The ICS 100 gears up for reliable running

Magna Steyr, the Austrian supplier to the automotive industry, uses the ICS 100 camera sensor to inspect the surfaces and true running of the gear wheels for dynamic balancing differential gears.

>> Magna Steyr, which has long been known for its successful developments in 4-wheel drive technology, produces numerous drive components at its new works at Ilz in the Steiermark, where 440 dynamic balancing differential gears are produced every day for BMW’s 3-series. These reduce the vibrations of petrol and diesel engines, thus cutting engine noise - leading to savings in shell stiffening and sound-proofing, and allowing the use of plastic components on the engine.

The right finish and the right decision

A principal component of the dynamic balancing system is the gear shaft, on which there are several gear wheels. After an initial visual inspection by the line foreman, the wheels undergo a more precise examination of the surface finish and shape in order to ensure reliable cyclic running. This guarantees that only polished, true-running gear wheels are included in the nine-stage assembly process.

Excellent cost/benefit ratio confirmed

"While looking for an automatic quality inspection system we struck lucky with the ICS 100," explains Markus Ackerl, Programming Manager at Magna Systemtechnik AG, the manufacturer of the production line. "A conventional image processing system would have exceeded our budget. This 2-D solution combines the advantages of a powerful image processor with industry-oriented sensorics. Thus we could fulfil all the technical requirements economically with the ICS 100."

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