Test rig improves quality at IGS
A custom-engineered test rig, designed and manufactured in-house by Industrial Gas Springs, has been installed at the company's Mitcham headquarters to provide analysis of all types of gas spring.
A custom-engineered test rig, designed and manufactured in-house by Industrial Gas Springs, has been installed at the company's Mitcham headquarters to provide analysis of all types of gas spring.
Featuring purpose-designed software, which enables spring performance data to be processed quickly and accurately, the rig has already established itself at the heart of the company's ISO 9001: 2000 quality procedures.
The equipment can measure key criteria, including the loads exerted by gas springs throughout their compression and extension cycles.
As a result, it can verify friction forces on spring seals, as well as monitor build quality parameters, including oil reservoir level, seal performance and operating rod surface finish.
It will confirm the characteristics of prototype IGS units developed to meet users' application requirements and can identify the most appropriate spring to match or exceed the performance of a competitor's product.
One of the rig's primary tasks is to determine static forces at points 5mm from the spring's fully extended and fully compressed conditions.
These values correspond to P1 and P2, the standard figures used to specify all gas springs.
"Because of the high pressure exerted by a gas spring's seals on the unit's operating rod, friction will occur whenever a spring is extended or compressed," said IGS Commercial Manager Jean-Philippe Duvillard.
"To determine the P1 and P2 figures accurately, the test rig has been designed to measure forces throughout a complete cycle, with the spring being compressed and released at a specified rate - as well as at a known ambient temperature".
Measurements are recorded during the automatic test cycle by a data logger, which subsequently downloads the readings for processing by a PC.
Results can then be displayed on screen or recorded in line with the requirements of IGS quality procedures.
"Since installation, the new test facility has enabled us to apply even more stringent controls to our already impressive right-first-time quality performance," said Managing Director Steve Woolcock.
"We typically test IGS gas springs to more than 250,000 cycles - five times the figure of many competitors' products".
"What's more, our rigorous monitoring procedures are matched by extremely close manufacturing tolerances and ISO 9001: 2000 quality standards".
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