The automotive industry's relentless pursuit of perfection is evident in the intricate details of every vehicle. As vehicles evolve into a harmonious blend of design and performance, the steel that forms their foundation must adhere to the highest standards. Therefore, the production of galvanised flat steel products especially for outer-body parts is more than just steel production, it is the art of producing fault-free and perfect products.
The technological strength of the EMG systems
EMG's commitment to quality assurance is evident in its innovative systems that meet the sophisticated needs of the steel industry. The company's extensive experience, combined with its collaboration with steel industry players and automotive manufacturers, has led to the development of systems that ensure perfect quality at every stage of production. In this way, the automotive manufacturers' dream comes true:
“Every part can be automatically pressed on every press line in the world on the basis of process and material data.”
To realise this vision, EMG's quality assurance systems play a pivotal role by providing comprehensive data at every stage of production. In the following, EMG's most important quality assurance systems used to achieve these goals are briefly described and their advantages highlighted:
Material properties
The EMG IMPOC system stands out for its ability to measure tensile and yield strength online. This magnet-inductive system has been instrumental in the production of high-quality ferromagnetic steel, especially automotive grades. With over 70 installations worldwide, it's today also being used in the production of Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS), delivering reliable online results.
Roughness
Surface quality in terms of roughness is another critical aspect and EMG's SORM® technology, based on the confocal chromatic measurement principle, addresses this by providing real-time measurements of roughness and waviness parameters. Ensuring these properties ensures optimal coating adhesion and a visually appealing surface.
Oil layer
Lubrication is applied to the metal sheets during the pressing process to reduce friction and prevent damage, ensuring smooth and precise forming of the components. Recognising the challenges posed by variations in the lubrication layer, EMG has introduced solutions for online oil layer thickness measurement and for optimising re-oiling. EMG offers two technological approaches for oil layer measurement: infrared spectroscopy with EMG SOLID® IR and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy with EMG SOLID® LIF. Each technology has its advantages and limitations, so the best option is used for each application. In about two-thirds of cases, the widely established EMG SOLID® IR technology is applied (due to the robustness against effects of oil mixtures).
Width and thickness
Dimensional measurements of steel coils or sheets are paramount for automotive metals producers and press shops. Accurate dimensions not only ensure efficient production and processing but also play a pivotal role in the quality, fit, and performance of finished vehicle parts. Dimensional measurements are crucial for all upstream processing steps in the supply chain. Consistent and accurate dimensions enable smoother processing, reduce machine downtime, and optimise tooling and equipment setup, leading to improved overall productivity and cost-effectiveness.
EMG offers comprehensive solutions for width and thickness measurements. The EMG BREIMO system, an opto-electronic solution for measuring the strip width, has been a trusted industry choice for uncoiling and recoiling processes. On the other hand, the EMG iCAM®, a CMOS camera-based image processing system for strip and slit strip width measurement, is a novel addition catering to the demanding user. Both systems ensure accurate in-line width measurement across various strip widths.
The expansion of EMG`s product portfolio to all the thickness measurement methods currently used in industry (X-ray, isotopes, laser), and the associated design and software know-how, means that today EMG provides solutions with extremely high accuracy for the whole process chain at the steel producer and the processor. Each technology has its own specific advantages and disadvantages, and in the end, it is the application that determines the selection or even the most appropriate combination of measurement methods. The different solutions are represented by the system names EMG iTiM iso, EMG iTiM xray and EMG iTiM laser reflecting the different underlying physical principles.
Interconnectivity and data analysis
Data interconnectivity and analysis play a key role in the modern steel production process and the automotive industry. These technological advances form the backbone of a complex quality assurance system designed to maintain stringent quality assurance and in-line control measures.
Steel production requires precise control of variables such as surface roughness, material strength, lubricating layers, thickness, and width. Consistent and accurate measurement of these parameters is critical to the production of high-quality products, which in turn affect the performance, safety and reliability of automotive components, particularly outer body parts. EMG's systems are based on the same hardware and software DNA, providing a solid foundation not only for the joint visualisation of different quality data, but also for further data analysis based on advanced machine learning algorithms and big data processing. In case you are interested in the opportunities and methods for machine learning based quality assurance and quality enhancement please don’t hesitate to send a short E-Mail to: automation@emg-automation.com. We are happy to discuss your ideas and needs.
Conclusion
EMG's quality assurance systems demonstrate the company's commitment to driving innovation in the steel industry. By integrating state-of-the-art technologies and offering solutions tailored to the specific needs of the industry, EMG is not only setting industry standards, but also shaping the future of automotive steel production. For engineers and production managers, this is a call to action to leverage these systems and take their own production to new heights.
Further information
For more information about EMGs quality assurance systems, please visit the EMG homepage and don’t hesitate to contact our word-wide sales and service organisation at our contact page!