Machine adaptation · Quality control
One chute converted into an inspection station while the other three could keep producing. From the first mechanical prototype to an automatic system integrated into the machine controls.
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A variation in layer composition had increased the thickness of some cards. Conforming and over-thickness cards were mixed together: separating them visually was not a reliable option.
The difference was just two hundredths of a millimetre, but it was enough to cause jams in the equipment they were intended for. The cards needed to be checked without compromising their surface finish.
The first solution was a mechanical go/no-go gauge adjusted with a micrometer head. Integrated into a chute, it let conforming cards pass and retained thicker cards for manual removal.
Testing revealed a limitation: micro-vibrations during sliding could leave small marks on some gloss-finished cards. The dimensional check worked, but contact during passage needed a different solution.
The next iteration used the chip encoding station and its existing cylinder to install the thickness inspection system. That actuator was adapted to the new electronically sensed inspection mechanism. A steel insert seated in the chute, directly beneath the card, provides a reference: the sensor checks the distance to that insert during the cycle to detect thickness. The machine program was adapted and functions were added to the control screen to manage inspection and alerts.
The card travels down the chute and enters the inspection area.
The cylinder actuates the mechanism and the system checks the thickness.
A conforming card continues. A non-conforming card is retained with an alert until the operator removes it.
Explore the solution · 3D simulation
All four chutes automatically dispense 0.85 mm cards. Queue a 0.87 mm card: it will be the next to leave the inspection chute and will be retained. Remove it to restart that chute.
Illustration of the operating principle. Model based on photographs of the machine and renders of the inspection head. Orange cards make their movement easier to follow. Approximate geometry and timing; this is not an actual measurement.
One adaptation with two operating modes
The work focused on one of the four chutes. This allowed inspection to coexist with normal operation on the other three without dedicating the whole machine to the issue.
The final iteration eliminated surface marks, including on gloss-finished cards.
The modification was designed to be reversible: the machine can be configured for normal production or thickness inspection. The value of the solution lies in combining a quick response, learning from testing, and mechanical and control integration.
Articles
A closer look at the decisions behind this solution.
A mixed batch, good and bad parts that look identical, and a 0.02 mm difference that jams downstream equipment. How to separate them, and what the first prototype teaches you that the drawing cannot.
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