Ford Motor Company in the USA checks gears with a GearScan 500 manufactured by Stresstech

Citation

(2002), "Ford Motor Company in the USA checks gears with a GearScan 500 manufactured by Stresstech", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 54 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.2002.01854ead.012

Ford Motor Company in the USA checks gears with a GearScan 500 manufactured by Stresstech

Ford Motor Company in the USA checks gears with a GearScan 500 manufactured by StresstechKeywords: Ford, Gears

Ford Motor Company has implemented a leading edge technology for the quality control of their gears. This inspection method used in GearScan 500 is known as the Barkhausen Noise Analysis, which is based on micromagnetic properties of steel.

With the help of Barkhausen Noise Analysis stresses and material characteristics, like changes in hardness, grinding burn, heat treatment variations, soft spots and residual, tensile and compressive stresses can be detected non-destructively in the surface of engine, transmission and axle parts.

GearScan 500 is a non-destructive test instrument that replaces the time-consuming, traditionally used acid etch method, thus reducing the amount of hazardous waste and manpower needed for quality control. As a result considerable savings in quality control costs and an improvement in quality assessment are achieved. The BNA technique makes testing easy and fast, so that actions to adjust the manufacturing parameters can be taken immediately.

The GearScan 500 – a Rollscan-based gear inspection system – utilizes a non-destructive inspection technique known as the Barkhausen Noise Analysis. It is an off-line audit system, used to detect grinding damage in hardened steel components. The GearScan 500 system consists of a rig for handling the parts and a rack accommodating a Rollscan unit, a PC and a monitor. The system is controlled by GearStand software developed by Stresstech Oy, a new member of the British Gear Association.

The GearScan 500 is fully automated and requires only manual loading and unloading of the gear. It can test gears of different diameters, modules and types. The gear can be affixed in a chuck or on a mandrel, between the centers. The system measures each gear tooth separately and reports to the operator pass or fail conditions, indicating the degree of damage and the location.

The test cycle, including loading and unloading, is accomplished within 15 minutes and can be performed by the grinding machine operator, providing immediate feedback regarding the grinder performance. The gear sensor in the stand has no moving parts and the design is very robust and durable.

Barkhausen Noise Analysis is a practical method for controlling the grinding quality. This technology is already widely used among car, truck and aeroplane component manufacturers. Stresstech Oy manufactures equipment and has developed Barkhausen Noise Analysis applications since 1983.

For more information contact: Robert M. Fix, American Stress Technologies, Inc., 267 Kappa Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15238, USA. Tel: +1-412-963-0676; Fax: +1-412-963-7552; E-mail: rmfix@sgi.net