Client:
Leading manufacturer of high precision measuring equipment.
Brief:
To develop an on-line production hand held optical measuring system for the assessment of automotive engine block cylinder bores. The system is used to analyse the cross-hatch angle on a plateau-honed cylinder bore as this parameter can have a significant impact on engine performance and fuel consumption.
Project challenges
Key challenges on this project included:
Electronics:
• Circuit and PCB design.
• Network interface to control electronics.
• Firmware and algorithm development for real time motion control.
Software:
• Development of PC based interface libraries for customer system integration.
Optical:
• Selection of precision optical motorised components.
• Design/configuration of the optical elements.
Mechanical:
• Design precision motion elements with fine adjustment features.
• Compact design to achieve weight and footprint criteria.
Solution:
This system was developed in conjunction with AMETEK Taylor Hobson. Micron Design was responsible for the design and manufacture of the complete mechanical, electrical/electronic and software control systems for the measuring head which incorporated fine axis control and motorised optical componentry. Micron supplied the necessary electronics/software interface elements to allow the customer to implement the necessary analytical assessment software.
Summary:
The project has been successfully completed and installed at numerous engine plant facilities worldwide. The dedicated solution enables very quick assessment of cylinder bore parameters on-line.
