Success Story - Intelligent testing. Maximum efficiency.
30% time savings in the inspection process
100% savings on tool maintenance
Savings on repair and service costs
Reduction of handling errors
Simple documentation of results/curves
The challenge
Wagon Automotive, Nagold, is a system supplier for sheet metal forming and car body construction for the automotive industry.
In this project, which began in 2019, side panels for vehicle bodies are manufactured. Press-in elements such as blind rivet studs and
blind rivet nuts are used in the production cycle. To meet safety requirements, each press-in element was checked using mechanical torque wrenches.
The inspection process was very time-consuming, which became increasingly uneconomical as the order situation grew. In addition, the 20 torque wrenches used had to be manually relaxed every day after work according to the manufacturer's specifications.
The solution
At the start of the project, initial tests were carried out with various EC tools, which suggested a significant improvement in terms of throughput time, accuracy, and worker influence.
In addition to the technical specifications, Wagon placed particular emphasis on the advice and support provided by the supplier, which ultimately led to the decision in favor of HST after the selection process.
Tools from the TorqBee EC series were used, i.e., cordless EC screwdriving systems equipped with rotary sensors for torque/rotation angle. Thanks to the precise internal measurement technology, the torques required by the customer can be implemented exactly and the components can be checked.
The test sequences consist of different test parameters and screwdriving programs. The barcode scanners installed in the tools are used to select the test programs quickly and accurately.
In practice, each serial number of the side panels is assigned a precisely defined test sequence with a wide variety of individual screw programs. Scanning the serial number thus triggers a clear, tamper-proof test sequence, including documentation of the test results.
The results
Since its introduction, this solution has proven itself technically, but the requirements for the scope of documentation have changed over the years. Specifically, even more detailed information on screw connections and tests, such as screw curves, should be recorded and stored on an order-specific basis.
Here, the BTC controller reached its technical limits, and a software upgrade would have been too complex.
The solution is provided by the NetBee controller, which has recently been added to the product range. It offers all the advantages of the BTC previously used, plus real-time graphical recording of the screw tightening curves.
Today, Wagon Automotive meets all of its end customers' requirements for productivity, quality, and documentation in connection with all blind rivet studs and blind rivet nuts in series production.
