The Essential Guide to Fast Technical Cleanliness Inspections

By Dr. Christina Hesseling - 20 August, 2020

Even microscopic contamination on manufactured components can lead to failure or performance issues in automobiles, plant equipment, electronics, and other products.

Consequently, manufacturers must quickly identify and mitigate contamination risks that can affect the safety, durability, and lifespan of products. An efficient technical cleanliness inspection system can help you react quickly and ensure quality.

Here are some factors to look for in a technical cleanliness system that can help you perform a faster inspection.

1. Detects metallic and nonmetallic particles in a single scan

One of the easiest ways to speed up your technical cleanliness inspection is to use a microscope system that can detect metallic (reflective) and nonmetallic (non-reflective) particles in a single scan. Metallic particles are important to recognize because they are harder and potentially more damaging to the components being tested.

In a conventional setup, the detection of metallic particles requires the sample to be imaged twice. The first scan detects all particles, and the second highlights the metallic particles. The analyzer must also be rotated at a 90° angle between the first and second image—a time-consuming process that requires tedious adjustments and alignment of the two images.

The OLYMPUS CIX100 cleanliness inspector.

The OLYMPUS CIX100 technical cleanliness inspector, in contrast, has an all-in-one scan that detects both metallic and nonmetallic particles ranging from small to large (2.5 µm to 42 mm) by using an innovative polarization method based on wavelength separation and color detection.

Olympus’ unique particle detection approach uses linearly polarized light and an innovative color-based discrimination between metallic and non-metallic particulates.

With one image, you can detect particles twice as fast as conventional methods that require two separate images. Since no mechanical parts need to be rotated with this method, you can also reduce wear and tear on the instrument and increase the stability of the calibration.

2. Processes multiple filters at once

If you need to inspect multiple filters, it can be time-consuming to scan them separately. Speed up your workflow by using a system that can inspect multiple samples at once. For instance, the CIX100 system can process two samples in batch scan mode for fast, efficient analysis.

Inspect two filters at once using batch scan mode.

3. Provides live analytics of particle contamination for fast decision-making

Another time-saving feature to look for is live analytics. The CIX100 system displays all relevant data live on a single screen during the inspection, enabling you to monitor results in real time and quickly react and stop the inspection if the test fails.

Find all the relevant inspection data in one screen with instant feedback on particle contamination.

The live display includes:

Sample information that shows all the parameters for sample inspection, including the standard and classification measurement
A sample overview image that enables you to see any identified particles as the scan runs
The time remaining for sample acquisition
The sample results: metallic and nonmetallic particles are automatically counted, sorted into size classes, and color coded to clearly indicate which size class exceeds a predefined limit
An acoustic signal, which can be switched on when the approval reads NOK (rejected) or the inspection is finished

With full control over your inspection data as the scan runs, you can make fast decisions and optimize your workflow.

4. Makes inspections easy with intuitive tools

Novice operators are more likely to make mistakes, slowing the inspection workflow and leading to inaccurate results. As a result, it’s critical to find a system with intuitive features like guided workflows and simple particle review tools to help operators of all experience levels evaluate the cleanliness of components quickly while still achieving reliable results.

Read about various features that can streamline your inspections in our blog post, 7 Capabilities That Make Technical Cleanliness Inspections Easy for Novice Operators.

5. Includes automated reporting

Your technical cleanliness system should be fast from start to finish. Automated systems like the CIX100 cleanliness inspector make the final reporting step just as efficient as data acquisition. Built with predefined templates, the system enables you to produce professional, compliant reports with one mouse click.

Quickly generate reports complete with sample information, classification tables, and images, then export to PDF or Microsoft Word to share the results.

6. Offers fast evaluation and recalculation

In some cases, inspection results need to be recalculated for a different standard or to fix a mistake in the evaluation, such as an error in the number of washed parts used in the investigation. The CIX100 system can store all inspection data and offers fast renormalization and evaluation in these situations. No second scan of the specimen is necessary.

A Simple, Fast Workflow that Meets High Quality Standards in Manufacturing

The OLYMPUS CIX100 technical cleanliness inspector takes an involved, complex process and turns it into a simple, fast workflow. This streamlined solution complies with major international standards for manufactured components of vehicles, spacecraft, medical products, and other critical systems.