Automatic Vision Inspection System

Vision Inspection Machinery

Many inspection and sorting operations once thought to be strictly manual tasks have been made more efficient and economical with the use of vision systems. CDS Manufacturing has built many vision inspection machines for a wide variety of parts. Vision system manufacturers have made the integration and operation of this flexible technology simpler than ever, but looking at the parts with a camera is only half of the challenge.

Recently, we received an order for an automatic inspection system to sort ceramic fuse bodies for overall length. It is amazing to think that such an operation in this day and age is still done manually. Perhaps it is because many people can sort many parts in an hour whereas an automatic system may not be able to achieve an adequate throughput rate to keep up with production...Until now. CDS Manufacturing designed and built an automatic vision inspection machine to length sort these parts at a rate of 225 parts per minute. Achieving a part per minute rate that still allowed for inspection and by a vision system was kind of tricky though. Vision system cameras need to distinguish one part from another, so part separation is necessary. On the fly part gating is required to separate good and reject parts, and consistent orientation and part stability are equally as important.

The system that we developed achieved all of this, and more. We designed the system to feed the fuse bodies in a constant orientation to a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt fed parts at a greater inches per minute rate than the orientation track. Thus, part separation was achieved for vision inspection of the length of the part. The final product has proven to be a fast and efficient method for length inspection, and the customer couldn't be happier with their investment.

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F. Scarson, III
Vice President
CDS Manufacturing

Laser Diameter Inspection System

CDS Manufacturing received an order from a screw machine parts manufacturer for an automatic inspection system to inspect parts shaped like a piston for overall length and eight different diameters. Laser inspection equipment is certainly capable of sorting for these parameters but their were many challenges that needed to be addressed. Among them, a rate of 30 parts per minute, presentation of the part, and avoiding expensive equipment costs in the design of automated system.

The final product was a fully automatic inspection system that utilized a vibratory feeder, an automatic parts transfer system, and only two laser inspection units. The first unit was used for length inspection and the second unit was used for diameter inspection of each of the eight individual diameters. The vibratory feeder system fed the parts in an end to end orientation and presented each part in front of the lasers. In less than two seconds each part was measured for overall length, each of the eight diameters were presented and measured by the laser inspection equipment, and the inspected part was classified by a good and reject part gating system.

CDS Manufacturing has created several similar pieces of equipment that are currently used on our production floor to provide automatic inspection and sorting services to our customer. As time goes by, and as we receive more orders from various customers, we have modified the design to accomodate a wide range of lengths and diameters. It has proved to be a reliable method for length and diameter inspection and provides our customers with a reasonably priced alternative to expensive manual sorting.

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F. Scarson, III

Vice President

CDS Manufacturing

cdsmfg@netacc.net

http://www.cdsmanufacturing.com/

Precision Roll Sorter

I've been working for CDS Manufacturing for nearly 25 years now and it never ceases to amaze me what can be achieved in the area of automatic inspection and sorting.

The Roll Sorter, also referred to as a Roller Sorter has been around for sometime now and is known to be an effective method to sort and inspect a wide variety of parts for many different parameters. Length inspection, diameter inspection, and sorting of mixed parts is usually not a challenge for a Roll Sorter. Customer's desiring super precision inspection and sorting to tight tolerances drove our company to develop a Roll Sorter with such a capability.

The problem with mechanical sorting on a Roll Sorter has always been controlling the quality of the rollers, their roundness, and total indicated runout. CDS Manufacturing developed a Precision Roll Sorter that is equipped with .000005" TIR rollers. Yes, I said 5 millionths total indicated runout. Attaining rollers of such quality is challenge enough but eliminating any other sources of runout has been just as difficult. We designed a roller support system that all but eliminates any additional runout making length sorting, diameter sorting, and the like faster and more efficient than ever.

I don't know yet how we'll make it even better, but I am sure we'll figure something out. We always do.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about Roll Sorters.

Frank W. Scarson, III
Vice President
CDS Manufacturing
(585) 254-0050
cdsmfg@netacc.net
http://www.cdsmanufacturing.com/