Find the right measuring equipment with the inspection equipment database
Software with intelligent inspection equipment database for quality management
Connecting an inspection equipment database is an essential component of Com.IPM and a clear added value for the user. The software for selecting and managing suitable measuring systems offers different options for the connection: Com.IPM’s own inspection equipment database, customer-specific inspection equipment DB or a public PM DB.
What is an inspection equipment database?
An inspection equipment database manages all of a company’s measuring and test equipment centrally and digitally. It is used to document and track information such as descriptions, resolution, calibration status and studies that have already been carried out.
In industrial manufacturing, there are usually many different inspection processes and therefore many different inspection and measuring devices in use. It is necessary to record a wide range of information for each individual inspection equipment, from resolution and calibration to linearity. A digital inspection equipment database helps to systematically map this information.
Which inspection and measuring equipment can be managed?
In principle, any equipment, fixtures or tools used to carry out an inspection can be managed. This can include measuring instruments such as callipers or micrometres, as well as fixtures for visual inspection, gauges and much more. The key factor is the purpose: if an instrument, a gauge or a fixture is used to assess a characteristic, it should be part of the inspection equipment database.
In quality management, a suitable measuring device, measuring equipment or measuring system should/can be selected as early as the inspection planning stage if the relevant information is available. This task is part of inspection equipment management. Com.IPM uses all available information in an intelligent way and searches the database for a suitable measuring device, measuring equipment or measuring system based on the characteristic information (characteristic type, resolution, specification limits, …). The software suggests these to the user for the respective measuring task.
Intelligent measuring equipment selection for quality management in manufacturing
In industrial production, it is important in the context of inspection equipment management that measuring equipment is suitable for performing the inspection task assigned to it based on its properties, quality and reliability. The inspection equipment must comply with the recommended limit value for the corresponding characteristic. Otherwise, there is a risk of making incorrect decisions. Erroneous parts could be assessed as good, or non-defective parts could be rejected. In Com.IPM, the basis or selection criteria for minimising these risks are the combined measurement uncertainty of the measuring system, the resolution of the measuring device and the respective measuring range. Based on this, the software including an inspection equipment database makes suggestions to quality management.
Com.IPM’s intelligent suggestion of measuring equipment takes a multi-step approach for a specified characteristic.
- If uMS values are available for the characteristic based on existing studies (type-1 study 1 or linearity analysis), the measuring systems that qualify with regard to the QMS value are proposed.
- If measuring devices or measuring equipment are suitable for the characteristic and the associated MPE value (Maximum Permissible Error) is available, the combined measurement uncertainty uMS is determined, taking into account the distribution, and all measuring devices or measuring equipment that qualify with regard to the QMS value(≤ 15%) are suggested.
- If no uMS value is known, Com.IPM suggests all measuring devices or measuring equipment for the characteristic that are suitable in terms of resolution %RE ≤ 5%.
With increasing information, decisions become easier
In addition to an intelligent suggestion system for the selection of measuring devices from the database for the further preparation of a capability analysis, study results such as the combined standard uncertainty uMS can also be saved back into the inspection equipment database after a capability analysis has been conducted. Thus, with every study carried out in Com.IPM, the qualified knowledge grows continuously and provides important decision criteria for the qualification of measuring equipment in the software, i. e. subsequent or new selection of measuring devices, measuring equipment and measuring systems.
This option offers you an enormous advantage, as the study results for the measuring device, measuring equipment or measuring system are not only provided as a decision-making aid, but are also collected and saved. This means that the data is already available to establish the capability of the measuring system in order to be able to create the uncertainty budget for the measuring system.
What requirements does VDA 5 place on an inspection equipment database?
VDA Volume 5 does not provide specifications for inspection equipment database software, but stipulates that the database must support inspection equipment monitoring and the proof of capability within the context of inspection process management. Consequently, it must enable the traceability, documentation and risk-based assessment of measurement and inspection processes. Com.IPM meets these requirements.
Which type of measuring equipment database do you use?
We can help you connect existing inspection equipment databases in production and, with our default software options, provide you with a way to simplify and accelerate the selection process. We would also be happy to advise you on which inspection equipment database is most suitable for your individual case. Contact us now. Contact us
