This project shows the full spectrum of what Basilius is capable of. From Initial design analysis to a finished part, Basilius was able to deliver quality parts our customer can rely on. Our customer came to us with a part they had molded themselves in the past. They experienced several quality issues and were looking to outsource the next generation of the part. The main challenge of the part was injection molding a small grid pattern for a filtration process with .030 inch openings.
The past quality issues were both shorting and flashing of these small areas. Because this is used in a filtration process, the grid cannot be “opened” (shorting) and cannot be flashed.
Like all projects, we started off using an injection molding simulation software. This helps us predict molding conditions of different gate locations and designs. From doing this we discovered that using multiple gate locations achieved even injection pressure while not reaching excessive plastic pressure levels. This widens the processing window and ensures consistent part quality. This video showcases a plastic flow simulation.
Because of the high-quality demands, we decided that integrating a machine vision system into the molding process would be beneficial. We designed and built an end effector for existing robotics as well as an enclosure for the inspection. All of this being done in line and without added cycle time.
Figure 1.1 is an example of what the camera sees. Using a machine vision camera and proper lens/lighting conditions, you can see the clarity achieved on such a small search area. In this case each opening is checked for disconnects and flashing all within milliseconds of processing time per image. Again, the white areas are only 30 thousandths of an inch square.
This project represents the start to finish injection molding solutions that Basilius can provide. Our customer came to us with a challenge we were able to overcome leveraging years of experience and technology. The component is now being produced at optimum quality levels with a 100% inspection integrated into the molding process.
