Risk reduction in dimension inspection of the plastic injection-molded parts from mechatronic devices by using optical 3D measuring techniques

Abstract

As of the definition presented by Harashima, Tomizuka, and Fukada in 1996, the mechatronics is the synergistic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems thinking in the design of products and manufacturing processes. The most of the mechatronic devices need the precise dimensions of the plastic parts, as long as the combination of those parts leads to a final haptic characteristic defined within specific limits or when the certain travel way is linked with an electrical contact. The increasing of the risks to produce bad mechatronic devices are directly related to the combination of the plastic injectionmolded parts out of different cavities. The paper’s aim is to present reducing of the risks to have bad final parts assembled with the components out of plastic injection-molded parts by using optical 3D measuring techniques at first validation of the parts out of the tool and setting parameters in the injection machines. The shrinkage and the warpage are more easily detected in that way and this will support first article inspection, but also during the entire production process. A case study presents the analysis of the data coming from the measurements of the plastic parts from each cavity and the combination of those parts, by using the ATOS inspection software. The CAD data are compared with the measured ones and the differences will be visible in the colored plotted areas, also the differences of the parts out of distinct cavities will be also displayed by overlaying of the measurements.