U.S. patent application number 13/407954 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-29 for system and method for integrally serializing a cast part.
This patent application is currently assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Stephen L. Jones, Aram H. Papazian, Barry L. Priem. Invention is credited to Stephen L. Jones, Aram H. Papazian, Barry L. Priem.
Application Number | 20130220567 13/407954 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49001586 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130220567 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jones; Stephen L. ; et
al. |
August 29, 2013 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTEGRALLY SERIALIZING A CAST PART
Abstract
A method of serializing a cast part includes providing a mold
for a metal casting, with the mold including an inner face
partially defining a part cavity; laser engraving a representation
of the two-dimensional data matrix into the inner face of the mold;
and forming a serialized part by pouring molten metal into the part
cavity of the mold, where the molten metal fills the part cavity
including the engraved representation of the two-dimensional data
matrix. The two-dimensional data matrix being generated by an
electronic controller and includes error correcting information and
part identifying information.
Inventors: |
Jones; Stephen L.; (Clio,
MI) ; Priem; Barry L.; (Saginaw, MI) ;
Papazian; Aram H.; (Highland, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Jones; Stephen L.
Priem; Barry L.
Papazian; Aram H. |
Clio
Saginaw
Highland |
MI
MI
MI |
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS
LLC
Detroit
MI
|
Family ID: |
49001586 |
Appl. No.: |
13/407954 |
Filed: |
February 29, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
164/4.1 ;
164/159; 164/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B22C 19/04 20130101;
B22C 23/00 20130101; B22C 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
164/4.1 ; 164/6;
164/159 |
International
Class: |
B22D 46/00 20060101
B22D046/00; B22C 9/00 20060101 B22C009/00 |
Claims
1. A method of serializing a cast part comprising: providing a mold
for a metal casting, the mold including an inner face partially
defining a part cavity; generating, using an electronic controller,
a two-dimensional data matrix, the two-dimensional data matrix
including error correcting information, and part identifying
information; laser engraving a substantially mirror image
representation of the two-dimensional data matrix into the inner
face of the mold to a depth of between approximately 0.5 mm and
approximately 1.5 mm; laser engraving alphanumeric part identifying
information into the inner face of the mold proximate to the
engraved representation of the two-dimensional data matrix, the
two-dimensional data matrix further including the alphanumeric part
identifying information; and forming a serialized part by pouring
molten metal into the part cavity of the mold, the molten metal
filling the part cavity including the engraved representation of
the two-dimensional data matrix and the alphanumeric part
identifying information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the error correcting information
is generated according to a Reed-Solomon Error Correcting Code.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the part identifying information
includes a part serial number and a part model identifier.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the part identifying information
further includes a manufacturing location identifier and a
manufacturing date identifier.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing the part
serial number in a computer readable database.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising monitoring at least
one manufacturing parameter associated with the forming of the
serialized part; storing the at least one monitored manufacturing
parameter in the computer readable database; and associating the
stored part serial number with the at least one stored
manufacturing parameter.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one monitored
manufacturing parameter includes at least one of a mold temperature
and cooling rate.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional data matrix
is a QR Code generated according to ISO/IEC 18004:2006.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional data matrix
is a Data Matrix ECC200 Code generated according to ISO/IEC
16022:2006.
10. (canceled)
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold includes sand and a
bonding agent.
12. (canceled)
13. A system for serializing a cast part comprising: a mold for a
creating a cast metal part, the mold including an inner face
partially defining a part cavity; an electronically controlled
laser engraving device configured to selectively engrave the inner
face of the mold; an electronic controller configured to: generate
a two-dimensional data matrix, the two-dimensional data matrix
including error correcting information, and part identifying
information; control the laser engraving device to engrave a
representation of the two-dimensional data matrix into the inner
face of the mold; and wherein the engraved mold is used to form a
serialized cast part having an integrally formed two-dimensional
data matrix upon receipt of molten metal within the part
cavity.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the part identifying
information includes a part serial number and a part model
identifier.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the mold is a single use mold
configured to form a single cast part, and wherein the serial
number is unique to the single use mold.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the single use mold includes
sand and a bonding agent.
17. The system of claim 13, wherein the two-dimensional data matrix
is a QR Code generated according to ISO/IEC 18004:2006.
18. The system of claim 13, wherein the two-dimensional data matrix
is a Data Matrix ECC200 Code generated according to ISO/IEC
16022:2006.
19. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is
configured to control the laser engraving device to engrave the
representation of the two-dimensional data matrix to a depth of
between approximately 0.5 mm and approximately 1.5 mm.
20. A method of serializing a cast part comprising: providing a
mold for a metal casting, the mold including an inner face
partially defining a part cavity; generating, using an electronic
controller, a two-dimensional data matrix, the two-dimensional data
matrix including error correcting information, and part identifying
information, the two-dimensional data matrix including a QR Code
generated according to ISO/IEC 18004:2006 or a Data Matrix ECC200
Code generated according to ISO/IEC 16022:2006; laser engraving a
substantially mirror image representation of the two-dimensional
data matrix into the inner face of the mold to a depth of between
approximately 0.5 mm and approximately 1.5 mm; laser engraving
alphanumeric part identifying information into the inner face of
the mold proximate to the engraved representation of the
two-dimensional data matrix, the two-dimensional data matrix
further including the alphanumeric part identifying information;
and forming a serialized part by pouring molten metal into the part
cavity of the mold, the molten metal filling the part cavity
including the engraved representation of the two-dimensional data
matrix and the alphanumeric part identifying information.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to systems and
methods of serializing a cast part.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In manufacturing, casting involves pouring liquid metal into
a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and
then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part (i.e.,
cast part) may then be ejected or broken out of the mold to
complete the process. Casting is most often used for making complex
shapes that would be difficult or uneconomical to make by other
methods.
[0003] Sacrificial sand-molds may be mass-produced by forming sand
and a bonding-agent around a rigid metal pattern. Once the sand and
bonding agent are compacted and hardened, the pattern may be
removed, leaving a mold with a negative space (cavity) where the
pattern originally was placed. This cavity may then receive the
liquid metal to form the cast part. To uniquely identify the
finished cast part (such as with a serial number), secondary
processes such as labeling, imprinting, scribing, or etching can be
used to apply part identifying information to the part. These
processes, however, require additional manufacturing steps, or
produce an identifier that may be easily worn away (such as with
labels).
SUMMARY
[0004] A method of serializing a cast part includes: providing a
mold for a metal casting, with the mold including an inner face
partially defining a part cavity; laser engraving a representation
of the two-dimensional data matrix into the inner face of the mold;
and pouring molten metal into the part cavity of the mold, wherein
the molten metal fills the part cavity including the engraved
representation of the two-dimensional data matrix. The laser
engraved data matrix may be engraved into the inner face to a depth
of between approximately 0.5 mm and approximately 1.5 mm.
Additionally, alphanumeric part identifying information may also be
engraved into the inner face of the mold proximate to the engraved
representation of the two-dimensional data matrix.
[0005] The representation of the two-dimensional data matrix may be
generated using an electronic controller and may include error
correcting information and part identifying information. In one
configuration, the error correcting information is generated
according to a Reed-Solomon Error Correcting Code. Likewise, the
part identifying information may include a part serial number and a
part model identifier, and may further include a manufacturing
location identifier and a manufacturing date identifier. The
two-dimensional data matrix may be, for example, a QR Code
generated according to ISO/IEC 18004:2006 or a Data Matrix ECC200
Code generated according to ISO/IEC 16022:2006.
[0006] In one configuration, the part serial number may be stored
in a computer readable database. Additionally at least one
manufacturing parameter associated with the forming of the
serialized part may be monitored, stored in the computer readable
database, and associated with the stored part serial number. The at
least one monitored manufacturing parameter may include at least
one of a mold temperature and cooling rate
[0007] A system for serializing a cast part may include a mold for
a creating a cast metal part, an electronically controlled laser
engraving device configured to selectively engrave the inner face
of the mold, and an electronic controller. The mold may include an
inner face partially defining a part cavity.
[0008] The electronic controller may be configured to generate a
two-dimensional data matrix, wherein the two-dimensional data
matrix includes error correcting information and part identifying
information. Subsequently, the electronic controller may control
the laser engraving device to engrave a representation of the
two-dimensional data matrix into the inner face of the mold. The
engraved mold may then be used to form a serialized cast part
having an integrally formed two-dimensional data matrix upon
receipt of molten metal within the part cavity.
[0009] The above features and advantages and other features and
advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the
following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out
the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is schematic partial cross-sectional view of a laser
engraving system being operated to engrave an inner face of a
part-casting mold.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a mirror image of a Data
Matrix ECC200 Code engraved into an inner face of a part-casting
mold.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a mirror image of a QR
Code engraved into an inner face of a part-casting mold.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a is a schematic plan view of a mirror image of a
Data Matrix ECC200 Code engraved into an inner face of a
part-casting mold proximate to alphanumeric part identifying
information.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method of serializing a cast
part.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals
are used to identify like or identical components in the various
views, FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system 10 for
incorporating an integral unique identifier into a cast part (i.e.,
"serializing" the cast part). The system 10 may include a mold 20
for creating the cast metal part, an electronically controlled
laser engraving device 30, and an electronic controller 40.
[0016] The mold 20 may include an inner face 22 that may partially
define a part cavity 24. As may be appreciated, the mold 20
illustrated in FIG. 1 may be a lower mold of a larger mold assembly
that may more completely define the part cavity 24. The mold 20 may
be a sand-based mold 20, such as may be used to form a metal part
through processes generally referred to as "sand casting" or "sand
molded casting." Such sand-based molds may include a silica-based
sand (or other suitable inert granular sand) along with a bonding
agent that may allow the sand to retain its shape following the
creation of the mold 20. In one configuration, the part cavity 24
may resemble, and be used to cast an engine block for an automotive
vehicle.
[0017] During a casting process, molten metal may be poured, drawn,
or injected into the part cavity 24 of the mold 20. The molten
metal may substantially fill the mold, and upon cooling, may
solidify to form the cast part. The mold 20 may then be removed
(often in a sacrificial manner), leaving only the solidified metal
casting. Other suitable casting techniques as known in the art may
be employed to perfect the shape and/or quality of the solidified
cast part.
[0018] Prior to the casting process, the inner face 22 of the mold
20 may be engraved with a unique identifier, such as using the
electronically controlled laser engraving device 30. During the
casting process, molten metal may then substantially fill the
engraved identifier in addition to the part cavity 24. This may
result in the identifier appearing in a raised manner from the
surface of the solidified cast part.
[0019] The laser engraving device 30 may generally include a power
supply 32 and a position controller 34. The power supply 32 may
control the power of the laser 36, which may, in turn, control the
depth of the engraving. Likewise, the position controller 34 may
control the position and/or angle of the laser 36 in space. By
modulating the power (via the power supply 32) and controlling the
position (via the position controller 34), the laser engraving
device 30 may selectively remove material from the inner face 22 of
the mold 20 throughout a two-dimensional area.
[0020] As mentioned above, the system 10 may further include an
electronic controller 40 that may be adapted to control the
operation of the laser engraving device 30. For example, the
controller 40 may be configured to control the laser engraving
device 30 to engrave a mirror image of the unique identifier into
the inner face 22 of the mold 20. In one configuration, the unique
identifier may be a two-dimensional (2D) data matrix 50, such as
generally illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this application, a data
matrix 50 may have numerous benefits over serializing solely with
alphanumeric text. These benefits may include the ability to
represent identifying information at a greater density, the ability
to provide error correction and/or enhanced robustness, and the
ability to be more easily (and consistently) read by machine vision
systems, even in the presence of flaws in the casting.
[0021] The electronic controller 40 may be embodied as one or
multiple digital computers or data processing devices, each having
one or more microprocessors or central processing units (CPU), read
only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM),
electrically-erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a
high-speed clock, analog-to-digital (A/D) circuitry,
digital-to-analog (D/A) circuitry, input/output (I/O) circuitry,
power electronics/transformers, and/or signal conditioning and
buffering electronics. The individual control/processing routines
resident in the electronic controller 40 or readily accessible
thereby may be stored in ROM or other suitable tangible memory
locations and/or memory devices, and may be automatically executed
by associated hardware components of the controller 40 to provide
the respective processing functionality.
[0022] FIGS. 2 and 3 generally represent two potential
configurations of a data matrix 50 that may be generated by the
electronic controller 40. As illustrated, FIG. 2 represents a Data
Matrix ECC200 Code 52 generated according to ISO/IEC 16022:2006,
and FIG. 3 represents a QR Code 54 generated according to ISO/IEC
18004:2006. Both matrices 52, 54 have been encoded to represent the
text "Serial No.; Model No." In one configuration, the electronic
controller 40 may be configured to generate the two-dimensional
data matrix 50 by encoding unique part identifying information into
a 2D form. The specific encoding techniques may be performed
according to industry standards for the chosen code-type (e.g.,
according to the previously mentioned international standards).
These encoding techniques may include generating and/or integrating
error correcting information into the 2D data matrix 50 to provide
redundancy and/or robustness to the 2D pattern. In one
configuration, the error correcting information may be according to
a Reed-Solomon Error Correcting Code and/or may include various
parity bits, patterns, or underlying encoding methods that may aid
in error correction/rejection.
[0023] The 2D data matrix 50 may be generated to encode various
part identifying information. For example, the data matrix 50 may
represent a part serial number (i.e., a unique identifier that may
be different for each physical part produced); a part model
identifier (i.e., an identifier that may indicate the make/model of
the part design); a manufacturing location identifier (i.e., an
identifier that may indicate the manufacturing facility/location
where the part was cast); and/or a manufacturing date identifier
(i.e., an identifier representing the date on which the part was
cast).
[0024] Once the 2D data matrix 50 is generated by the controller
40, the controller 40 may then control the laser engraving device
30 to engrave the mirror image of a representation of the 2D data
matrix into the inner face 22 of the mold 20. For example, as shown
in FIGS. 2 and 3, the darkened portions (generally at 56) may be
engraved into the inner face 22 of the mold 20. In one
configuration, the engraved portions may be engraved to a depth of
between approximately 0.5 mm and approximately 1.5 mm below the
surface of the inner face 22. As may be understood, laser engraving
involves selectively removing material from the inner face 22 of
the mold 20. This is different from other marking methods, such as
dot peening, which may selectively compress or displace material by
impinging/imprinting a rigid punch into the inner face 22, or
etching, which may merely affect the surface of the inner face 22
(i.e., and not penetrate substantially deeper than the surface).
The engraved mold 20 may then be used to form a serialized cast
part having an integrally formed 2D data matrix 50 by receiving
molten metal within the part cavity 24.
[0025] In one configuration, as generally illustrated in FIG. 1,
the encoded identifying information 60, such as for example, the
part serial number, may be stored in a computer readable database
62 associated with the electronic controller 40. In this manner,
the system 10 may register and/or maintain a log of all created
cast parts. By uniquely registering each serialized part may,
enhanced part tracking, statistical quality control, and/or
life-cycle analyses may be available. For example, during the
casting process, one or more manufacturing parameters 64 may be
monitored (such as via associated sensors 66) and stored into the
computer readable database 62. These manufacturing parameters 64
may include, for example, one or more mold temperatures and/or
temperature profiles, a mold cooling rate, a batch identification
number for the molten metal, or similar manufacturing
characteristics. These monitored parameters 64 may be associated
with the recorded identifying information 60 of the cast part
created. Such correlations may aid in post-manufacturing
statistical quality inspections and/or root cause analyses.
[0026] In another configuration, such as generally illustrated in
FIG. 4, alphanumeric part identifying information 70 may be
engraved into the inner face 22 of the mold 20 proximate to the
engraved representation 74 of the 2D data matrix 50. The
alphanumeric part identifying information 70 may include
information that may be encoded into the 2D data matrix 50, such
as, for example, a part serial number 76 and/or a part model number
78.
[0027] FIG. 5 generally illustrates a method 100 for serializing a
cast part. As shown, the method 100 includes providing a mold 20
for a metal casting (step 102), where the mold includes an inner
face 22 that partially defines a part cavity 24. An electronic
controller 40 may then generate a two-dimensional data matrix 50
(step 104) that may include, for example, both error correcting
information and part identifying information. The electronic
controller 40 may then control a laser engraving device 30 to
engrave a representation of the two-dimensional data matrix 50 into
the inner face of the mold (step 106). In one configuration, the
representation may actually be a mirror image of the
generated/desired data matrix 50. Following the engraving in step
106, a serialized part may be formed in step 108 by pouring molten
metal into the part cavity of the mold. The molten metal may fill
the part cavity including the engraved representation of the
two-dimensional data matrix.
[0028] In addition to merely forming the serialized part, the
method 100 may further include storing the part serial number in a
computer readable database (step 110), monitoring at least one
manufacturing parameter associated with the forming of the
serialized part (step 112); storing the at least one monitored
manufacturing parameter in the computer readable database (step
114); and associating the stored part serial number with the at
least one stored manufacturing parameter (step 116).
[0029] While the best modes for carrying out the invention have
been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this
invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and
embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the
appended claims. It is intended that all matter contained in the
above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be
interpreted as illustrative only and not as limiting.
* * * * *