Hose Crimping & End Forming

The process monitoring systems for fluid handling allow manufacturers of crimped hose assemblies and end formed tubing the opportunity for monitoring 100% of parts without additional production or inspection time. Both systems have the ability to detect process variations and flaws at the source before additional manufacturing value is added, and can log data for generating reports of critical information for traceability and improvements in efficiency. In utilizing this technology, manufacturers can have confidence they are providing parts to their customers that have been monitored for quality with the utmost in precision.

The most obvious unseen process variance or error is one that is hidden from view inside a component or finished part. Inside a hose crimp there may be foreign material embedded, a component missing or out of alignment, the hose may be folded or under-inserted, or you can have a split of the hose inside the ferrule or partial collapse of the tubing inside the crimp.

Other errors occur when component parts are within spec limits, but a combination of one part at the top end of its spec matched with a component on the low end of its spec can lead to a weak part or an over crimp that can pass a quality check only to fail after limited use.

How it Works:

New Piezo-strain electric sensors are coupled with monitors that employ application specific algorithms so that every production cycle creates a specific strain signature for every part produced. This process variation monitoring is effective and reliable. In many cases, one properly positioned high sensitivity Piezo-electric strain sensor is the only sensor required.

Automated dimensional or physical inspection devices may catch the gross failures, but will not keep the other, less obvious but equally significant, defects from getting to the customer. This form of objective monitoring is required so that the operator can see the invisible process errors before they become a quality defect.