Application of Phenom ParticleX in Cleanliness Analysis

From quality control to process monitoring

When manufacturing complex machinery, it is critical that every component adheres to the highest quality standards and always performs as expected
.
However, ensuring high quality can sometimes be a daunting challenge that requires significant capital and human investment
.


To minimize waste and increase productivity, quality control has evolved from quality checks at the end of production to proactive checks of the environment during the production of certain components
.
This approach is called process monitoring, and of course includes a series of controls to prevent parts from failing to meet quality standards
.


Foreign particles in production: a quality engineering nightmare

One of the most common checks performed to ensure high component quality is a cleanliness analysis
.
This is performed according to ISO 16232 or VDA 19 (for the German market) standard and includes inspection of manufactured components for the presence of contaminating particles
.


These particles pose a threat to the performance and long-term functionality of mechanical equipment because they can cause scratches, clog nozzles, or short out contacts
.
Therefore, this analysis is critical for the manufacture of all components used in fluid circulation systems, high-speed moving parts, and printed circuit boards (PCBs)
.


To ensure that components do not introduce particles into mechanical equipment, several components used as batch references can be analyzed for the presence of contaminants
.


The analysis consists of three stages:

1.
The parts are taken from the production site and cleaned in a parts washer with an organic solvent to ensure that all contamination on the part surface is washed away
.


2.
Filter organic solvents containing contaminants through a filter membrane to capture all particles (usually nylon or nitrocellulose, 47 mm diameter)
.


3.
Once the filter is ready, a series of instruments are used to scan for contaminant particles
.


Contaminants are then analyzed and compared to acceptance criteria to determine if maintenance intervention is required in a production process to avoid producing parts that are not of quality and are scrapped
.


Reasons Why Users Decided to Do a Cleanliness Analysis

Nobuhito Fukasawa is the chief engineer of a Japanese company that manufactures automotive air conditioning systems
.
His team introduced the Phenom ParticleX - TC with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) in a manufacturing environment, a fully automated automotive cleanliness analysis system, and quickly expanded the use of the analytical instrument to other factories around the world
.
We asked Mr.
Fukasawa to share why he chose Phenom ParticleX and what benefits it has brought to his team
.


The secret to the success of many Japanese manufacturing companies lies in the endless pursuit and dedication to quality
.
Users of Phenom ParticleX are no exception
.
When asked about the reason for introducing the device in their manufacturing process, Mr.
Fukasawa replied: "To ensure product quality
.
" He explained the impact of the high hardness particles on the performance and life expectancy of the components
.
“When hard particles get into the gap between components, they impede the movement of the components,” which is one of the many negative effects that contaminants in a production environment can have
.

 

 Figure 1.
SEM image and EDS spectrum of Al ₂ O ₃
particles .
Phenom ParticleX uses this information to characterize particle morphology and chemical composition

User awareness of cleanliness deepens

Mr.
Fukasawa's team is no stranger to cleanliness analysis
.
“We used to analyze the overall weight of contaminants gravimetrically and the quantity of contaminants by light microscopy
.
With the introduction of SEM and EDS, we can now study smaller particles and distinguish the ones that have a serious impact on product performance Hard particles
.
”  Hard particles such as

Al ₂ O ₃ , SiC, SiO ₂
and glass are among the most dangerous contaminants because they are more likely to scratch surfaces or catch moving parts .
The challenge in detecting such particles is that some of them have high transparency or low contrast (compared to filters) and cannot be detected with light microscopy
.


The automated solution of EDS+SEM allows users to identify various types of pollutant particles and collect information on their chemical composition, and then analyze and classify the specific composition of pollutants
.
This allows Mr.
Fukasawa's team to precisely monitor the amount of hard particles collected during the cleaning process
.


"Because of the composition information of the particles, we have reduced the risk posed by hard particles and improved our product line in innovative ways
.
" Knowing the chemical composition of the contaminants, Mr.
Fukasawa's team can Before contamination reaches critical levels, identify the source of contamination and improve it
.


This preventive approach has helped Mr.
Fukasawa's team increase productivity while reducing scrap and saving costs
.
The savings in raw materials also further reduces its impact on the environment
.
“Because of the speed of analysis, the benefits quickly outweigh the investment,” said Mr.
Fukasawa
.
Providing critical information quickly is critical for timely adjustments to production lines
.


"The system runs for more than 20 hours a day," he explained
.
"We plan to use it for monitoring of new component manufacturing, which will shorten the company's time-to-market for new products
.
"

Phenom ParticleX provides Mr.
Fukasawa's company with a more precise approach to material analysis as the fastest and most reproducible cleanliness analysis solution on the market today
.

 

Figure 2.
An example of the reporting functionality of Phenom ParticleX, where particles are classified by chemical composition and size distribution
.
Grains are automatically separated by different colors according to hardness
.
Glass, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide and silicon oxide are hard materials commonly found on the production floor

Phenom ParticleX Fully Automatic Vehicle Cleanliness Analysis System
 

Automated, simultaneous analysis to obtain particle size distribution, morphology and impurity information: