Siemens cannot tolerate any uncertainty when supplying products to its automotive customers. Safety and quality control are paramount in the automotive industry. This means Siemens must provide end-to-end quality traceability for every part. At its fuel pump manufacturing plant in Asnières, France, Siemens uses Technifor's Direct Part Marking (DPM) process to mark the surface of each fuel pump to ensure comprehensive quality traceability. Siemens also currently uses Cognex's In-Sight vision system to directly read and inspect the marking codes at every point on the production line. Siemens VDO is a leading global supplier of automotive electronics and mechatronics. As a development partner for the automotive industry, Siemens VDO produces a wide range of products, including engine control electronics and fuel injection systems. When producing two different types of fuel pumps, Siemens needs to ensure that each product is marked with two different codes. The location of the coding must be verified, and the coding must be correctly readable. This ensures that as each part passes through the checkpoint on the assembly line, a record is added to the database indicating that the product has been correctly coded and passed inspection. At Siemens' fuel pump manufacturing plant, which boasts "100% readability," there are two assembly lines: one producing alloy fuel pumps and the other producing stainless steel fuel pumps. Both types of products are marked with alphanumeric and datamatrix codes. For verification and result recording, these codes on the product must be fully readable. Each part needs to be coded using both alphanumeric and datamatrix codes, allowing each part to be identified by its unique code. Once coded, the parts undergo a series of checks and controls on the assembly line. At each stage, the coding needs to be verified and read. First, the system verifies the coding to ensure its correct location. Second, the system reads the coding to ensure it is clear and legible, which is crucial. The coding must also be correctly placed on the surface of problematic parts (i.e., defective or difficult-to-operate parts). Furthermore, this part must be correctly read and identified to prevent any interference with the production line. The customer requires a standard system with a "zero unread rate," meaning that parts that fail to be read must not pass through the production line. Even a single unread part will require manual intervention in the system, which will not only affect the "dust-free room" environment but also reduce production speed. Technical Limitations Tenif is responsible for marking and reading the codes on the fuel pumps during production. They decided to use a "dot peening" marking process, which is a process of directly marking on hard, metallic surfaces. The fuel pump surfaces are stainless steel or aluminum, so these different surface materials increase the difficulty of marking. Environmental factors must also be considered, as the production process must be carried out in a "dust-free room" environment. Reading and verifying the codes under these conditions requires Tenif to have a powerful and efficient solution. Long-Term Quality Tracking The customer's final requirement is to record every production inspection so that problematic fuel pumps can be accurately tracked at every control point. These details are recorded in a database integrated into the customer's production operations. For example, at checkpoints to ensure fuel pumps don't leak, cameras verify and read codes, then record products that pass inspection at this precise point and add them to the database. Solution Due to technological limitations and the demanding operating environment, using a machine vision system was the only solution the company could adopt. Cognex's In-Sight cameras are the only reliable tool for verifying and reading codes and can assist in data collection. In-Sight vision systems operate efficiently even in challenging environments. Strict constraints in the production process necessitate a powerful vision system from Tenifex, including a marking process that must be efficient and durable. The nature of dot-matrix marking also dictates the need for a highly efficient vision solution that not only reads codes 100% but also adapts to low-contrast and low-reflectivity environments. Advantages * Efficient deployment of production processes, saving time and costs * Ensuring 100% code readability * Ensuring integrated and precise quality tracking throughout Siemens' entire automotive parts production process 100% Quality Tracking: Effective, highly automated production processes Thanks to the powerful capabilities of Cognex vision systems, Siemens can meet a variety of stringent customer requirements. With the guarantee of Tenifco's "marking and reading" system based on Cognex vision systems, every part produced by Siemens can achieve end-to-end quality tracking. Siemens can assure customers that the entire production process is rigorously controlled, inspected, and recorded. Siemens also guarantees that every part achieves end-to-end quality tracking and has passed inspection. By using cutting-edge technology, Siemens ensures its continued competitive advantage and leverages this advantage to help customers benefit.