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Automated visual inspection of die-cast parts

Used products:N31 | N36

Challenge

Die-cast components made from aluminum and magnesium alloys are becoming increasingly important in the automotive industry. They help reduce vehicle weight and improve overall efficiency. At the same time, quality requirements are rising. Every component must be complete and free of defects. Otherwise, functional failures, safety risks, or costly downstream damage may occur. Critical structures such as sprues, casting burrs, runners, channels, and feeders must therefore be inspected reliably.

Limits of conventional inspection technology

Many manufacturers still rely on traditional sensors such as light barriers, inductive sensors, or reflective photoelectric sensors. These sensors must be positioned very close to the hot workpiece. This exposes them to high thermal stress. There is also a risk of collisions with the parts. Another drawback is the high effort required during product or tool changes. Sensors often need to be repositioned, adjusted, or expanded. These changes lead to additional downtime and higher maintenance effort.

High product variety and challenging surfaces

Die-cast components differ greatly in shape, size, and surface properties. Some parts have shiny, dark, or highly reflective surfaces. These characteristics make reliable optical inspection more difficult. Manufacturers therefore need a flexible inspection system. It must detect and evaluate different component geometries automatically. At the same time, it should operate without mechanical adjustments and remain reliable under changing production conditions.

Application

An automated inspection system from VisionTools solves this challenge. The system integrates directly into the production line and captures the geometry of each cast component without contact. At the center of the solution is an Ensenso N35 3D camera. It captures precise spatial data from a safe distance. The system uses this data to verify the completeness and condition of all relevant component structures.

Precise 3D capture from a safe distance

Depending on the component size, a robot moves the workpiece step by step in front of the camera. This allows the system to capture all relevant areas. Image acquisition and analysis take only a few seconds per inspection position. As a result, the inspection process fits seamlessly into the production workflow without slowing down throughput. The camera generates a detailed 3D point cloud of the component geometry. The software compares this data with stored reference models. If deviations occur, the system immediately identifies and reports them. Defective parts can therefore be removed early. This prevents potential damage to tools or machines.

Flexible inspection of different component variants

The system supports a wide range of product variants. Operators can manage product and tool changes entirely through software. No mechanical adjustment of the sensors is required. The software simply compares the stored inspection features with the current measurement data. This approach significantly reduces setup times and production interruptions.

Reliable results on challenging surfaces

The Ensenso N35 uses projected texture stereo vision. An integrated projector casts artificial patterns onto the surface of the workpiece. Two cameras capture these patterns from different perspectives. The system then calculates a precise 3D representation using triangulation. Additional technologies such as FlexView further improve measurement accuracy. The system combines several images with different projection patterns to generate highly reliable data. This method produces stable results even on shiny, dark, or reflective surfaces. This capability is particularly valuable for die-cast components with demanding material properties.

Outlook

Camera-based 3D inspection enables reliable, contactless quality control directly within the production process. It significantly reduces defect rates and improves overall process stability. At the same time, the system helps prevent downtime in die-casting machines. It detects incomplete mold emptying at an early stage and removes faulty parts before they cause problems. Manufacturers benefit from lower production costs and higher system availability.

The flexible, software-driven architecture also opens new opportunities. The system can easily adapt to different components and production scenarios. This makes it suitable not only for die casting but also for other metalworking processes or industries that require fast and precise inspection of complex geometries.

Overall, the solution demonstrates how modern 3D vision technology strengthens quality assurance in industrial production. At the same time, it increases efficiency, improves safety, and reduces operating costs.

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