OMCAT, Catalytic Converter Measurement System

Product Overview

Catalytic Converter Measurement System with OMCAT 

The exact position of the ceramic substrate within the catalytic converter sleeve is of decisive importance for the durability of exhaust catalytic converters. Premature damage may result if the substrate is fixed too loosely or too tightly.

OMCAT catalytic converter measuring systems provide a fast and efficient means of carrying out complex geometrical measurements on exhaust catalytic converters and of determining the gap bulk density (GBD).

OMCAT measuring systems feature innovative measurement functions combined with reliable technology. High measurement speed and accuracy and high availability due to their rugged construction are the major strengths of these systems which come to the fore in the harsh conditions which prevail in production environments.

All OMCAT systems are tried and tested standard solutions. Their components and modules have undergone a lengthy test phase and rigorous quality inspections. However, in the unlikely event that a problem should arise, first-class service is available worldwide and the standardised construction of these measuring systems guarantees long-term, global availability of spare parts.

System Versions

OMCAT 550 / 600

Quality and process control in production

OMCAT 550 and OMCAT 600 measuring systems are designed to withstand the harsh conditions in manufacturing environments. Their robust construction guarantees longevity, while the use of maintenance-free components ensures high availability.

Smooth and robust sheet steel panelling without nooks and crannies makes for easy cleaning. Because of the fan-free electronics, dust is not sucked into the system housing. Maintenance access points with several access levels for connections, electronics and the rotary stage allow easy access for maintenance and servicing.

The measurement functions are controlled using ergonomically designed robust push buttons. These large, metal push buttons are specially arranged for intuitive operation. They are guaranteed for 10 million switching cycles and meet all the requirements of harsh manufacturing environments and 24/7 production.

The measuring system is controlled with the OMCAT-Vision software which is optimised for operation using the function buttons and 10“ touch screen and allows all major functions, from basic configuration through to the creation of recipes, to be run on the device itself.

OMCAT L50 / L60

Integration in the production line

The OMCAT L50 and L60 systems offer a cost-effective alternative when catalytic converter measurement is to be integrated directly within the production line. While no compromises are made with regard to quality or measurement accuracy, there is no need for panels, push buttons and connections on the system itself when the placement of measurement objects and the start of the measurement process are to be automated.

Only the measuring instrument itself is located in the production line, while a decentralised unit is used for controlling and evaluating measurements. This unit can be accommodated in existing standard cabinets in a 19“ drawer, for example. Control for carrying out measurements is automated by means of a direct communication interface with the production line.

Automation of the measurement process increases process security and creates synergies for the operation of the entire production line.

When a new production plant is planned, the measuring system can be integrated by the manufacturer of the plant, but installation in existing plants is also possible at any stage.

Measuring quickly and precisely

OMCAT can measure any component with a convex cross-section. The measurement object is rotated on a rotary stage while the measurement sensor is moved to defined measurement levels by means of a linear stage. The measured data is automatically compared with nominal contours which are saved in measurement recipes.

No alignment of measurement objects

The measured contour is automatically aligned with the nominal contour, eliminating time-consuming alignment of measurement objects before measurement. The measurement object is simply placed on the precision rotary stage and the measurement process is started directly.

No manual settings for the measurement sensor

Different measurement levels and diameters can be measured across the entire detection range without the need for manual settings to be made to the sensor or for the subsequent re-calibration that this would involve.

Three measurement levels in seven seconds

Fast stages for positioning measurement object and sensor, a powerful internal evaluation and control processor and an additional real-time processor allow fast, fluent processing because processes run in parallel.A measurement with three measurement levels and a speed of rotation of 360°/s takes less than 7 seconds from the start of the measurement until the results have been saved.

Precise measurement with uneven surfaces

The high sampling rate of the triangulation sensor (50 kHz) makes it possible to adjust the power of the laser dynamically and to measure on a wide range of surfaces, including dark ceramics and shiny metals. Even measurement objects with surface variations caused by welded joints, for example, can be measured precisely without outliers.

High-accuracy, maintenance-free stages

Fast, high-accuracy positioning and the direct response characteristic of the stepper motors are key features of the stages. The rotary stage with direct coupling guarantees precise positioning even with heavy measurement objects. Thanks to the integrated rotor position detection sensor, additional position encoders, which would require adjustment and maintenance, are superfluous. In combination with the lifetime lubrication, this makes the stages maintenance-free.

Temperature compensation for measurement accuracy

Several internal sensors and multi-level, decentralized temperature compensation guarantee that precise measurement results are delivered consistently, even when the ambient temperature varies.

Poka Yoke, SPC and calibration

Poka-yoke for guaranteed process stability

Various poka-yoke measures are available for the immediate detection and prevention of errors during operation of the measuring systems. Attempts to manipulate measurements and operator errors are reliably identified by the software and a correction message is displayed. In order to continue the measurement process, only the erroneous step must be corrected and not the entire measurement.

SPC concept for process reliability

For the purposes of statistical process control, the system requests a specific component to be measured at defined intervals and the results of the measurement are compared with a reference measurement of the very same component.

If the measured values lie within the permissible range, the current measurement process can be continued immediately. If the values lie outside the permissible tolerance, calibration is requested automatically. Measurement and evaluation take only a few seconds.

The SPC tests and results are recorded in the database. They are safe from any kind of manipulation and can be viewed and exported at any time.

Simple, reliable calibration

Calibration as may be required after an SPC measurement, for example, can be carried out quickly and easily. The use of just one calibration piece guarantees clear-cut results and drastically reduces the probability of calibration errors. If there are deviations, the adjustment is carried out automatically with no need for manual intervention or settings.

Acquisition of codes for tracking

Measurement objects can be identified and tracked by reading in a wide range of different codes. To guarantee maximum flexibility within the production process, the functions of the code scanners can be freely assigned using the measurement recipe, making it possible, for example, to process codes on catalyst bricks, lot codes, etc. OMCAT therefore complies fully with the requirements stipulated in the 008-06-17 OEM standard.

Base codes

The scanner integrated in the turntable can be used to read code labels on the base of measurement objects and to process them for tracking purposes. If there are no labels on the measurement objects, labels can be printed on an optional printer and affixed before or after the measurement.

Sleeve codes

If code labels are affixed to the surface of the sleeve of the measurement objects, another optional scanner can be used to read in the codes during rotation within the measurement process. The scan for checking the orientation of the measurement object and thereby ensuring the correct positioning and allocation of measurement levels can be used as a Poka-yoke measure.

Box codes

If components are delivered without proper product codes, box codes such as batch and part numbers can be scanned instead. The part number, which may be included in the product code, can be used as a poka-yoke measure in order to check or automatically select the recipe.

Flexible measurement and evaluation

Process control on the basis of GBD

In combination with digital scales, the optional software extension offers the prerequisites for the evaluation of mat weight for the purpose of process control on the basis of GBD or for determining the mean GBD for quality control. The mat weights are automatically requested and transmitted to the software. Mats with a weight of up to 3 kg can be weighed with a resolution of 0.1 g.

The software extension contains poka-yoke measures for the verification of mat switch and placement of the right mat.

Local evaluation of gap and GBD

This optional function makes it possible to determine the position of the catalyst brick in the finished catalytic converter. Using the 2D scan system integrated in the turntable, the eccentricity of the brick in the metal sleeve is measured with the aid of a DMC affixed to its base. By determining the position of the brick, it is possible for the software to perform an automatic evaluation of the gap and GBD for individual angular sections. The number, angular position and size of the sections can be defined in the measurement recipe. In addition, it is also possible to define separate tolerances for individual areas. Adherence to these tolerances is checked by means of the software.

Flexible for pre- and post-canning

OMCAT enables pre- and post-canning measurements to be carried out with the same measuring system or with separate systems. The database allocates the data automatically in both cases.

Measuring multiple catalyst bricks in a stack

If several bricks are installed in a converter, they can be measured in a stack in order to increase throughput. The measurement for the sleeve can also be carried out in one step without rotating the converter. Up to four bricks can be measured with one recipe so there is no need to keep changing the recipe.

It is easy to prevent measurements being mixed up by mistake by using a recipe in combination with optional code scanners to check the part number.

Software

Depending on the system model and the field of application, a number of different software versions are available for OMCAT measuring systems.

OMCAT-Vision

Operation via touch screen

OMCAT-Vision is optimised for operating and controlling the measuring systems via touch screen and is specially designed for use in serial production.

It is installed as the standard operating software in OMCAT 550 and OMCAT 600 measuring systems.

The ergonomically designed user interface is clearly structured and easy to understand, enabling operators and setters alike to work intuitively.

The touch screen is used for the configuration of the measuring system and for the creation of recipes for measurements.

In addition to automatic tolerance detection, a graph comparing the nominal and the actual contour is displayed for the purposes of immediate assessment.

OMCAT-Automate

The solution for automated manufacturing

OMCAT-Automate, used in OMCAT L50/L60 measuring systems, has been developed in order to integrate the full range of features of the OMCAT measuring systems in an automated manufacturing process.

OMCAT-Automate makes it possible to use external automation systems, such as PLCs, to control the measurement process. The configuration of the measuring instrument and creation of recipes are also performed using commands in the control protoc

OMCAT-Expert

Detailed analyses and evaluations

The Expert software features comprehensive analytical, statistical and graphical tools and is recommended for use in development, process optimisation, quality assurance and the technological preparation of the manufacturing process. The software is included in the standard scope of delivery of the OMCAT XA6 laboratory system. It can also be installed on a PC in order to evaluate measurement data on screen during serial production or create recipes within the work preparation process without tying up the measuring system, for example.

The applications listed below are given as examples of the comprehensive possibilities afforded by the software:

• Flexible measurements thanks to execution of individual measurement steps and examination of individual contours
• Automated multiple measurements and recording of changes
• Superimposition of contours from various measurements
• Reverse measurements
• Determination of local measurement values or curvature in specific areas
• Statistical functions such as trend analysis and histograms
• Use of measurement data from external sensors, such as temperature and humidity
• Horizontal and vertical measurements for the fast determination of contour and height

Admin module for OMCAT-Expert

The Admin module allows complete central management of all OMCAT measuring systems using a network. This makes it ideal for operators with several measuring systems which may even be located at different sites. These systems can be configured for scheduled measurement tasks, serviced and monitored in various ways via remote access. This also includes the upload of updates and recipes. Monitoring plant and production parameters provides effective support for the preparation of production reports and statistics.

Simple and intuitive operation

The intuitive and easy-to-understand user interface guarantees easy operation and minimizes the time it takes to become familiar with the measuring system.

Guided data entry in the recipe generator and data plausibility testing ensure reliable configuration and automatic fault detection. Nominal contours can be created directly or read in via DXF files.

The measurement procedure is fault-tolerant: individual measurement steps can be corrected at any time without the entire measurement process having to be carried out all over again.

The results are tailored to suit the specific application and are displayed clearly on the monitor.

Reliable and comprehensive storage of results

The data is securely stored in a database which is insusceptible to manipulation. A highly efficient database system allows the storage of at least 2 million data sets in the measuring system with consistent access times. The data sets contain the complete measurement results, including the plant and recipe parameters, enabling repeat measurements and further analyses to be carried out. Remote access for analysis and statistics is protected by a password and certificates.

In-process data interface

All the measurement, adjustment and SPC data can be exported to ASCII files in CSV format regularly and automatically and can be saved on a network drive. This makes is possible to import files into databases and spreadsheet programmes for the purposes of quality management and mandatory documentation where they can be subjected to customer-specific further processing.