The Value of Instant Measurement in All Areas of Inspection

To choose the most effective equipment for your particular needs, understanding the types of instant measurement systems is essential, as is examining their distinctions and unique advantages.

Seen as the initial stage of the quality control process, incoming inspection considers aspects like raw materials and sub-assemblies. For the most part, incoming inspection entails general inspection, testing, and measurement of the incoming items.

This part of the process commonly includes functionality testing, dimensional checks, and much more. You can find several suitable machines for this stage, with the automated optical comparator being a go-to choice for many manufacturers.

The first article inspection focuses on one or more parts at the early stages of production to compare them to the client's specifications. This helps reduce waste and guarantees that the manufactured parts match the client's specifications.

It is a vital step in the manufacturing process that, if everything goes well, eventually leads to subsequent production. However, it is far from the end, as there are going to be a few more stages in quality control before an order is sent out the door.

As production gets closer to actual distribution, in-process inspection, sometimes performed in batches, ensures that items moving down the production line are meeting their specifications. In short, in-process inspection focuses on examining various components in the middle of the production process.

This commonly includes time-based batch inspections and a fast-paced environment better suited for automated optical measuring instruments. An automated optical measurement device can easily handle this quality control stage as it can deliver quick results on multiple parts at a time with minimal effort.

The most crucial part of quality control is at the very end before distribution. Final inspection is the last line of defense before a product makes it out the door. Examining individual parts, transportation damages, and any other potential errors is vital to the final inspection.

For the most part, the final inspection includes the following steps:

• Visual inspection
• Testing
• Measurements

If each part passes the inspection steps above, the distributed product should come out exactly as designed. For this stage of the inspection process, optical CMMs are extremely helpful. This device offers the mobility and accuracy that workers need during on-the-fly inspections.

For manufacturers that commonly deal with smaller parts, an image dimension measurement system is more than suitable for handling quality control. Overall, the final inspection should include detailed reporting, which can be easily generated by an instant measurement tool.

• IM-8000 Series
  • Automatically measures up to 100 of the same part at one time
  • Automatically measures up to 300 part features in seconds
  • Measure parts within an 8 × 12 × 3 inch range
  • Micron-level accuracy
• LM Series
  • Automatically measures up to 100 of the same part at one time
  • Automatically measures up to 500 part features in seconds
  • Measure parts in a 9 × 5 × 2 inch range
  • Sub-micron level accuracy

One key feature that makes these systems so effective is the integrated software. Since this proprietary software may be new to many, there is bound to be a learning curve for those unfamiliar with how it works. However, KEYENCE’s simplified software is user-friendly, making implementation easy. Manufacturing teams are made up of different age groups and skill levels, so this is an important consideration.

Each system boasts unique use cases alongside KEYENCE’s well-known quality, accuracy, and reliability. These image-measuring instruments are breaking down the barriers between efficiency and learning curves. Each optical comparator design holds a significant use case in the manufacturing market and is leading the way in what innovation should look like down the road.