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© 2021 IVAR S.p.A
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QUALITY CONTROL AND PRODUCTION PROCESS
The production process for IVAR press fittings is monitored throughout. The characteristics of the end product depend on
the care taken in its production. Some of the most important aspects of this are described below.
Receipt of materials
The body of the fitting blank comes from VALMON STAMPATI s.p.a., a Brescia-based
industrial company part of the I.V.A.R. group, which deals with the printing of semi-fin-
ished products starting from brass bars, obtaining the shape of the final piece, which
will then be deburred and sandblasted.
IVAR's Quality Control department receives the samples of the raw brass components
forming the body of the MULTI•PRESS® fittings and checks their dimensions using a 3D
scanning process. An operative uses a mobile scanner to do this.
The physical component is compared with the technical drawing, and if it falls within
the tolerances, the lot is accepted for processing. Otherwise, the nonconformity is re-
ported to the stamping company.
Figure 23 Three-dimensional scanning.
Analysis during machining
The machining process for entire production batches is begun only after analysis of the
initial samples of the machining itself. If they conform with the technical department’s
drawings, production of the batch begins.
Throughout the entire machining process, the QC operatives take samples of the
com-ponents from the machines. Samples are checked with an optical dimensional
verification tool through a comparison with the mathematical 3D reference model. For
press fittings, for example, the critical dimensions are the threads, the bases where
the bush holders will rest, and the seats for the seal-ing o-rings. In the event of non-
conformities, batch production is halted and all items produced up to that point are
checked again with the optical scanner.
The bodies of the MULTI•PRESS® press fittings are now ready to move on to the as-
sem-bly phase with the other components.
Figure 24 Comparison with technical drawing.
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ASSEMBLY
IVAR has dedicated machinery for preparing just the bush including the polymer bush holder. During this process, the bush
is also laser engraved with information on the size of the fitting, the certifications and the crimping profiles which can be
used. The purpose of this preliminary process is to speed up the supply of components to the machines which handle
assembly
of the press fitting.
MULTI•PRESS® fitting assembly
The assembly station for the fittings is supplied with the necessary components via automated systems. The fitting bodies
enter the machine via a loading choke system which ensures constant supply of one piece a time. Each piece is analysed
by a vision system with video camera which recognises the profile and associates it with the correct assembly program,
defining its pick-up co-ordinates for the robotic arm.
On board the machine, the fitting body is placed on the rotating table and reaches in turn the workstations required to
obtain the end result.
For example, in order to make up a single-bush fitting with a single outlet for multilayer pipe, the fitting passes through
two stations.
The first is responsible for inserting the two peroxide-cured EPDM sealing o-rings on the connection. Correct insertion of
the o-rings is monitored by a dedicated video camera which films and analyses all the MULTI•PRESS® fittings manufactured
by IVAR.