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Industry: Automotive
Project: Life Cycle Testing
Overview: Our customer, a Carolina’s based automotive components manufacturer, needed a system to monitor product actuation cycle counts on a test bed. Their existing test bed performed all of the needed mechanical functionality, but did not track individual product cycle counts, or track component test faults.
Customer Benefits
  • A reliable method of maintaining accurate cycle counts on individual components during life cycle testing.
  • Individual product fault counts necessary for QC reporting.
  • A single source automation solution.
 Design Objectives
  • Provide a low cost hardware platform
  • Track component cycle counts
  • Provide fault information on individual components
  • Provide test bed operators with an easy to use OIT
System Solutions
  • The Omron CQM1H PLC and NT20S OIT were chosen both for their ability to do the job, but also because our customer had used these products in other successful projects.
  • Analog inputs were used for sensor voltage level detection.
  • Due to the compact size of the PLC and OIT, a small Rittal enclosure with Brad Harrison quick connect cabling for the sensor assemblies provided the customer with the ability to move the monitoring system to various test stands as needed.
  • Omron CX Programmer programming software was used for PLC program development and documentation, while NTST was used for the screen development on the NT20S.
  • Cross Automation provided all programming and start up services.
 Design Challenges
  • Component position sensing had to be determined by voltage level, not the on/off state of the sensor. A cycle was determined to be complete when the product was actuated and closed, and with the position sensor voltage being at the correct level within a predetermined dwell time.
  • Use components the engineering and testing staff were familiar with
  • Component test cycle counts exceeded 1,000,000 cycles per component
  • The system had to be portable

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