When we first started this project, and we were brainstorming what it would look like the customer said “Can you do that? Is it possible?” We felt just like Walt: “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” – Walt Disney

• State of the art Laser Vision System technology for non-contact measurement of critical parts
• Provides real time measurements as the laser beam traverses across the surface
• Integrated PC Software and Control
• The unit runs from the touch screen, or an adjacent connected PC
• Results are automatically stored in a database. This is useful when performing analysis later
• Zoom Video Magnification SystemAll Electric Operation – No air hoses are needed! Eliminate condensation, contamination, and air supply problems.
• Part images are captured and linked directly to inspection records via powerful database software
• The system is mounted on an articulating arm to provide multiple functions including:
• Use with the integrated machine
• Zoom magnification that requires no refocus
• The ability to video, or take still pictures of virtually anything; and subsequent email capabilities
• USB Connectivity
• There are no special personal computer requirements
• Flexible This unit handles multiple part sizes with a few simple adjustments
• Measures to 1 Micron

During the validation run off on this machine our customer watched an inspection cycle, looked at the results and exclaimed “Its Magic!” “Sometimes, magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect.” -Teller (Penn & Teller)

Features

• 28 Inspections
• 5-20 second cycle time
• Two Vision Cameras, Special Lenses, Special Lighting, Three Laser Micrometers, One Displacement Laser, Stepper Motors, Precision Slides, Etc.
• Instantly loaded Inspection Criteria From Work Order Number Database (Solidworks>Drive works>Database>Machine)
• Screenshot of every inspection with results, machine settings, temperatures, and time stamps
• Laser Profiling with special algorithms addressing specular reflectivity, and measurement
• Currently handles an infinite range of profiles within about 80% of a total product mix.

High Production Three Axis Laser Marker

Remote Programming, Bar Code Input, Ready to Plug and Play

• Loading the proper program on this machine is as easy as scanning a bar code in your process paperwork. A simple pull-down menu at the computer can be used as well.
• Production program changes within a part family are nearly instantaneous; changes including fixtures can occur in less than ten seconds.
• The machine utilizes dry compressed air to cool the controller and the computer.
• The operator’s control panel is one simple screen complemented with sophisticated programming and maintenance diagnostic functions.Maintenance documentation is live on screen and encompasses thousands of pages of reference material with electronic search functions.
• The color monitor swivels between the programming and operations stations. It is ergonomically adjustable to an infinite number of positions.
• Programming can occur at the machine, from your office, or remotely utilizing your network and a standard Ethernet connection.
• 3D Marking Designs can be placed directly on an imported solid model.
• It can mark common fonts, bitmaps, jpegs, and other common file formats.
• Weight Approx. 720 pounds
• Electrical 120V, 7 Amps, 60HZ
• Pneumatic 90 psi, 30 cfm
• Communications Ethernet
• Environmental Operating 40-104°F, Storage 33-104°F

Small Laser Marker Font

If you look carefully under the numbers 3333 you will notice the words Young Solutions, Inc. This font is about .030″ Current machines can produce a font that is about one tenth this size. This mark was created on an aluminum part with black anodizing. The cycle time was less than a second.

Manufactures use many types of gages to measure wear in the bores of a variety of part types. They all provide a numeric value as feedback for the location on the bore being measured. Some gage will have a bar graph to provide visual feedback to the operator as they move a gage around the bore. This is somewhat better than numbers alone as an operator can watch the bar graph go up and down as the measurements change and it get a better feel as to what is happening while the gage is moved around. However, this method still only records one reading at a time and it would be very difficult to always measure the same point or get a true sense of what is occurring because you are recording single points.

Young Solution’s machine takes hundreds of measurements and draws a profile of the surface along the axis of the bore providing a picture which can show the wear patterns develop over time. Because the wear areas in these profiles are apparent, they can be measured much more confidently.

Features/Advantages

• Displays a profile of the wear.
• Measures wear height from any two points defined by the operator
• Zoom Function, allows operators to magnify areas of interest
• Works as a stand-alone unit, or it can be put on a network via Ethernet.
• Each saved profile has a time stamped screenshot (jpeg format) showing the results and the machine settings.
• Each saved profile has a time stamped file with all the data points. These can be imported into excel or custom programs. This allows for unlimited advanced analysis of the data.
• Two USB ports and one Ethernet port
• Touchscreen or mouse control
• Power Requirements 85-264 VAC (47-63 Hz) 60 watts
• Size 13” wide x 14” deep x 11” Tall
• Measure Bores 1.5” deep in one pass
• Pass/Fail Indication according to specification for the bore

This unit tests automotive alternators for output to specification. A few of its operating parameters and tests to specification include:

• 5000 RPM through a direct drive
• Fixtures for any automotive alternator (from a particular OEM)
• Test for Cut In Speed (speed at which an alternator is self-sustaining)
• Armature Amperage
• Armature Volts
• Waveform Confirmation
• Voltage Regulation Working
• Minimum Amperage Requirement Met
• Battery Low Indication Working
• Maximum Outputs and Performance at Various Speeds

This customer had been utilizing techniques and equipment that were originally developed during the infancy of their production process. The process was hampered by a variety of constraints that caused excessive scrap and lost production. These limitations included: improper hydraulics, thermodynamic limitations, material selections which were not compatible with the process, and a lack of user friendly controls. The new system incorporated numerous improvements including:

• Chemically inert stainless piping and components
• Hydraulic design considering flow rates, head pressures, and viscosity
• Low wattage warming system and controls for highly viscous materials
• Sight glasses providing an hours advance notice for tote changes
• Quick connectors with drip trays to reduce mess

The scrap reduction alone from these systems created a payback of about one month, and saved the company over $500,000.00 annually.

These small parts will occasionally roll a burr around themselves during their manufacture. This in turn will cause a problem with jamming automated feeding machines downstream. A mechanical gating system was designed and manufactured which sorts these defective parts out before they can become a problem.

Do you need help with new mechanical equipment? We are experienced with centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, compressor systems, actuated valves, and a variety of other equipment.

This cart was designed to carry compression molding tooling weighing several tons. Originally the customer used a fork truck to place large molds into a press. This was a difficult task because the molds required a very accurate placement, and they were also preheated prior to installation. If the fork truck location was not perfect, it required manual adjustments to the correct location with the hot molds.This design used an air flotation bed to lift the molds and allow an operator to easily slide and position the molds on the base of the press. These devices eliminated the use of the fork truck for installation and removal of the molds.

Problem Statement: A customer utilizes a very tall tank with a small footprint to facilitate a settling process on their liquids. They wish to draw off the very top of the tank while minimizing the intake of contaminants which may be floating on the surface. Other solutions like an intake on a flexible hose and float have been used, however as the elevation changes the instability of such designs provides less than desirable results.

Solution: Place a specially designed rigid vertical pipe in the center of the tank. The pipe is designed with a vertical slot to allow fluids to exit off the top level of the tank and move to the next step in the process. A float and baffle pipe are used to restrict floating contaminants and adjusted vertically to optimize flow rate and process quality requirements. The unit was constructed of fiber reinforced plastics and other components which were unaffected by the process fluid.This unit required basic hydraulic design, buoyancy calculations, materials analysis, and a special seal design to allow vertical movement while restricting contaminants from the final product.

Do you have aluminum parts that need a high polish instead of anodizing, painting, or another surface treatment method? We can assist you in developing your process, or recommending a resource to polish your parts. The assembly shown in the picture is made of 6061 Aluminum.

Positive Pressure, Casting Impregnation System

A customer desires to use an impregnation system to reduce porosity issues with their castings. Standard submersion processes combined with vacuum have not produced the desired results. Young Solutions designed a positive pressure system which flowed impregnation fluid into the ports of the casting. The system was then pressurized while simultaneously rotating the part three hundred and sixty degrees. The scrap rate was reduced 72% over the prior process.

Fixture Location System for Six Axis Robots and Six Hundred Cubic Foot Fixtures

A customer utilizes several large six axis robots to process parts in a production line. The system works well until a new set up is required for a different part type. At each set up for a new part type all of the robots require re-programming. The customer suspects the root cause to be axis wear in the robots or the location of the very large fixtures used in the process. After a series of designed experiments and tests it was determined the level of wear in the robots was minimal. The problem was caused by the three dimensional movement in space of the fixtures during set up. With this knowledge an improved location system was developed to improve the locating repeatability of the fixture.

A system was also developed to measure the 3D variance in space on the large fixtures. Once this was complete an algorithm was developed to adjust the programs on the robots according to the fixtures new location in space.

Custom Pressure Decay Systems for Safety Related Hydraulic Parts

Several systems were developed to measure pressure decay on parts. The systems utilized simple control systems and part specific fixturing to facilitate production requirements.

Automated Mechanical Thread Cleaning Process for Any Size Threaded Bolt or Screw

A system was developed to mechanically clean large production volumes of bolts. Prior to this several systems like abrasive blasting, tumbling, die chasing, and a wire brush were all attempted with unsatisfactory results. These systems caused concerns with thread wear, cleanliness, and ergonomics. The new mechanical system proved quick and effective with the flexibility to handle any size fastener.

Control Systems for Hydraulic Presses

We have assisted several customers with press improvements. The most common improvement is verification of minimum forces applied during a press process. More sophisticated solutions provide controllers to program and automate numerous variables to allow multiple parts and criteria to be run with the same press.

Gauging System Evaluation for an Automated Ten-Station Inspection System

After a customer built their own ten station inspection system in house they continued to find non-conforming parts in their shipments. One of the steps we took while performing a root cause analysis involved a study of the inspection system. The data revealed this system to be incapable of properly determining whether a part was good or bad.

Process Capability Improvements for Precision Honing Operation

A designed experiment was created in an effort to improve cylindricity on a precision honing operation. The data from that experiment resulted in a final process modification to utilize water miscible coolants to replace honing oils. This adjustment reduced thermal changes and distortions during the honing process, and significantly improved process capability.

Hydraulic Valve Body Test Systems with Temperature Controls

This test system evaluated several shift conditions based upon variable inputs.