Ceramicx invests in Infrared Quality Assurance
Leading international heating systems specialist and manufacturer Ceramicx is working with the University of Limerick on new quality assurance and testing technology that will see the company create new markets for its industrial clients and also enable Ceramicx to develop infrared heating innovations for demanding new consumer markets this year.
The core of the new quality assurance (QA) work centres on developing systems of more closely specified nominal wattage tolerances for the ceramic and quartz electrical elements in the world-beating range of Ceramicx infrared heating products.
Frank Wilson, Ceramicx owner and founder is certain that the collaboration with the University of Limerick will help his company build international market share. Wilson says, ‘not only do we manufacture the best heating product, we also have to guarantee its excellence. We have to ensure that through its repeatability and quality – for industrial or customer use – that every Ceramicx infrared product performs a failsafe job. We have decided that the way forward is to offer our customers full systems of product traceability. This will include IR performance parameters that can be accessed numerically and visually – online and offline – via the serial numbers on the product.’
A semi automated validation system with closed-loop process-control is accordingly now being deployed at the heart of Ceramicx production in order to achieve that aim.
There are four key validation stages in the new Ceramicx QA system:
The Flash test: This QA test allows the electrical integrity of the insulating materials to be verified and is designed to catch manufacturing defects that could otherwise lead to exposed electrical heating elements and wires.
Nominal tolerance: This QA test will establish the degree to which the actual wattage of a given product deviates from its rated wattage and can assist in reducing large variations.
Load test: For this test, the product is energised with high-voltage electrical power to rapidly elevate its temperature. The measured temperature reached within a given timeframe then allows the functionality of the product to be assessed.
Thermal analysis: After reaching the target temperature, IR images of the product are then recorded in order to provide for a visual inspection of the heating element within. These images are unique for each product tested – are matched to that product’s serial number – and are traceable. These images will also be statistically analysed by the test software to determine the heat distribution across the product – and identify hot or cold spots. And for models with built-in thermocouples, the integrity, operation and placement of these thermocouples will also be validated.
Over the course of the next few months, and via the resources of the Internet, Ceramicx will be able to put this QA database online – for the benefit of all its customers, present and future. Ceramicx believes that this is a first for the industry. ‘Real performance data for every Ceramicx infrared product will be available online,‘ says Frank Wilson. ‘This data – numerical and graphical – will be available to any buyer or user of Ceramicx product who wishes to use the science and the performance data behind it. We are creating a transparency here in product specification and performance. The higher the targets we set ourselves – the more the industry will benefit. This work will also open the door to many other kinds of benchmarking and future developments.’
Ceramicx and the University of Limerick research teams are collaborating closely on the project this year. The development of the project has been aided by Enterprise Ireland as part of the Innovation partnership program and has provided ‘win-win’ outcomes for both organisations. The University has been enabled to take its research and project expertise into the manufacturing and commercial marketplace. Ceramicx has been able to leverage the University’s in-house competencies to research, identify and measure current process variations.
http://www.ceramicx.com/
All further details from Frank Wilson, Ceramicx Managing Director.
Tel. +353 2837510
frank@ceramicx.com
University Contact: Dr. Mark Southern, University of Limerick
Tel. +353 61 213359,
Email. Mark.southern@
Photo:
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