Event

Causes and Control of Part Inconsistency Crippling Automated Production Lines

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Sam Francis explains how small differences in part dimensions and shape can cripple automated production lines, and proposes approaches to control consistency at the source. Each station on an automated line sets its path, fixtures and force limits according to a single nominal part, and the machine repeats the same action every cycle; differences such as stamping burrs, injection-molding flash and machining dimensional drift accumulate, leading to frequent downtime, good parts being misjudged, or defective parts escaping inspection. At Cp 1.00, about 0.27% of parts are out of tolerance, falling to about 64 per million at Cp 1.33; even AI-guided picking systems designed for part variation reach only a 95% nominal pick success rate. On control, Francis says manufacturers agree handling limits with suppliers and test parts before production begins; capability should be measured against the station's acceptance window, which may be tighter than the drawing tolerance.