Power tool innovator Ingersoll Rand has launched its INSIGHTqc controller for critical assembly manufacturing applications.
As featured at Stuttgart’s recent Motek Show, covering automation in production and assembly, the INSIGHTqc helps manufacturers who require advanced fastening strategies to take control of their assembly processes quickly. It is pitched at manufacturers in heavy equipment, including automotive and aerospace.
A key feature of the unit is its provision for improved traceability, boasting a huge data collection capacity. The INSIGHTqc controller stores up to 50,000 records of cycle data and 50,000 tightening traces onboard the device – one of the largest storage capacities of any controller on the market, the firm said, and 50 times more than the previous Ingersoll Rand model.
The controller powers Ingersoll Rand QE Series and QM Series transducerized assembly tools.
“The INSIGHTqc controller provides a simple, flexible and capable solution that can communicate operations data back to the customer faster and more accurately, saving our customers time and money,” says Austin Lieb, vice president of product management and marketing at Ingersoll Rand Power Tools. “This delivers on our strategy to provide IIoT-enabled solutions customers can easily integrate into their operating systems and derive meaningful insights into their manufacturing operations.”
Simple set up, training and implementation
The INSIGHTqc controller is designed to be simple to set up and integrate into a manufacturer’s assembly operations, and can be connected to multiple devices. The fastening data is saved on an internal solid state drive and the controller can be connected to a network to also save the data on a plant’s server. Metrics and analytics are protected even if a network connection is dropped and can be studied any time for quality control.
The INSIGHTqc saves training time and installation costs with
An intuitive, touch-screen programming interface with ready-to-use protocols aim to save training time and installation costs, with an integrated memory backup and recovery capabilities to reduce errors and downtime.
The controller’s web-based software is compatible with smart phones, tablets and other Internet-based devices. The controller features easy line integration, integrated logic controls and helps reduce line rebalancing costs, Ingersoll Rand said. It is also easy to upgrade the controller’s hardware and software to meet any tightening control requirements. The INSIGHTqc controller improves manufacturing productivity with onboard diagnostics and integrated statistical process controls that are represented visually, so manufacturers can correct fastening errors. The controller is also equipped with preventative maintenance alarms and configurable email alerts.