Quality control of product/process using nondestructive control and possibilities of robotic investigation

Abstract

In the paper, the possibilities to improve the quality of products/ processes using modern methods and equipment for non-destructive control are presented. The quality control is represented by the operational techniques and activities used to fulfil the conditions concerning the quality, it is a way to verify the realization of quality and to establish necessary actions to correct the non-conformities. The defectoscopy represents an assembly of methods to examine materials, pieces and joins to discover their defects (flaws, emptiness, inclusions, etc.) by non-destructive control methods. The essential requirements of non-destructive control, in connection with the imperatives of total quality's concept determinate in a short period of time a high attainment of systems' quality. In the second part of the paper, the possibility to achieve non-destructive control with the aid of robotic systems, the appropriate cases in which the robots are useful, the type of robot together with constructive details are presented The two main directions where the robotics is useful are non-destructive control in technological flux and the control in hostile or unapproachable environment for human operator. In the first case are used robots with proper software, and in the second, remote control robots. Finally, the advantage offered by the robot utilization for non-destructive control in special situations is emphasized. Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement If you can't measure something, you can't understand it. If you can't understand it, you can't control it. If you can't control it, you can't improve it.