DESOUTTER Industrial Tools recently sold a Delta Cart II precision tool bench, to a key customer in the automotive manufacturing industry. The first of its kind in Africa, the sale places tool management, verification and calibration at the customer’s fingertips.
“Efficient tool management, verification and calibration is essential to ensure that the tools deliver optimal, accurate and safe performance, resulting in the production of high-quality products,” said Corrie Coetzee, Business LineManager of Desoutter Industrial Tools, which designs and manufactures industrial power tools, assembly solutions, quality assurance products and software.
“It is imperative that manufacturing companies keep up with the world of digitalisation in order to remain relevant and profitable,” said Coetzee, adding that the automotive manufacturing industry is no different.
“It too faces a growing need to continuously drive up the quality of production processes while driving down operating costs. From component manufacture to vehicle assembly, digitalisation in its various forms – monitoring and control systems, tool, component, machine health measurements and predictive maintenance – contributes to a manufacturer’s sustainability through increased uptime, improved productivity, optimised resources and a reduction in maintenance costs.”
According to Coetzee, the Delta Cart II manufactured by his company has digital capabilities that takes tool management to the next level. “The cart follows the tools throughout their life cycle and organises work flow, tests tool capability and monitors tool performance during the assembly process. Through preventative maintenance and early detection of potential problems, enabling timeous tool repair or replacement. Therefore, a reduction in downtime is achieved and the need for quality rework can be minimised.”
This cart also has the capability to store an inventory of tools with pre-set applications. It can track the tools capability status, identify users, follow routes from station to station and manage user access rights. The cart is also able to predefine and update tightening strategies per station.
The Delta Cart II checks the status of the power tools to ensure that they perform according to standards in each assembly process. The Delta Cart II displays torque and angle curves, with test results in real time.
Before being introduced into production, power tool capability is tested (Cm/Cmk) and performance is monitored through SPC (Statistic Process Control) tests. Based on these test results which are stored in a local database in accordance with ISO 9001 requirements, the unit determines whether tools are good to go or require an adjustment, repair or replacement. The test bench keeps traceability of all test results and raises calibration certificates.
Additional features of the Delta Cart II which are compliant with all international accreditations (ISO 3534, ISO 6789 – ISO 5393 and ISO 8258), include:
- A configurable torque range from 1Nm to 1000Nm with up to four cells
- A manual or automatic (via Open Protocol) double reading bench / controller with automatic verification of a drift
- An external DRT communication for in-line calibration (Angle Strategy with external DRT5)
- Auto calibration CVI2 & CVI3, PST high accuracy static transducers with locking system specially designed for pulse tool calibration and an ISO RIG System for click wrenches calibrations
The cart can be customised to cater to individual requirements; in addition to specialised hardware or software, customers can choose to add an arm, a printer, a tool controller in open protocol, or a barcode reader / PC keyboard to their Delta Cart II. Various language options are also available.
The official hand-over of the cart to a premium vehicle manufacturer took place in the third quarter of 2018 in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Desoutter Industrial Tools, in partnership with GPT Power Tools (Local Distributor and authorised Service provider), were responsible for commissioning as well as product and operator training.
“This landmark event positions Desoutter Industrial Tools as a pioneering company within the power tool management space,” Coetzee said.