Customer
Saint-Gobain Igniter Products (Milford, NH) manufactures hot surface igniters commonly used in gas-fired appliances and HVAC products.
Challenge
Sort igniters having different specifications within a batch and capture reliable measurement data in a dusty, high-electromagnetic production environment.
Solution
Create a computer-based system that automates the set up of appropriate sort criterion for the igniters, “pick and places” igniters onto a rotary dial for resistance measurement, and “pick and places” igniters onto an unload rail corresponding to the measured resistance.
Key products used:
- National Instruments (NI) LabVIEW
- NI PCI-7344 motion control board
- NI PCI-6527 data acquisition board
Benefits
A Saint-Gobain capability study found the computer-based system to be much better than all previous methods of testing. The system exceeded the expectations of the manufacturing department, and labor reduction exceeded expectations since the machine did not need a full-time operator.