See It at the Show
New Process Monitoring System Offers Flexibility
The maXYmos BL process monitoring system simplifies quality assurance during pressing, assembly and testing.
The maXYmos BL enables engineers to conduct force-displacement monitoring of the pressing process with a manual press that is equipped with an integrated force sensor in the tool holder and a displacement sensor.
Signature analysis is a technique engineers can use to analyze various assembly processes. The idea is to plot one process variable, such as force, torque or pressure, against another variable, such as time, distance or angle. The resulting curve can help engineers dial in process parameters or monitor a process for consistent quality.
Kistler Instrument Corp. has introduced a new version of its maXYmos process monitoring system. The maXYmos BL system displays process curves in real time and is characterized by improved operability and extensive options for integration into production systems. This compact and cost-efficient variant in Kistler’s maXYmos product family can map and monitor different measured variables on an XY curve. This is particularly beneficial for quality assurance during joining and pressing in the medical technology, automotive, electrical and electronics industries.
Devices from the maXYmos family capture sensor signals, evaluate the signal curve, and provide evaluation results immediately. MaXYmos can control the process cycle itself or act as part of a plant control system. The process monitoring system records variables from piezoelectric strain gauges, ±10-volt sensors or potentiometers. The latest version now allows engineers to connect incremental sensors to evaluate torque and angle.
“MaXYmos BL is deliberately offered in cost-optimized variants and covers basic quality assurance needs in modern manufacturing. In general, it can be used wherever two measured variables are to be displayed in a diagram with X- and Y-axes,” explains Stefan Koch, product manager at Kistler. “The new functions of the maXYmos BL process monitoring system reflect this versatility and will be expanded across the entire product family in the future.”
MaXYmos BL is easy to use. Engineers can configure the evaluation quickly and intuitively via a large, high-contrast touch screen, thanks to graphical objects such as boxes, lines and envelopes. Manual workstations benefit from curves that can be displayed live during measurement. Settings can be transferred locally via a USB port, which also enables storage of recorded measurement data on a storage medium.
Bar code readers or keyboards are also supported as peripherals for efficient data entry. Individual user profiles can be managed centrally via light directory access protocol, and configured user groups can be assigned appropriate rights.
“This is an essential quality assurance function,” explains Eric Fischinger, a sales support professional at Kistler. “We see an increasing need among our customers to assign access rights more flexibly to ensure that settings are only changed by authorized personnel.”
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The new generation of the process monitoring system allows plant integration via industrial Ethernet on the most common protocols like EtherCAT, Profinet and EtherNet/IP for direct connection to a PLC. MaXYmos BL excels in automated processes with its rapid evaluation of up to 10 processes per second. MaXYmos BL can also be integrated into the IIoT manufacturing environment via OPC UA for comprehensive parameter access.
“A variant of the new system without a screen saves additional space and energy in complex production lines with several maXYmos systems where a local screen is not needed,” says Koch. “Operated centrally with remote process monitoring, accessing the system via the web interface offers both convenience and security. Additionally, device status and identification information displayed further aids in orientation.”
The new generation of the maXYmos BL process monitoring system maintains broad backward compatibility with its predecessor, due to identical sensor and I/O connections. However, its functionality and integration align more closely with the more powerful maXYmos TL (top level) and NC (numeric control) models.
For more information on assembly presses, sensors and process monitoring technology, click www.kistler.com or visit the company’s booth at The ASSEMBLY Show. Kistler is one of numerous suppliers of presses and sensors that will be exhibiting at the show, which will take place Oct. 21-23 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. Others include Janome, Promess, Schmidt Technology, and MC Fastening Solutions.
Besides suppliers of fastening tools, you’ll find more than 130 suppliers of automation, fastening tools, robots, motion control technology, parts feeders, workstations, software and other assembly technologies. For more information, visit www.theassemblyshow.com.
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