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R&D project

Metrological traceability of shaft measuring instruments - SHAFT

Period of the project

Project concluded (02/2012)

Description of the project

As one of the most important components of a combustion engine, the cam shaft decisively characterizes the running reliability and the consumption behaviour of an automobile. Already a deviation of the cam form of a few hundredths of a millimetre causes, for example, a triplication of the permissible forces. The performance, the consumption and the emission of the engine also directly depend on it.

For the measurement of cam shafts, there has, up to now, not been any possibility to determine and assess the state in practice. The corresponding measuring instruments – including the software – exist, but the accuracy with which the measurements can be carried out is not guaranteed. The reason for this is that it is not possible to trace them back to national or international standards. Thus, the essential prerequisites to furnish proof of the quality are lacking.

It is the objective of the industrial research project to elaborate a concept for the calibration of cam shafts. The concept comprises the development of a measurement standard, its calibration as well as the validation of evaluation algorithms. In future it shall be possible to measure characteristics such as the base circle radius, the cam lift, the cam height, the angular position of a cam as well as the diameter, the roundness and the straightness of the bearings in a reliable way.


Figure: Cam measurement standard

Project partners

1 industrial partner

Contact

Dr.-Ing. Karin Kniel