For high-quality large-scale production with low manufacturing tolerances, it is necessary to detect and correct dimensional deviations already in the machining process in order to reduce scrap production to a minimum. For this reason, an intelligent, automated In Process Measurement (IPM) system is being developed in the transfer pilot and evaluated in a productive cutting machine as a retrofit solution. This system aims to reduce scrap costs by up to 90% and energy costs by up to 8%. The results will be presented at events organized by the Leading-Edge Cluster.

The IWN GmbH & Co. KG (IWN) produces high-precision, complex turned parts according to customer requirements. The quantities vary between component types (e.g. sample components or special customer requests) and large series with batch sizes of up to 500,000 components. The existing production machines and processes are designed for large-scale production and produce components with short throughput times (30-60 seconds). Thus, complex and high-precision components in the µm range are manufactured according to customer requirements as per production drawing. Currently, dimensional inspection for quality assurance and dimensional correction are performed manually by the machine operator. Due to the high dimensional requirements of the complex components at the same time low throughput times per component, the quality dimensional control is a significant additional burden on the production staff.  



The machine operator uses tactile and optical measuring methods for the manual dimensional control. Deviations between the parts produced and the drawing requirements are recorded by the employee and entered manually into the machine control system in the form of correction values (offsets). Necessary changes are therefore only recorded after the machining process. Dynamic correction adjustment in the process is not possible. Thus, there is a risk of scrap production until offsets are detected and parameters are adjusted. This risk is increased by the production planning, which provides for one machine operator to operate several machines simultaneously. A further need for action lies within the warm-up phases of the production machines. Before dimensionally accurate production is ensured, production machines must reach a machining temperature. In this warm-up phase, a production is currently not useful.  

The objective is the timely identification and dynamic correction of dimensional deviations of manufactured turned parts by means of an IPM solution. The IPM system to be developed consists of appropriate measurement sensors for dimensional determination and an evaluation algorithm, which is to be implemented using self-learning AI, among other things. Through the intended retrofit approach, the system should be applicable to all machine types at IWN and automatically introduces offset changes in the machine control with.  



 Guide_I40_Retrofit_EN_FINAL.pdf (vdma.org)