HPC Cloud-based analysis for optical control in manufacturing processes
EPC is a Spanish SME specialising in the manufacture of camshafts. These are critical components in high power engines where dimensional tolerances are very small. For this reason, EPC is always working to improve its quality-control process and its client generate a huge amount of data to process. The use of HPC has the potential to provide a detailed and quick analysis of manufacturing processes enabling significant improvements in the control of quality.
Start date: 01/07/2013
Duration in months: 18
Problem Description
The challenge of this case study is to develop a data-processing service which enables manufacturing companies, particularly SMEs, to control manufacturing processes to a very high level of accuracy using optical scanning techniques. The combination of scanning, measurement and analysis has the potential to enable the early identification of any deviation in the manufacturing process from the required design parameters and of the necessary corrective measures to be taken.
Goals
Virtual prototyping
Challenges
Implement on HPC an intelligent, fast and intensive analysis of manufacturing quality using 3D digital information of the parts to be manufactured and measurment data.
Innovation results
New methods of analysis such as large-scale geometry extraction and temporal analysis of the dimensional quality of large batches are now possible. Moreover, traditional tasks such as reverse engineering are now optimised enabling the much faster generation of control data for the production line. This allows the generation of additional information concerning the manufacturing quality at both the part and system levels. Geometry extraction and reverse engineering enable the computation of information concerning the quality of final parts, detailing the size and shape of components and comparisons against the nominal expected value.
Business impact
The use of the HPC enables a reduction in the time needed to extract dimensional information from 5 minutes to 1 minute.