September_AMP_Digital

FEATURE A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9 5 0 2 some manufacturers provide a quick-responding bar graph in combination with the slower responding digital readout of the parameter value in the same meter housing. However, morework needs to be done to further reduce response time of digital meters and circuits. It is expected that signature-typemonitoring of the pro- cess in real time will continue to be in high demand. The sys- tem verifies critical machine settings to provide confidence in processing quality parts. Modern heat-treat systems offer control, data acquisition, and signature monitoring in one package using a computerized front end with human-ma- chine interface (HMI) coupledwith PLC control to provide the best of both technologies. Many manufacturers have devel- oped proprietary solutions for digital monitoring circuitry, which increases accuracy andminimizes response time. According to the Law of Large Numbers, installing an excessive number of sensors, detectors, and related devic- es/systems could negatively impact equipment uptime and overall system reliability. Therefore, it is imperative to estab- lish a minimum number of truly crucial process parameters for a heat treat application that requiresmonitoring, which is why the design of modern induction equipment has become holistic. Attempts have been made to design modern induc- tion systems that have a sophisticated, rigid construction, yet a simple design with minimum components making it more reliable, compact, and easier to operate and maintain. Every effort must be made to detect and prevent defective parts from reaching the assembly. Cyber security has become crucial in our highly digi- tized world due to the potential risk of hacking, compromis- ing process recipes/protocols/validation and equipment cal- ibration, as well as digital data collection. Electronic records must be created and stored, and measures should be taken to avoid their alterationwithout detection. This is associated with appropriate programs and implementing safety fea- tures, and results in additional cost, which can be challeng- ing for some small-size equipment manufacturers. In the past, suppliers would often have a particular part contract for many years. Today, contracts can move from supplier to supplier much more frequently. Therefore, win- ning a contract over the competition could require a supplier to evaluate new induction equipment to ensure it can per- form the job, purchase and set up the machine, complete a production part approval process (PPAP), and be produc- tion-ready ina short periodof time. Modernhigh-quality, reli- able equipment should allow easy retooling and reprogram- ming to process different parts. Development of innovative power supplies (for example, Inductoheat’s IFP technology) that enable instant, independent adjustment of power and frequency in a preprogrammed digitized manner during the heating cycle represents a significant step forward in en- hancing equipment flexibility and optimizing metallurgical quality of heat-treated parts. INDUCTION HEAT TREATMENT CHALLENGES IN A HIGHLY DIGITIZED WORLD T he technology of heat treating by means of elec- tromagnetic induction is advancing at an accelerated rate, addressing new challenges and a rapidly changing business en- vironment. The variety of parts gets larger while product cycle times get shorter. In many induc- tion applications, heating time is less than a few seconds and is only a fraction of a second in some cases. Factors traditionally used by commercial heat treaters to evaluate induction equipment include technical capabili- ty, performance consistency, delivery time, machine longev- ity, and price. With recent industrial trends, the decision to purchase heat treat equipment also requires consideration of additional factors including equipment flexibility, trace- ability of component heat treatment quality, digital connec- tivity, and the ability to store and access process data. Piece-by-piece processing capability with individual component traceability, readiness for automation, and digi- tization of process control andmonitoring have always been among the most attractive features of induction heat treat- ment relevant to the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). Continual advancements in microprocessor and micro- controller technology have resulted in previously unavail- able sophisticated control/monitoring systems. However, such sophistication can add considerable cost to equipment, discouraging some aspects of imple- menting Industry 4.0 operating strategy. For example, in- cluding all possible “bells and whistles” into equipment de- sign to enhance monitoring/control capabilities and digital data collection might result in a price that greatly exceeds what the buyer is willing to pay. That is a reality. Also, extremely large amounts of data gathered must be analyzed to assess how changes in the process affect the product, which takes time and costsmoney. Itmight bemore sensible in some instances to use less involved monitoring and control techniques, with appropriate preventive and/or predictive maintenance programs. Therefore, the question for the prudent engineer changes from “What can be done?” to “What needs to be done?” One of the first steps in implementing industry digiti- zation is applying digital meters that use special integrated circuits as an alternative to analogmeters widely used in the past. Used within their rating, digital meters provide accu- rate measurement of the power supply output electrical pa- rameters. Because the response time of digital meters could still be too slow for rapid induction heat treat processes, GUEST DITORIAL (continued on page 4)