Five Facts About Quality Control Systems

By: Joyce Laird and Yvonne Klöpping

Quality control (QC) is a wide-ranging subject, covering everything from sensors to vision inspection and completely integrated systems. Below, you will find some basic pointers to consider when sourcing systems or services.

Know Your Options

Vision Systems are vital for quality control. Choosing an appropriate supplier greatly depends on your expectations, says Bärbel Weinert from Vitronic (Wiesbaden, Germany). “Less expensive products oftentimes don’t come with great service,” she says. “Smaller companies usually can’t offer comprehensive services. For that, you need to turn to a larger, more experienced firm,” says Weinert. Also, keep in mind the importance of flexibility, she adds. “You can always upgrade. A systems supplier has to be able to customise the system at any time, without having to supply a completely new system.”

For a fully customised system, it is wise to look for a machine-vision integrator that maintains its core competency in-house, says Markus Tarin, President and Chief Executive Officer of MoviMED (Irvine, California, USA). “You can reduce your risk by using a state-of-the-art tool chain and by integrating software and components that will be serviceable,” he explains

Remember to Look Ahead

Plan ahead, stresses Weinert. Ask yourself: Are the requirements and specifications of the inspection system going to change? Will the device that is being tested change? If the answer is yes, adds Weinert, then you need to ask yourself: Do I still have enough time to react or do I need a completely new inspection system now? When all of that is taken into account, says Weinert, the classic vision inspection system tends to be the preferred choice because of its modular design and easy upgradability.

Test the System First

Regardless of the type of custom QC system you require, always ask the developer to perform a feasibility study, Tarin advises. “Make sure the system not only fits your needs, but also that it is cost-effective for the long run before putting up the money for full development.” To determine which QC system is best suited for your measurement needs, Vijay Patel, President, View Engineering Inc. (Simi Valley, California, USA), recommends consulting with an applications engineer who is knowledgeable in a range of systems. Have him or her run tests on your specific samples to ensure you get the right fit for your needs.

Request a Simple Interface

“QC tests can be quite complex but they still must be simple to run,” says Luther E. Johnson, Product Manager for the biomechanical division of MTS Systems Corp. (Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA). “Today’s QC solutions should allow test engineers to define complex tests that push specimens to any desired pass or fail threshold, yet are simple for operators to run,” he asserts.

Know Your Application

Medical device companies should be confident that the quality control system fully meets their needs, says Steve Flynn, President, Optical Gaging Products Inc. (Rochester, New York, USA). Some medical testing applications have special considerations, he says. “For example, a complex medical part, such as a femoral knee implant, may need to be mounted on a rotary indexer, which may then rotate the part to bring the desired feature into position to be measured,” Flynn says.

Look for Long-Term Support

An equipment supplier should offer a proactive lifecycle management plan that includes preventive and predictive maintenance, says Johnson. “All QC applications require proven, reliable test equipment and readily available parts and service,” he explains. “Accurate, repeatable results that correlate tightly across test systems are also critical,” he adds, “Achieving confidence in QC data requires regular, scheduled calibration of test equipment.”