Assembly in Action: Wireless Remote Data Collection Provides a Long Memory
Weldun International Ltd. (Bridgman, MI) is making that possible by providing a wireless remote data collection process.
"When a module leaves Metaldyne, it leaves behind a detailed electronic file showing how that particular module was assembled and its performance at every test station," says Jay Fluegel, engineering manager at the Metaldyne plant in Middleville, MI. "We’ll know every bolt that’s supposed to be there, is there, and was assembled with the correct torque. Ten years from now, we can strip a water pump from a module, and from its serial number, we’ll be able to access a lot of information. And if we want, we can pull up all the data from every pump assembled that same day or hour." Metaldyne checks for porosity and casting cracks. But the main concern is assembly failure.