Revolutionizing Gear Inspection

Revolution is a powerful, but sadly overused marketing buzzword, despite the definition, it is often slapped on iterations of existing products, offering marginal gains in performance and/or productivity but still performing the same work, the same way. ZeroTouch Gear inspection respects the definition of the world when claiming to be revolutionary, delivering proven inspection methods where they have not been before, in-line. Existing methods of gear inspection use offline analytical gear inspection machines to audit inspection of high-volume products, and do offer inspection to high accuracy standards. In manufacturing gear, precision is everything. When it comes to gears, even the slightest deviation can lead to inefficiencies, breakdowns, and a host of other mechanical issues. Gear inspection is an essential part of the manufacturing process, ensuring that the gears function as intended, with minimal wear or vibration, and operate at maximum reliability. 

Today's CNC gear checkers measure and replicate the tried and true method pioneered by cam-driven motion machines such as the Fellow's redline tester, where a red pen plotted on engineering graph paper variations on gear flank geometry. These accurate, lab-based machines are often unsuitable for production environments due to their air bearing or mechanical bearing guideways that must remain free from dirt, debris, and contaminants, with error maps modeled at specific operating temperatures. 

The ZeroTouch ZTG provides highly accurate inline gear inspection dedicated to production in volume. This means directly on the shop floor, and integrated into a production cell inspecting at the rate that lines produce parts. Traceability to individual upstream operations such as hobbing, shaping, face-milling, grinding, shaving, etc. and be monitored to manage the process for issues like tool life. ZTG offers an innovative, non-contact inspection solution for gears that transforms the accuracy and efficiency of gear measurement. Traditional methods of gear inspection often rely on physical contact, using mechanical gauges, or complex, time-consuming scanning techniques. However, ZeroTouch Metrology is rapidly changing the landscape by using advanced optical systems to deliver precise, fast, and reliable results without touching the gear’s surface.

How ZeroTouch Metrology Inspects and evaluates Involute and bevel gears.

ZeroTouch Gear inspection is comprized of the following steps.

Optical Scanning: The ZTG utilizes high resolution scanners with high-resolution camera optics. Thes are configured to complely capture the require area for the invidual parts inside the family of gears to be measured.

Data Collection:  The system captures the gear's flank face geometry and it is tied into one common part coodinate systems. The optical sensors emit light onto the gear, and the light reflected back to the sensors is analyzed to detect the gear’s shape and surface characteristics. This data set creates a digital twin from which lead, profile, tooth spacing, indexing error etc can be evaluated. The system collects a vast array of data points, capturing the intricate details of the gear’s teeth, including the tooth profile, diameter, and spacing. This data is transmitted to the connected software for analysis.

Analysis and Comparison: The collected data is processed by advanced metrology software, which compares the measurements to the gear’s design specifications. The system uses algorithms to analyze deviations, assess dimensional accuracy, and even detect potential flaws such as surface irregularities, wear, or cracks. 

Report Generation: The system generates detailed inspection reports, which include dimensional data, tolerances, and any identified issues. These reports are crucial for quality control and traceability allowing manufacturers to maintain a high standard of product integrity.

Key Benefits of ZeroTouch Metrology for Gear Inspection

• Speed and Efficiency: ZeroTouch Metrology significantly speeds up the gear inspection process. Traditional gear inspection techniques can be time-consuming, often requiring complex setups or lengthy measurements. ZeroTouch technology performs quick, comprehensive scans, allowing manufacturers to process more parts in less time.
• High Precision: The optical systems employed by ZeroTouch Metrology offer sub-micron-level precision, ensuring that every aspect of the gear is measured with extreme accuracy. This high level of detail ensures that even the smallest deviations are detected, preventing quality issues from going unnoticed.
• Cost Savings: By reducing inspection time, eliminating the need for expensive mechanical gauges, and preventing defective gears from making it into production, ZeroTouch Metrology offers significant cost savings. The system’s ability to detect potential issues early in the manufacturing process also reduces the likelihood of costly rework or recalls. Traditional Gear Inspection machines can still be used to audit inspection, but don't necessarily need to be deployed in high volume, many axle and transmission plants have historically had a temperatre controlled room full of machines of which only one is usually activly measuring parts.
• Ease of Integration: The ZeroTouch Metrology system can be easily integrated into existing manufacturing processes. It can be connected to production lines, quality control stations, and even robotic systems, streamlining the inspection process within the overall workflow.
• Industry 4.0 Integration: Data from the inspection gauge is available in realtime to be integrated into MES (Manufacturing Enterprise Systems) and PLC communication. Data is easily available in the company information ecosystem. 

Applications of ZeroTouch Metrology in Gear Manufacturing

ZeroTouch Metrology’s high precision and versatility make it suitable for a wide range of gear types and applications. Some notable industries and use cases include:

• Automotive & Transportation Industry: Gears are integral to power transmission, taking power from internal combustion engines or e-motors and delivering to the wheels at the road.ZeroTouch service transmissions, axles, and differential parallel and non-parallel axis gears. The ZTG ensures that automotive gears meet stringent quality standards for performance and durability.
• Aerospace: In aerospace, gears must operate in extreme conditions, where even the slightest defect could be catastrophic. ZeroTouch Metrology helps ensure that each gear is flawless, offering precise and reliable inspections for components used in aircraft engines, pump gears, and more. The prime example of the accuracy requirements is in aerospace pump gears, where errors result in gears that would run hot in engine assemblies.
• Industrial Equipment: Heavy machinery relies on high-performance gears for power transmission, as farming and construction equipment have expectations of uptime required in harsh applications, uses, and environments. ZeroTouch Metrology guarantees that gears used in manufacturing equipment, construction machinery, and other industrial tools maintain maximum reliability and efficiency.
• Energy Sector: In assemblies such as home generator backup systems, ZeroTouch Metrology helps ensure that these gears perform efficiently, even in demanding environments. These range from 

Conclusion

ZeroTouch Metrology is revolutionizing gear inspection by combining cutting-edge optical technology with precision and speed. By delivering inline inspection, this non-contact measurement technique ensures process and tolerance integrity and maximizes production quality to design intent, resulting in products meeting the highest performance. With its ability to provide detailed, real-time results, ZeroTouch Metrology enhances manufacturing efficiency and ensures that gears meet the highest quality standards. As industries continue to demand greater precision and efficiency, ZeroTouch Metrology is proud to partner with leading manufacturers and drive forward quality and performance standards.