities. Olympus has earned industry-wide reputations for providing cost-effective solutions and
excellent support and customer service. Solutions
Technologies
Corrosion Testing Weld Inspection Security Flaw Detection Thickness Measurements
Ultrasound
Ultrasound Phased Array
Eddy Current
Eddy Current Array
Remote Visual Inspection
High-Speed Video
Automated Testing Image Capture
X-Ray Fluorescence
www.olympus-ims.com
flash at the end of the mag COMMON PRIMARY shot. Other manufacturers APPLICATIONS MAGNETIC have followed with their When a bar is magnetized FIELD own neon bulb testers, and longitudinally in a magMAGNETIZING INDUCED it was not until two years netizing unit 5-turn coil, COIL EDDY ago that a digital indicating without quick break, the CURRENT instrument was developed two ends become poles that could measure the true and the flux lines leave quantitative quality of the and enter the ends of the DEFECTS quick break, by indicating bar at a 90-degree angle IN on a handheld meter the to the surface. The nearPART value of the induced quick end portions of the bar are break voltage, based on the therefore not truly longiTOROIDAL original MIL-M-6867. tudinally magnetized, and MAGNETIC So how did the manufactransverse cracks near the MAGNETIZING IRON FIELD turers of magnetic inspecends of the bar will probCURRENT CORE tion units incorporate quick ably not give reliable defect break into their DC magne- Induced current method of magnetizing ring-shaped parts to locate indications. circumferential defects. Source: Magnaflux Corp. tizing units? However, when the same The early machines from bar is magnetized using the 1950s through the late 1970s relied at the zero current crossing, in conjunc- quick break method, a transient current on a power contactor to open the DC tion with a reasonably high transformer is generated which flows circularly inside coil circuit at the end of the mag shot, secondary open circuit voltage. This new the bar, and generates a field near the drawing an arc across the contactor, and method was called secondary SCR mag surface of the part that is truly longitudiassuring in a rapid decay of the DC cur- current control and it is widely in use nal clear to the ends. rent flowing through the unit coil. Many today for providing quick break in magAnother application of quick break machines at this time also incorporated netic inspection units. is induced current magnetization. This Is there a quantitative difference in method was developed for the magnetizthis quick break feature on the heads circuit, although most operators found the quick break quality produced by the ing of ring-shaped parts such as bearing quick break more relevant for magnetiz- older contactor drop out method and races, without the need to make direct newer secondary SCR mag current con- contact with the surface of the part. By ing coil-based applications. The drawback of this contactor drop trol method? The answer can be found making the ring a one-turn short cirout method was the electrical wear on using the digital quick break indicator cuited secondary of a DC transformer, a the contactor. But in the early 1980s, with and recording the induced voltage pro- large current flowing circumferentially the advent of higher power low-voltage duced by each quick break method using around the ring can be induced. silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCR), a new the same coil circuit. The result shows a For parts that have high retentivmethod was found for making a quick much stronger quality break using the ity—the property to retain a greater or break using the turn off time of the SCR older contactor drop out method. lesser degree of residual magnetism—DC The question is how strong of a quick current with quick break can be used, break is needed to produce quality indi- and the parts are tested with the residual cations? Part of the answer lies in the method. When the DC field is caused to fact that the newer SCR-controlled quick collapse suddenly by the abrupt inter● MIL-M-6867 defines quick break and break does meet the minimum induced ruption of the magnetizing current, the the quality of the break as measured voltage requirements of MIL-M-6867. circular field generated by the resulting by the voltage induced in a small air Tests also were performed in a laboratransient current leaves the part with coil placed inside the unit-magnetizing tory using a Magnaflux test block and a strong residual field. The induction coil. AS5282 tool steel ring, and when looking current method may benefit from the ● In 1991, the governing body of ASTM for sensitivity of indications produced with extremely strong quick break of the concreated the standard ASTM E1444, both electronic quick break and contactor tactor drop out circuit. NDT which also specifies the need for drop out method—on both head and coil checking quick break regularly on circuits of the same machine—there was Greg Falk is engineering manager at Scientific three-phase magnetizing units. not any practical difference in the bright- Instruments (Skokie, IL). For more information, ness of the indications produced by either e-mail
[email protected], call (847) 679-1242 ● Secondary SCR mag current control is or visit www.magretrofit.com. method, thus confirming that the newer widely in use today for providing quick Contributors: Dick Huske, Magnaflux Corp. retired, electronic quick break method using sec- Ken Schroeder, Magnaflux Corp. retired and break in magnetic inspection units. ondary SCR control is quite satisfactory. Stuart Kleven, Allow Weld Inspection Co.
TECH TIPS
34 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Elemental Screening Handheld XRF spectrometers provide laboratory quality screening results in seconds. By Dirk Wissmann
N
National and international legislation aimed at reducing the health and environmental impacts of a variety of harmful substances in consumer goods and other manufactured products has been introduced around the world. Controls exist not only on the materials used in manufacturing but also on the procedures used for disposal of products at the end of their useful lives. Different standards apply in different countries to products as diverse as electrical and electronic products, toys and cosmetics. Certain notorious heavy elements, particularly lead, figure widely in the legislation, so elemental analysis may be the only way of demonstrating compliance. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry is not only suitable for the detection of these heavy elements, but in many applications has the added advantage of being nondestructive. This makes it particularly attractive for rapid screeningg tests. Certain handheld XRF spectrometers eters can provide laboratory quality screenning results in a matter of seconds. Analysis is not always necessary for a manufacturer or processor to demonstrate compliance to these rules; supplier documentation with a strong audit trail may be sufficient. When such documentation is not available, or the history of the item tem is unknown, analysis will usually be needed. There are many analytical methods available for the detection and quantification of heavy elements. Most of them, such as colorimetry, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and inductively coupled plasma opti-
36 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
cal emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), require the sample to be in solution. Dissolution can be time-consuming and results in the destruction of the object under test. Furthermore, these methods cannot easily be used for field measurements, for example, to screen a consignment of goods on receipt. XRF spectrometry is a well-established technique for the measurement of most elements in the Periodic Table, and has its best sensitivity for the heavy elements, including nonmetals such as chlorine and bromine, which are environmentally significant but difficult to measure with some of the other techniques. It also can, in many situations, be nondestructive, portable and capable of producing results in a few seconds. This makes it an ideal technique for screening products for heavy metals. Small, handheld XRF spectrometers have been designed for this task, and employ the latest XRF technology to achieve the performance needed for meaningful product screening. The technique works by irradiating the sample with a beam of X-rays. This induces fluorescence in the atoms in the sample, which is then re-emitted as X-rays of a lower energy. re-emi Each element emits X-rays of different and unique energies or wavelengths, an whose intensity can be calculated w tto the concentration of that element in the sample. m Detection systems have been developed that can discriminate d between the energies emitted, meabet sure their intensities, and hence determine the th concentration of the different elements in the sample. This technology is known as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF).
ANALYTICAL PERFORMANCE The two components that define the fundamental performance of an EDXRF system are the X-ray source and the detector. The stability of the priwww.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Compliance with XRF
XRF spectrometry is not only suitable for the detection of heavy elements, but in many applications has the added advantage of being nondestructive. Source: Spectro Analytical Instruments
mary source of X-rays affects both the ultimate detection limit of the instrument and the precision of the analysis. Some early handheld EDXRF instruments used radioactive isotopes as the source of primary X-rays, but these have associated safety and stability problems. In certain small, handheld XRF spectrometers, for example, a miniaturized low-power X-ray tube—a close relative to the ones used in high-performance laboratory analyzers—ensures exactly defined excitation and hence good precision. The detector used is an advanced silicon drift detector (SDD). Compared to the Si PIN diode detectors used in many other instruments, the SDD displays better resolution and can process information 10 times faster, giving faster analysis, producing reliable screening results, such as approximately 15 to 30 seconds. www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
PASS/FAIL? XRF is without a doubt the quickest and most convenient method for detecting heavy elements in manufactured goods, and is recommended in a number of official methods, including IEC 62321 and ASTM F2617, both of which describe procedures for the measurement of lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury and bromine by XRF. There are, however, a number of factors that need to be considered when interpreting the results from XRF screening. XRF measures elemental concentrations, whereas the legal limit may refer to a compound of the element. Typical examples are the brominated flame retardants polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) regulated by RoHS at 1,000 mg/ kg. These contain up to approximately NDT SPECIAL SECTION
70% of elemental bromine, so the pass/ fail level for a screening test would be around 700 mg/kg bromine. Speciation is a similar consideration. Hexavalent chromiumVI is extremely toxic, trivalent chromiumIII much less so. XRF measures the total element concentration, and does not discriminate between the two valence states. However, as a screening test, XRF can indicate the presence or absence of chromium– clearly if the total chromium in the sample is below the chromiumVI limit, the sample also must be below the limit. Like any analytical technique, XRF can be subject to interferences from the sample matrix. One element present in a high concentration can cause errors in the measurement of another, minor element. An example might be the presence of high concentrations of bromine- or antimonybased flame retardant additives in plastics. The fluorescence intensity itself also can be affected by the matrix as shown in
TECH TIPS ● XRF spectrometry is a well-established technique for the measurement of most elements in the Periodic Table and has its best sensitivity for the heavy elements. ● The two components that define the fundamental performance of an EDXRF system are the X-ray source and the detector. ● A handheld XRF spectrometer can handle a wide range of elemental screening tests with minimum uncertainty.
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 37
Shown here is an example of the test procedure flow for XRF spectrometry. Source: Spectro Analytical Instruments
these spectra of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) samples, each with the same lead content of 500 mg/kg spell out. This effect can be taken into account in the calibration procedures used. If the sample is homogeneous, the result of the XRF analysis will normally be highly reliable. If not, caution has to be exercised in interpreting the results. Being highly energetic, X-rays can penetrate a small distance into the sample. This means that if the sample is covered by a thin layer of paint or some other coating, the result will be a composite value of the concentrations in the paint and in what lies beneath. By the same token, a thick layer of paint will give a higher reading than a thin layer, even if the concentration of the measured element is uniform throughout the paint. The same would apply to different thicknesses of plastic, as shown by these spectra of PE samples with 1-, 2- and 9-millimeter thicknesses, each with a lead content of 500 mg/kg. Some handheld XRF spectrometers have built-in thickness correction to overcome this problem. Sometimes it may be acceptable to mechanically homogenize the sample, for example, by milling, as a precursor to screening measurements. The X-ray beam has a finite cross section. If the toxic material is concentrated in a very small area of the object that is
It has been mentioned before that in the case of RoHS, analysis of finished products may not be needed if it can be demonstrated that fully compliant materials have been used in their manufacture. A high sensitivity, laboratory EDXRF instrument is suitable for screening bulk materials.
REPEATABILITY, PRECISION AND THE PASS/FAIL DECISION
XRF spectrometers are particularly attractive for rapid screening tests. Source: Spectro Analytical Instruments
smaller than the X-ray beam, once again an average result will be obtained. A small component on a printed circuit board might be such an example. While XRF is recommended for screening measurements, the standard also recognizes that only methods that eliminate sample effects can be used as verification tests for the final confirmation of compliance. These are invariably solution techniques such as ICP-OES spectrometry.
38 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
As mentioned previously, when configured for RoHS screening, a handheld XRF analyzer can compare results with stored limit values and display results as above limit, below limit or inconclusive. Results that are well below or well above the limit do not present a problem. However, when the measured value is close to the limit value, any uncertainty in the measurement makes the decision more difficult. The uncertainty of an analytical measurement is normally expressed using wellknown statistical conventions. The precision of the measurement is expressed in terms of the standard deviation (SD, sigma, σ or repeatability) of a number of measurements and indicates the spread of the data about the average—or mean— result. The smaller the SD, the better is the precision of the measurement. Two sigma is twice the standard deviation and indicates that 95% of readings will fall within this range. www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
liquids to achieve low LODs in the mg/kg range. Elements from sodium to uranium can be determined using expert system-based methods that can make the analysis largely matrix-independent and is ideal for the measurement of traces of particularly toxic elements such as cadmium and lead in materials such as plastics and other bulk materials. 䡲 XRF is not approved for normative measurements by IEC 62321, which requires the use of solution-based methods such as ICP-OES.
Pb Mapping R49 R45 R41 R37 R33 R29 R25 R21 R17 R13 R9 R5 R1
The nature and variety of the samples encountered when testing products for compliance with new environmental standards like RoHS present analysts with many challenges. A handheld XRF spectrometer can handle a wide range of elemental screening tests with minimum uncertainty, reducing the need for complex and time-consuming laboratory analyses, but when laboratory analysis does become necessary, a range of handheld XRF spectrometers and ICP-OES instruments are available and capable of fully meeting those challenges. NDT
Shown here is a screen capture of lead (Pb) mapping. Source: Spectro Analytical Instruments
Clearly any concentration reported that is of the same magnitude as the measurement error is going to be unreliable, which leads to the concept of limit of detection (LOD), the lowest concentration that can be reliably measured. This is conventionally three sigma. For cadmium, the RoHS limiting value is 100 mg/kg. If the repeatability of the analytical instrument for this measurement is 5 mg/kg, it follows that if the analyzed value is smaller than 55 mg/kg, the limiting value has probably been met and the instrument will report below limit. If the analyzed value is higher than 145 mg/kg, the sample is above limit. In the range between these values, the instrument reports an inconclusive result and more investigation will be needed. Clearly the smaller the value of sigma, for example, the lower the LOD, the narrower this gray area will be. The low LODs achievable with a handheld XRF spectrometer make it particularly efficient as a screening tool by reducing the gray area to a minimum and therefore the number of complicated and time-consuming laboratory analyses that will be needed.
OTHER SOLUTIONS FOR COMPLIANCE TESTING While handheld XRF is the ideal tool for rapid product screening, certain types of samples may need a different approach. 䡲 When toxic elements are concentrated in very small areas, an EDXRF spectrometer provides the solution with an X-ray beam that can be collimated from 4 millimeters down to 0.2-millimeter diameter. This provides not only accurate quantitative measurements on small samples or specific areas of the sample, but with an X-Y scanning drive, the ability to map the distribution of toxic elements in the sample. 䡲 An advanced laboratory EDXRF instrument uses polarized X-ray excitation for the analysis of solids, powders and www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
Dirk Wissmann is XRF product manager for Spectro Analytical Instruments (Kleve, Germany). For more information, call +49-2821-8-92-0, e-mail spectro.info@ ametek.com or visit www.spectro.com.
Helium Leak Testing provides calibration services for leak standards and vacuum gauges. » Accuracy confirmed by NIST » NIST traceable » All models and ranges of leak standards » All manufacturers of vacuum gauges » Recall schedule provided with order Complete helium mass spectrometer leak testing services—both in-house and field. ALL LEAK TESTING IS ASNT CERTIFIED.
www.heliumleaktesting.com 800-423-1701
NDT SPECIAL SECTION QLT01114HELI.indd 1
FEBRUARY 2011 ● NDT Source Book 39
12/21/10 3:30 PM
NDT BUSINESS CARDS - These easy-to-use cards are a handy and low-cost way to reach NDT and materials test buyers. Sold on a 7-time basis, include your Business Card Ad in every issue of NDT! Your ad will gain the attention of an active NDT buying audience. Promote your training, consulting, calibration or professional service. To place your NDT Business Card Ad, please contact:
N
EW
Sunny Coverly Inside Sales Manager P: 610.932.8350 F: 248.283.6587 7
[email protected]
Advertiser
Page
Phone
ASNT
11 NDT
(800) 222-2768
www.asnt.org
Applied Test Systems
22 NDT
(724) 283-1212
www.atspa.com
7, 20 NDT
(800) 366-9956
www.handheldxrf.com
Carl Zeiss
21 NDT
(800) 327-9735
www.zeiss.com/metrotom
Gradient Lens Corp.
IBC NDT
(800) 536-0790
www.gradientlens.com
Helium Leak Testing
23, 39 NDT
(800) 423-1701
www.heliumleaktesting.com
Instrument Technology Inc.
19 NDT
(413) 362-3606
www.scopes.com/v5
Machida
23 NDT
(845) 365-0600
www.machidascope.com
NDT Systems
12, 17 NDT
(714) 893-2438
www.ndtsystems.com
Olympus NDT
IFC, 33 NDT
(800) 225-8330
www.olympus-ims.com
Proceq USA Inc.
22 NDT
(724) 512-0330
www.proceq-usa.com
Scienscope International
13 NDT
(800) 216-1800
www.scienscope.com
Spectronics Corp.
3 NDT
(800) 274-8888
www.spectroline.com
Test Equipment
15 NDT
(800) 962-1788
www.tedndt.com
1, 35 NDT
(702) 938-4859
www.varian.com/sip
Verimation Technology
9 NDT
(800) 521-5245
www.verimation.com
Yxlon International
BC NDT
(330) 798-4834
www.yxlon.com
Bruker Elemental
Varian/BIR
Web Address
This index is provided as a reader service. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions. 40 NDT Source Book ● FEBRUARY 2011
NDT SPECIAL SECTION
www.ndtmag.com/buyersguide
High Quality, Simple, Affordable
VIDEO MICROSCOPE
Starting at $4,995! Computer and monitor not included.
Luxxor ®Video Microscopes Q
From the makers of:
Q
Q
Documentation and Measurement Software +/- .001” Comfortable Viewing vs. Stereo Microscopes 15x - 200x Magnification
gradientlens.com
800.536.0790
Q f/4.5 Zoom Lens Q
Digital Video Image Capture
Q
Optional Borescope Attachment
Q
Made in the USA
Visit us at:
Booth 954 Aneheim, CA • February 8-10, 2011
Y.CT Compact
Easy Access to the Advantages of Computed Tomography
Complete Range of CT Solutions
■ ■ ■
Latest in Digital Technology
■ ■ ■
X-Ray Source OEM
■ ■ ■
Compact.Fast.Easy
In-house CT Services for Low Volumes Standard CT Systems for a Variety of Needs Custom Designed CT Solutions Digital Image Intensifiers Full Range of Digital Flat Panel Detectors Exclusive LDA Technology Microfocus with Sub-Micron Resolution Exclusive Metal/Ceramic X-Ray Solutions Linear Accelerator with over 9 MeV
YXLON.The reason why YXLON International Inc., 3400 Gilchrist Road, Akron, OH 44260 t: 330-798-4834, f: 330-784-9854, e-mail:
[email protected], www.yxlon.com
