Innovative Quality Assurance: Automated Inspection of Large Castings

Technology supplier specializing in advanced casting technology for mechanical and plant engineering

Based in Krefeld, Germany, Siempelkamp Giesserei is the largest hand-molding foundry in the world. It produces large and heavy castings with a weight of up to 320 tons for the fields of energy conversion, raw material processing as well as press construction and mechanical engineering. The company has a longstanding history and experience in foundry technology and attaches great importance to safe work processes, environmental protection and high product quality.

Siempelkamp is an important global supplier for the industry. To ensure a smooth production process for top-quality castings, the company relies on measuring technology from ZEISS. The ZEISS ATOS LRX 3D scanner enables Siempelkamp to carry out an effective quality assurance while increasing energy efficiency and using valuable resources sustainably by minimizing scrap.

Metrology is part of a comprehensive digitalization strategy. Full-field measurement data enable the company to digitally track the part geometry of all products throughout the entire process – from the model to the casting mold to the final cast part.

No limits: Innovative processes for measuring parts of all sizes

For more than 10 years, Siempelkamp Giesserei has been profiting from the advantages of the ZEISS ATOS 3D scanner. To minimize the manual effort, Siempelkamp Giesserei has decided to use the latest scanner in an automated setup. Together with ZEISS, Siempelkamp Giesserei has installed the world's largest non-contact robot measuring cell with the aim of controlling the production quality of cast parts. The centerpiece of the measuring cell is the ZEISS ATOS LRX 3D scanner that has been specifically developed for large measuring areas and rough production conditions.

The automated project measuring cell captures large parts and generates full-field data. During the inspection, the software guides you through the entire process, from the automatic programming of the robot to data acquisition and inspection to reporting – all with a single system. This high-tech solution allows for a fully automated inspection of parts with an impressive length of over 20 meters.  By enabling comprehensive analyses, this innovation increases the efficiency and accuracy of measurement results.

Large measuring area meets ultra-bright laser light source

ZEISS ATOS LRX is specialized in 3D scans of large-volume parts. The sensor provides full-field data with a highly detailed resolution in next to no time. Thanks to its ultra-bright laser light source and the large measuring area, significantly fewer scans are required. In a single scan, ATOS LRX captures 12 million individual measuring points. With a dustproof and splashproof housing, this solid system is designed for rough production conditions and thus perfectly suited for industrial use.

Thanks to the specifically developed project measuring cell, Siempelkamp Giesserei can now also use ZEISS ATOS LRX as an automated solution. Based on the captured measuring data, the software automatically visualizes surface deviations between the 3D actual coordinates and the CAD data. These results help to quickly identify, analyze and resolve quality issues. Due to the full-field measuring data, the company has a continuous digital quality control.