Zeiss Industrial Quality Solutions, Germany, released the shearography tire-inspection system Zeiss Intact 1360-X developed specifically for the inline control of new tires. The new system can detect separations and air bubbles, as well as foreign material inclusions in the tires that are difficult if not impossible to detect with an x-ray procedure. To inspect a complete tire — from beaded rim to beaded rim, including the loading and unloading – the system needs just 55 seconds.
According to Zeiss, it is the fastest single machine in the world and “has been specially developed to optimize production processes in the manufacturing of new tires,” according to Rainer Huber, product manager NDT, Zeiss IQS. Naturally, large retreading plants will also benefit from this machine’s speed advantage.
Initial return-on-investment calculations by Zeiss assume that the purchase of a Zeiss Intact 1360-X for new-tire manufacturers and retreading companies can be amortized through personnel cost savings, depending on the region, within about two years, provided the machine is used 24/7. But given the current acute shortage of highly skilled staff, these cost savings are only one benefit. Many decisions-makers will also find it compelling that operating this new development takes up less space on the production floor to achieve the same output. Using individual machines also lowers complexity, and therefore the error rate, as well as the risk of a complete failure of the inspection solution.
The extremely fast inspection times that can be achieved are possible thanks to an innovative sensor technology that includes ten high-resolution probes working simultaneously. This allows the axial movements and the number of inspection cycles to detect errors on both the tire tread and on the side walls of the tires to be reduced. Also, motors bring maintenance-free cameras to the desired position faster than ever before.
All Zeiss Intact systems are equipped with tire size recognition as a standard feature. This ensures the automatic positioning of the probes, and a maximum boost in performance. The result is an inspection process that is simple, fast, and secure. Operator errors, such as selecting the wrong inspection program, are not possible. This increases the profitability of the entire equipment increases and also allows companies to quickly instruct staff to use the machine without their needing to have expert knowledge. Due to the user-friendly software, the inspection results can be easily analyzed and used.
It is also easy to be integrated into existing production processes. In addition to an MES interface as a web API, the Zeiss Intact 1360-X comes standard with a standardized interface for external conveyor systems. As a field test at one of Zeiss’s pilot customers showed, the Zeiss Intact 1360-X lifts “the quality assurance in tire manufacturing to a whole new level,” says Huber.
Image – The shearography tire-inspection system Zeiss Intact 1360-X
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