Ultrasonics on the Automotive Assembly Line

摘要

When an automaker wanted to upgrade its inspection process for detecting the absence of connecting rod inserts, it turned to an automated ultrasonic method that has proved accurate, objective, and fast. As part of a major overhaul of its piston-stuffing area, a Big Three automobile manufacturer in Romulus, Michigan, wanted to include online, automated inspection for missing connecting rod bearing inserts. Engines missing their bearing inserts require costly rework if left undetected until the hot test; if allowed to reach the consumer, premature, catastrophic engine failure results. The inspection method in use at the time was to manually tap the rod caps with a hammer and listen for the distinctive sound made when inserts are missing. While generally effective, this technique is dependent on the skill and the attention level of the operator and can be affected by the amount of environmental noise present at the time of testing.