Press release
No. 175e
October 2008
Bavarian Research Foundation promotes
collaboration project between BMW and
Micro-Epsilon
- development of an innovative measuring process for surface inspection
The Bavarian Research Foundation is using € 650,000 to promote the
collaboration established in September 2007 between BMW’s Dingolfing
plant, Micro-Epsilon, one of the leading providers of high-precision sensors,
measuring equipment and systems, and the Institute for Software Systems in
Technical Informatics Applications (FORWISS Passau) of the University of
Passau. The two-year research project involves the development of a new
optical measurement process for the industrial quality control of reflecting
surfaces.
In the automotive industry, s well as making purchasing decisions based on
the functionality of products, consumers are also heavily influenced by the
external appearance of the vehicle. The shiny surface of a vehicle is critical
here, as well as the technology inside the car. However, perfect paintwork
requires maximum attention during the complete painting process.
Conventional measuring systems are often not sufficient to detect very small
unevenness, bumps or roughness on the shiny, reflecting surface. However,
the human eye of the customer can detect these imperfections very well. As a
result, the consistent and intensive quality inspection of surfaces is becoming
more and more important in the automotive sector. Innovative measuring
processes and systems are therefore required. The objective of the research
project is to develop these systems further.
Micro-Epsilon
presse@micro-epsilon.com
Tel.: +49/8542/168-0
www.micro-epsilon.com
More Information at:
www.microepsilon.com/presse
Micro-Epsilon is one of the leading providers of high precision sensors,
measuring equipment and systems. With more than 1,500 engineer-years of
accumulated experience in the development, production and use of
displacement sensors, Micro-Epsilon is a reputable industry partner to many
companies throughout the world. This medium sized company located in
Ortenburg has greatly contributed for almost 40 years to solving measurement
and inspection tasks that involve displacement, distance and position
measurement. The BMW Group is not a new collaboration partner for MicroEpsilon. Together, the two companies have already developed a process for
the partial measurement of raw plastic surfaces, which has been used in the
BMW Landshut plant since Spring 2007.
The two companies are now working together with their collaboration partners
on the development of a special 3D measuring system. The special feature
here is that with this technique, the surface itself is not examined but its
optically distorted or intensity weakening effect, which appear as irregularities
in the mirror image of a pattern. This procedure makes it possible to
accurately measure defects and shape differences even on reflecting surfaces.
Dipl. Ing. Karl Wisspeintner, executive director of Micro-Epsilon, is
convinced about the potential success of this innovative development. He sees
clear possibilities to adapt the technique for other industrial sectors, for
example, the glass industry. And he hopes to become a general supplier in the
automotive industry with the newly developed system.
The University of Passau is not an unknown factor either when it comes to
research. It has already been performing analyses using digital image
processing for several years for BMW’s Dingolfing plant.
Software from FORWISS Passau is already supporting the quality assurance
in pilot production. By reverse engineering 3D measured data in CAD
systems, accurate assessments of individual parts of the outside surface of the
vehicle are possible. There are further collaborations with BMW Forschung
und Technik GmbH in the areas of image processing, sensor data fusion and
environmental detection for future driver assistance systems, which will
further develop driver safety using active systems. The Institute for Software
Systems in Technical Informatics Applications of the University of Passau has
again been asked to carry out the current research project. Under the
leadership of its director, Prof. Dr. Klaus Donner, Dr. Oliver Schwarz and
Dipl. Mathematiker (graduate mathematician) René Schöne developed the
mathematical model which makes it possible to process the acquired
measurement data and evaluate this accordingly.
Developing innovative and visionary technologies and being involved in their
research and development has always been an important objective at the
BMW Group. In the 3D measurement system for “fast 3D shape measurement
of reflecting surfaces”, the BMW Dingolfing plant, the largest plant within the
BMW production network, sees a milestone in the quality assessment of
surfaces. Therefore, the successful development, implementation and
introduction of the system is critical for Klaus Musial, manager of the
Dingolfing paint shop – also with respect to the development and plant
network of the surface technology of the BMW Group.
Among other things, the task of the paint specialists of the BMW Dingolfing
plant is to provide the necessary comparison data for the new system. At a
later time, the 3D measuring system should be integrated in a production line
at the Dingolfing paint shop in order to test both the system as well as the
technique under real operating conditions.
The research project of the collaboration partners BMW Dingolfing plant,
Micro-Epsilon and the University of Passau is a further step towards the
strengthening of Lower Bavaria as a region which is not only the home of
innovation and research but also where these are driven forward.
Micro-Epsilon
presse@micro-epsilon.com
Tel.: +49/8542/168-0
www.micro-epsilon.com
More Information at:
www.microepsilon.com/presse
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Figure 1: reflectCONTROL-FORSO
(PR175_reflectCONTROL-FORSO.jpg)
Dipl.-Wirt. Ing. (FH) Florian Hofmann
Marketing
Tel.:+49 8542 168-225
Florian.hofmann@micro-epsilon.de
Micro-Epsilon
presse@micro-epsilon.com
Tel.: +49/8542/168-0
www.micro-epsilon.com
More Information at:
www.microepsilon.com/presse