Application of bolt RFID in engine assembly

In the automobile manufacturing industry, various forms such as paper barcodes, laser-etched QR codes, and RFID tags are usually used to identify vehicles or engines.

In terms of RFID tags, they will also be packaged in various forms, such as rectangular tags for expressway ETC, round chip tags for Nanjing Subway, magnet tags for automobile assembly workshops, and bolt tags for engine machines.

This article introduces the application of bolt RFID tags in engine manufacturing.

In 2013, General Motors cooperated with Balluff to apply Balluff's high-frequency bolt RFID tags at GM's New York plant for the identification and traceability of the cylinder block line and cylinder head line in the machine shop.

Balluff's bolt RFID tags are available in M6 and M8 specifications, with a storage capacity of up to 128KB. Their appearance is very similar to ordinary bolts, as shown in the red circle in the figure below:

Take cylinder processing as an example. When the cylinder goes online, the RFID bolts are first installed, tightened, and the work order and serial number information are written. When the cylinder passes through the key processing stations, the PLC will Store key operation information such as tightening values and leak tests. The test results are written into the bolt RFID; when the cylinder enters the next work station, the PLC reads the RFID and checks the results of the previous process; when the cylinder goes offline, the PLC reads the RFID data and synchronizes it to the MES system.

Balluff bolt RFID tags provide IP68 protection and can be used in environments with lubricants, metal chips, and cleaning equipment.

In the complete manufacturing process of an engine, multiple RFID tags are used, such as:

· Bolt RFID of cylinder frame

· Bolt RFID of cylinder head frame

· pallet RFID for built-in lines

· Cylinder head packaging pallet RFID

·Pallet RFID for piston and connecting rod packaging

· Pallet RFID for exterior assembly lines

· Test line pallet RFID for truck engines

When the engine is transferred from the interior to the exterior, or when it needs to be repaired offline, since the engine and the pallet are separated, it is necessary to back up and restore the RFID data and the MES, which is more cumbersome.

Therefore, if the bolt RFID tags on the cylinder body can be used throughout the complete manufacturing process, there will be no data transfer problem and the data interaction between MES and PLC can be greatly reduced, but it will face great difficulties.

Due to the small distance between engine stations, high frequency rather than ultra-high frequency RFID technology is used, which results in a short reading distance of RFID tags (generally

After the cylinder is assembled, most of it is wrapped inside the engine. If the bolt RFID is installed inside, it will be difficult to identify; if it is installed outside, it may also cause interference with parts and equipment during the assembly process, making it difficult to identify.

So if we want to use RFID of cylinder bolts for full tracking, we need to start from the design and work with process and control experts to formulate a plan:

· Design a special process mounting hole for RFID bolts on the cylinder block; this hole will not affect the rigidity of the engine; it will always be exposed to the outside of the engine after assembly; it will be closed with ordinary bolts or rubber plugs before leaving the factory.

· After the bolt RFID is installed on the cylinder machine, it will not interfere with other parts and equipment throughout the process.

· Equipment and OEM engineers should adjust the installation position of the RFID Reader at each station according to the position and angle of the RFID bolt.

This solution can effectively ensure data security, but it increases the complexity of the process and has its own pros and cons.