Diagnostic, analytical and process instrumentation specialist Peter Jones Electronic Equipment, a division of the Actum group, recently supplied two IV series vision sensors to the Port Elizabeth-based Mobile Emissions Catalyst division of Germany-based chemicals company BASF, says Actum technical sales manager Rob Howes, who notes that visual inspection and profiling systems are technologies that are fast becoming accepted worldwide as a best business practice for in-process inspection and quality control.

At the facilities in Port Elizabeth, BASF applies a washcoat to honeycomb catalytic converters. The IV vision sensors are used to confirm the presence of barcodes and that the correct identification print is inscribed on the converters.

BASF plans to eventually have all production lines operating at its plant fitted with vision sensors, with each system costing about R50 000.

Howes explains that the IV vision sensor is programmed with a set of custom parameters, which correlate, for example, with material thickness or the presence of a barcode. Through a visual-inspection process, the charged coupled device, or CCD, scanner head compares the object being tested with the preset parameters and, when an object fails to match these parameters, the manufacturing process is able to react accordingly and an operator is alerted.

A significant benefit of vision sensors is that they provide in-process quality assurance, which means that errors and irregularities are detected earlier along the production line, reducing the possibility of repeated inconsistency in production.

The vision sensors, which test up to 99 inspection windows simul- taneously, also help to save time and mitigate the common problem of human error in quality testing.

Older, in-process detection systems had an array of different sensors, with one sensor responsible for detecting a feature of a product. This could amount to detection systems having as many as 80 different sensors.

Howes states that reducing detection systems to one single sensor results in significant savings – not only is one vision scanner required but also significantly less wiring and time spent on quality assessment. However, he adds that the integration of multiple technologies into a single machine also necessitates an upgrade in skills for those operating it.

Further, while Actum Industrial provides aftermarket support for customers, Howes prefers to transfer its in-house skills to its customer base.

About the Vision Sensors
The three-dimensional (3D) profilers are vision sensors manufactured by Japanese automation company Keyence. The Keyence brand is distributed under the banner of Actum Industrial, which is also part of the Actum group.

Howes explains that the sensors arrive in South Africa without being preprogrammed, so Actum’s expertises lie in setting up the pro- filers and programming them to customer needs.

Actum has a variety of demonstration equipment available that it uses for training purposes. The group also assists physically with on-site commissioning, as it has full access to the Keyence technical centre, in Japan.

Howes notes that South Africa has a variety of different industries with different needs and requirements. He also highlights that Actum has represented Keyence in South Africa for more than 20 years, during which time it has invested heavily in nurturing the skills needed for visual-inspection processes and quality-control sensors.

One of Keyence’s specialities is industrial control and Keyence develops proximity sensors and estimation systems, such as its advanced two-dimensional and 3D profiling systems, he adds.

Keyence also specialises in presence or absence detection, identification, safety and quality assurance before and after production, concludes Howes.