November 24, 1998
A control for an electric wire crimp machine comprising of an input operatively connected to a crimping machine and operable to receive information on the force during each cycle at the crimping machine: said control be operable to move into a leaning mode can capture information on a predetermined number of sample force curves from the crimping machine, said control being operable to preset boundaries based upon said information.
December 17, 2002
A wire analyzing device includes a source of radiation that irradiates a plurality of sensing elements. The source of radiation preferable is a laser beam and the sensing elements preferably are light sensitive devices that each provide an individual output indicating the amount of radiation incident on each sensing element. A wire sample is moved near the sensing elements so that it interrupts the radiation received by each sensing element. The output of each sensing element is utilized to determine any one or more of a number of desired characteristics of the wire sample.
September 28, 2004
An electrical assembly testing device includes the capability of testing for specific components of interest. A sample component and the component of interest receive a test signal from a test signal generator. An output from each component in response to the test signal is utilized by a controller to determine a relationship between the outputs.
April 26, 2005
A sensor device includes a source of radiation that irradiates a plurality of sensing elements. A test object is passed through the spacing between the source of radiation and the sensing elements so that the object blocks the radiation from at least some of the sensing elements. The sensor device provides two-dimensional profile information based upon which ones of the sensing elements are blocked from the radiation and an amount of time that the radiation is blocked at each sensing element.
May 15, 2007
A device for determining the quality of a part includes a sensor for detecting a strain on a selected portion or a part forming machine. A controller utilizes thee detected amount of strain to make a determination regarding the quality of a corresponding part. In one example, the sensor detects a compressive or tensile strain on a machine frame when the sensor is aligned to detect a strain parallel to a direction of a force applied during the part formation process. The controller uses one or more characteristics of the sensor output and determines whether the detected amount of strain is within an acceptable range. In one example, monitoring the strain during the formation of a plurality of acceptable parts provides information for determining the acceptable range. The disclosed arrangements allow for making part quality determinations without requiring a sensor to be “in line” with the load.
February 19, 2008
A device and technique for monitoring the quality of a manufacturing process, a resulting part or both includes determining a cumulative deviation of an actual process signature from an expected signature. A disclosed example includes determining a quantitative value of a difference between the signatures at each of a plurality of corresponding segments of the signatures.
October 20, 2009
A sensor device includes at least one piezoelectric polymer film supported on a plate that is positioned relative to a machine such that a force used during a manufacturing process involving the machine is incident on the plate. The piezoelectric polymer film provides an electrical output indicative of the incident force. In a disclosed example, a single piezoelectric polymer film extends across a substantial portion of a surface area of the plate. In another disclosed example, a plurality of piezoelectric polymer film sensor elements area are arranged symmetrically about a location where the incident force is expected to be most prominent.