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Big Three automakers produce thousands of
spot-welds on each vehicle moving down assembly lines. The quality of each
weld varies, depending on everything from human slips to a machine
malfunction. Even robots make mistakes. "We can watch the weld and
have finite control of each weld," Cecil said. Eliminating error
and guesswork make production less expensive. "We can reduce the cycle
time to produce more parts during the same time." Quality checks of welds are
usually made through the random sampling of one in thousands. "It's just like
gambling," Cecil said. "It's guesstimating at its best or roulette
quality control." Welds typically take less than
a second, a span measured in hertz -- far too fast to check or control with
conventional technology. So automakers are forced to perform thousands of
back-up welds on each vehicle to ensure quality and safety. Hundreds or even thousands of
these welds could be eliminated -- perhaps as much as 20 percent, Cecil
estimates -- using his company's system. Sensors and micro machines too
minute to be seen by the naked eye can manipulate a multitude of factors
involved in a weld, including variables such as heat, electric amperage, the
duration of a weld or size, consistency of the metal, and other
considerations. The process can be compared to checking a cake while it
bakes, adding or detracting ingredients, to guarantee perfection. In the hyper-competitive auto
industry, where companies look for savings in each vehicle produced, the
advantages can be significant. "It consumes time, energy,
and money to produce extra welds," said Peter Cantillon, CIW program
analyst and project manager. "You can reduce these if you really know in
real time you have made a good weld." Cecil, who describes himself as
an industrial entrepreneur and an inventor, founded The company employs just five
people, but out-sources parts for its devices from about 200 vendors. CIW has
sold systems to each of the major automakers and several auto-supply
companies. "Most of applications were
internal audits," Cecil said. "We got involved and corrected the
situation after a welding system had failed after the run failed after
multiple welds. Procedures to retrieve (faulty welds) are expensive. The
longer you don't know if your welds are produced properly, the more expensive
it becomes to discover it. With our product, you know in real time that the
welds are good." Consumer recalls caused by poor
welds are especially expensive. Yet the major automakers have been slow to
make great use of the technology, Cecil said. "The reasons they find are
two fold," he said. "One, resistance welding is a mature industry.
There is a 'not invented here' syndrome. This should be perceived as a tool.
But it is perceived as a threat. Management teams feel if they utilize it,
they will lose their own jobs." Vehicle manufacturers are also
loyal to vendors who may not use the la And some companies have
questions about microtechnology. "We know we are providing
a solution that gives the user 100 percent confidence in what they
produce," he said. "Some users are skeptical. They did not think a
solution exists." Yet Cecil thinks he is seeing
progress in the acceptance and widespread use of the technology. "We realistically see
ourselves as a global player with partners we are working with right now in A process called Failed Part
Containment Enclose (FPCE) is among Cecil's innovations. This can shut down
automated welding the instant a faulty weld is produced -- and provide
complete computerized documentation of the process to quickly identify the
problem. The company's system also can terminate the weld process at the exact
instant it meets the desired specifications. "If is not a good weld, it
can elongate the weld," Cantillon said. The company further touts
advantages in the small scale of its monitors. Conventional devices, for
instance, to "Cost is reduced and it's
portable, which makes a big difference on a plant floor," Cantillon
said. Cecil believes the biggest
benefit, however, is the quality assurance a manufacturer can give customers
at a cheaper cost. "The bottom line, why
would someone want to use this? The cost saving benefit, increased
productivity, and real-time documentation of every weld of every assembly.
That gives them the confidence to produce the vehicle that the industry and
customer demands." |
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