Brandon Fuller, Eagle Technologies

MANUFACTURERS BENEFIT FROM TESTING AND ASSEMBLY EQUIPMENT THAT ARE BUILT TO WORK TOGETHER.

For years, factory automation has focused on one aspect of manufacturing: production equipment. Businesses the world over have devoted themselves to streamlining their assembly processes to offer fast, efficient solutions to their customers. But most have left product verification to quality control experts. Advanced testing is a significant investment that many of these manufacturers are simply too small to take on themselves.

At Eagle, we have taken a different approach.

For decades, we have established ourselves as a leader in factory automation. Now, our capabilities have expanded to include advanced testing, allowing businesses to fully integrate production and verification in one system. The result is a complete solution that offers several significant benefits to customers.

6 Benefits Assembly and Advanced Testing Integration Bring to OEMs and Manufacturing Suppliers

At Eagle, our departments in Applications, Engineering, and Testing work together to ensure the best outcome for customers. The greatest benefits come from closer communication and a seamless integration of testing and monitoring systems with the assembly process. Here are six of the most important benefits we have identified for our clients.

1. Customers can turn to a “one stop shop” for all their automation and test needs.

Sourcing two suppliers to handle assembly and testing is more expensive from a budget standpoint. Not only does it put the manufacturers in the position of needing to qualify two separate companies, but it also means paying double on the operating costs each business needs to remain viable. Working with one company that can handle both needs saves businesses time and expense.

2. Automation systems that both manufacture and test the product are more efficient.

Our engineers in automation and testing are on the same team. When Engineering designs an automation system, they know what testing requirements they have to meet in order to be successful. If the product fails the test verification, Testing can communicate with the assembly system engineer directly about the point of failure. This eliminates the need for a middle man to facilitate communication, and prevents a dispute about testing results from derailing a project.

3. Assembly and test equipment can be linked to a single Industry 4.0 solution or traceability system.

When assembly and testing equipment are designed by separate companies, it usually results in disparate systems. Operators must then monitor each system separately, or find a way to connect the two on their own. Our Industry 4.0 technologies can link assembly and test to the same system, so that IIoT devices report results to the same console, data is collected in the same data base, and AR devices can guide operators to the exact point of a testing failure while displaying maintenance instructions provided by assembly engineers.

4. Enables in-line testing where feasible to limit product handling

Because Engineering and Testing work closely together, they can identify and design test points within the manufacturing process to ensure quality standards are being met along the way. This reduces testing time at the end of a project, and can forestall any errors before they get too far down the line.

5. Provides a common look and feel between the assembly system and the test system including programming, operator interfaces, and control features / designs.

Separate assembly and test systems can be more difficult for operators to work with. They can have redundancies in the design, and require extra training for use. By having both systems designed by the same company, manufacturers benefit from interfaces that are easier to learn and work with.

6. Delivers improved and seamless tie-in between the assembly and test systems including potential test result feedback to upstream equipment.

Our assembly teams can supply the designers of our testing equipment with CAD data to assist in the engineering of effective product tests. Combined with IIoT technology, testing equipment that detects a failure, it can also identify the point of origin and communicate that failure to assembly equipment.

Eagle offers specialized advanced testing capabilities in a range of major industries.

We can perform advanced testing for any industry. However, we are aware that some industries have complex needs that go beyond standard testing requirements that arise from the complexity of the product and regulatory requirements mandating proof of specified production standards. Because of these additional requirements, Eagle has gained advanced testing specializations in several fields.

Our specializations include:

• Electric vehicles. We test systems for autonomous vehicles and assisted driving, monitoring systems on mirrors, and every critical drive train function.
• Our testing includes solenoid characterization; air and wet tests; front, rear, and all-wheel drive; 4–10-speed and dual-clutch transmissions, hybrid electric, and NVH measurements.
• We perform cold and hot tests, static spark tests, torque-to-turn tests both with and without pistons, and tests for the wire harness, camshaft, and NVH.
• Life sciences. We supply advanced tests for pharmaceuticals and vision systems, and can design custom tests for advanced life-saving equipment.
• Components built for aircraft must be able to withstand extreme conditions while guaranteeing passenger safety and comfort. With minimal margin for error, our precision testing provides a quality guarantee.
• We know from producing military-grade equipment that ballistics and protective gear that the consequences of failure are high. We design tests to measure any type of production requirement.

We have expanded our software and hardware assets to encompass top-of-the-line products in both categories. Contact us directly if you would like to learn more about the advanced testing capabilities we can offer your business.

Software:

• C, C+, C++
• Labview
• MATLab
• TestStand
• Anthony Best Dynamics
• DISCOM
• CANBUS
• OROS
• Rockwell Automation
• Siemens

Hardware:

• National Instruments
• Analog Devices
• PXI
• PCI
• Compac Rio/DAC
• Siemens
• Allen Bradley

 Brandon Fuller, Eagle Technologies

Eagle Technologies, headquarters in Bridgman, MI

Eagle builds the machines that automate manufacturing. From high-tech robotics to advanced product testing capabilities, Eagle offers end-to-end manufacturing solutions for every industry.