The Collaboration: Artemis Vision & GFU Maschinebau GmbH
When German machine manufacturer GFU Maschinebau GmbH wanted to offer its customers an integrated automated device to measure pipe dimensions during the pipe forming process, they turned to automation and machine vision experts Artemis Vision to develop a turnkey inspection solution.
About Artemis Vision
Artemis Vision provides repeatable, tested machine vision systems for automated quality inspection and optimization in manufacturing and logistics. Their systems help customers innovate and automate through applications such as dimensioning and measurement, defect detection, deep learning, and track and trace technology.
The Customer's Goal: Integrate Automated Quality Control Throughout Pipe Forming Processes
As part of its premium pipe-forming solutions, GFU Maschinebau GmbH wanted to integrate an automated measurement system for quality control throughout the pipe production process. Pipe forming is a multi-step, iterative process, the pipe undergoes various forming operations before reaching its final dimensions. Measuring the pipe between forming steps allows manufacturers to identify problems as they occur. This prevents defective parts from moving on to time-intensive downstream operations, saving valuable time and material. Non-conforming pipe data is also a visual indication of tool wear, allowing operators to catch die wear early before the pipe fails to meet dimensional tolerances.
The Engineering Challenge: Developing a Flexible, Direct-Controlled Measurement System
Artemis Vision was tasked with developing an automated laser measurement system that could inspect the dimensions and profile of a pipe at multiple locations along its circumference and at different steps in the forming process. The system needed to work directly with GFU's swaging machine, which progressively forms pipe to achieve its required dimensions.
In particular, the system needed to:
- Integrate into GFU's existing pipe-forming equipment, including a first iteration with a fixed footprint, constraining certain dimensions.
- Allow Artemis to control the motion directly from its software, without requiring a PLC, for tighter coordination between the motion and measurement processes.
- Accommodate different pipe dimensions and forming steps as the pipe changed throughout production.
- Precisely synchronize motion with laser data acquisition so measurements were collected at the correct positions.
- Communicate with the pipe-forming equipment, receiving information about the current forming step and returning measurement results.
- Meet a short delivery timeline using readily available, proven motion hardware without extensive custom development.
Artemis needed motion hardware that was readily available, proven, and straightforward to integrate into its existing software and machine architecture.
Engineering with Zaber
Artemis Vision selected Zaber for its combination of readily available motion hardware, short lead times, and software tools that simplified integration. In their own words:
"We chose Zaber for their extensive catalog of products, easy customization process, and their expansive API library. Product specifications and pricing are all available on their website, which makes quoting and developing solutions quick and easy. Their team of Applications Engineers help answer more in-depth technical questions and help with customizing their off-the-shelf offerings to find the perfect solution. The short lead times and transparent pricing really help us quickly deliver quality solutions to our customers.”
Zaber's broad portfolio and common API allowed Artemis to integrate multiple motion devices into a single system without developing separate control architectures for each device.
For this application, Zaber's encoder output options were particularly valuable. The laser measurement system needed to synchronize data acquisition with the motion system, and Zaber's encoder outputs allowed Artemis to provide position information directly to the external measurement equipment. Learn more about Zaber's encoder output options and synchronization
Zaber's Applications Engineering team was also available to help Artemis address specialized technical requirements and adapt standard products to the application.
Why Artemis Vision chose Zaber: lead times under 1 week, a unified API, and engineer support within 1 business day.
The Solution: Two Ways to Inspect the Pipe
Artemis Vision's system uses two single-point laser sensors mounted on a motorized assembly. Zaber motion stages position and rotate the sensors around the pipe so the system can measure its profile and dimensions throughout the forming process. The inspection system performs two primary operations.
Profile Sweep
Figure 2: An automated pipe inspection system using a Zaber LRQ-DE screw-driven stage, top right, to position a laser measurement system along a steel pipe's axial profile.
During a profile sweep, the lasers traverse along the pipe's linear axis at a defined rotational position and the corresponding position 180 degrees apart.
This data allows the system to calculate the minimum and maximum wall thickness throughout the pipe profile and estimate the total forming length where the pipe's inner or outer diameter is significantly reduced or expanded.
Manufacturers can also upload a target profile, such as the profile of a finished product, and compare it with the measured pipe to check dimensional tolerances or determine whether the resulting deformation can accommodate subsequent operations such as threading.
Circumference Check
Figure 3: A 3D rendering of the inspection system, left, Zaber's X-RSB-E belt-driven rotary stage, centre, and live video, right, show how the rotary stage sweeps laser sensors around the circumference of a steel pipe.
The second operation is a dimensional circumference check at specific positions along the pipe body.
At each position, it measures minimum and maximum values for wall thickness, inner diameter, and outer diameter. It also calculates forming ratios at each stage of the process.
Manufacturers can define their own rejection criteria based on these measurements. The resulting pass/fail status is communicated directly to the GFU swager, allowing the operator to decide whether to reject the pipe or attempt another forming pass to get the pipe in spec.
Flexible Sizing
Figure 4: A 3D rendering of the inspection system, left, Zaber's X-LSM-E linear stage, centre, and live video, right, show how it adjusts the dual laser sensors to fit varying pipe diameters.
The system is able to inspect pipes of different diameters. With each new pipe inspection, the laser assembly is positioned for the profile sweep and circumference check.
Integrated into the Forming Process
The inspection system is physically integrated into GFU's swaging machine and communicates directly with its control system.
The swager will perform the forming steps and then present the inspection system to the pipe according to the user's recipe, communicating the pipe dimensions and current forming step so the inspection system can automatically adjust to the conditions and correctly track the process.
After each measurement, the inspection system communicates the pass/fail condition along with the measurements to the swager. The swager then asks the operator to decide whether to reject it or attempt another forming pass to bring it into specification.
Since the swager and inspection system are directly connected, the swager can signal when it’s making a forming pass, allowing it to monitor the forming process. During that time, the inspection system records and visualizes key process data — including stroke position, forming force, and forming pressure — storing it alongside the dimensional measurements.
This gives manufacturers more than a pass/fail result: they can review both the pipe's dimensions and the conditions under which it was formed.
The Result: Earlier Detection and More Actionable Data
Figure 5: At left, Artemis Vision software displaying pipe inspection results: the measured pipe profile, and at right, wall thickness around the circumference at a single position along the pipe.
The integrated inspection system gives GFU and its customers greater visibility into the pipe-forming process while reducing the risk of sending non-conforming parts to downstream machining operations.
By inspecting dimensions before further processing or machining, manufacturers can identify problems earlier, potentially avoiding the cost of further forming or machining a part that will ultimately need to be rejected or reworked.
The system also stores measurement and process data, providing a record of the pipe's dimensional characteristics at different stages of production. This data can be used to identify changes in the forming process, investigate dimensional problems, monitor tool wear, and improve process parameters.
Unlike a final inspection system that only identifies a problem after the forming and machining processes are complete, the integrated automated measurement system can provide feedback at multiple stages of production.
Since the inspection system can be used with both raw and formed pipe, it provides flexibility for manufacturers that want to monitor dimensional changes throughout the production process.
A Repeatable Inspection Solution
Figure 6: Close-up of the system's laser sensor arm inspecting the pipe surface.
The inspection system was designed as an integrated part of GFU's metal forming solutions rather than a one-off custom design.
GFU now offers this option to multiple customers as part of its HP 500 calibration press. Because the system is built from Zaber’s modular motion components, the same approach can be adapted to different measurement methodologies and inspection requirements.
The use of commercially available motion hardware and a common software interface also gives Artemis Vision a repeatable foundation for future inspection systems that require precise positioning of measurement sensors around cylindrical components.
Automate Your Inspection Processes
Automating inspection of cylindrical components and parts with complex geometries can help manufacturers identify dimensional problems earlier, reduce downstream waste, and gain better visibility into their production processes.
Whether you are looking to automate pipe inspection or need to position sensors around highly irregular shapes and profiles, Zaber's motion control solutions can provide the precise, programmable movement needed to build a customized inspection system.
Contact Artemis Vision for expertise in designing and integrating automated inspection systems, or talk to Zaber's Applications Engineering team about the motion hardware used in this project.