The right tool for the right job: The old adage holds true for machine vision and parts tracking, the same as it does for anything else in manufacturing.
An aircraft engine manufacturer, for example, recently found it had a number of conditions it needed to meet if it was to automate the manual documentation system it used to track the thousands of components making up each of its engines-in compliance with the requirements mandated by “Air Transport Association SPEC 2000.”
The new automated tracking systems employs 2D Data Matrix codes imprinted on each part using a percussive dot-peen method. Because this method relies on small changes in depth to create the light and dark areas of the code-as opposed to contrasting colors-the imaging system needed to be both robust and sensitive to avoid reading errors. In addition, because the parts involved range in size from small metal tubes to large fan blades, the company needed a wireless system that would enable operators to move around a part to access the code-instead of having to maneuver the part closer to the scanner.
As a result the company went with a series of MS-Q handheld imagers, which feature wireless communication at a range of up to 300 feet. The MS-Q is also capable of reading low-contrast dot peen codes under challenging lighting conditions and was easy to integrate into the company’s designated tracking system.