Project Summary

Improved product quality achieved through automation of multi-stage glass fabrication process using high-resolution vision inspection and precision motion control.

System Features & Components

• NI CompactRIO-based system coordinated multi-stage glass fabrication process

• High-resolution video capture to ensure continuous quality inspection throughout manufacturing

• Precision motion control for sub-micron positioning accuracy to ensure fine precision manipulation of delicate glass pipettes

• Automated thermal management systems for heating element control and monitoring

• Custom LabVIEW software for image processing, motion control, and thermal regulation

  
  

Outcomes

• Sub-micron positioning accuracy for medical-grade pipette production

• Reverse-engineered manufacturing process mitigated sustainment risks by providing to low-level process IP

• Automated multi-stage quality inspection replaced manual verification, significantly improving test times and quality assurance

Technology at-a-glance

• NI CompactRIO-9064 controller

• NI-9512 motor drive interface module (obsolete)

• PXIe-1073 chassis

• NI PXI-6521 industrial digital I/O module

• NI PXIe-4113 power supply

• High-resolution cameras

• Precision servo motors and drives

• Custom thermal control hardware

• LabVIEW for measurements, analysis, and system integration

  
  

High Accuracy Application

Successful in vitro fertilization procedures rely on an instrument with precision finer than the width of a human hair, the insemination pipette. These microscale glass tools require ultra-precise manufacturing; the beveled tips must be capable of penetrating an egg cell to deliver genetic material without damaging the cell membrane. Delicate procedures like these require precision tools manufactured of the utmost quality.

Microscale Manufacturing

A global leader in IVF solutions was faced with an inflection point in their pipette manufacturing process. Due to IP restrictions, they needed to find a partner to reverse-engineer their precision manufacturing system with limited additional specifications. They needed a partner that could develop and build an automated manufacturing solution on a microscale.

Their pipette manufacturing process required high levels of precision at every stage. The manufacturing process began with glass tube stock, which was then heated and pulled to create ultra-fine threads. These threads were then cut, beveled, inspected, and sharpened to create a medical-grade instrument.

The technical challenges included:

• Microscale manipulation: Each operation was performed on a pipette finer than the width of a huma hair, which required sub-micron positioning accuracy

• Multi-stage quality control: Pipette width verification, length cutting, bevel angle inspection, and pathway validation were performed in tight sequence.

• Proprietary process constraints: IP restrictions required the independent development of a system capable of matching or exceeding the performance of the previous manufacturing solution

• Complex thermal processes: Precise heating and thermal management were required to control glass pulling, melting and sharpening processes

Fully Automated Manufacturing

Cyth brought expertise in high-performance imaging and precision motion control critical to ensuring manufacturing quality and measurement accuracy.

Cyth developed an automated pipette manufacturing fixture through incorporating the limited details and customer requirements and performing an in-depth research phase for learning about the system to be able to reverse engineer its functionality.

The NI CompactRIO platform’s high-speed data acquisition and real-time control capabilities enabled the implementation of key manufacturing system capabilities, including:

• Glass tube heating and pulling for pipette thread stock formation

• Real-time width measurement and verification with micron-scale resolution

• Precision cutting and length tolerance verification

• Beveling and angle inspection

• Multi-camera vision for continuous process monitoring and quality assurance

• Sub-micron level positioning accuracy of motion control systems

  
  

The NI PXI platform was critical for:

• Precision control of forges for heating filaments to precise temperatures for shaping operations

• Synchronization of LED illumination for visual inspection with ionizer operation

• Parallel processing for thermal, optical, and environmental subsystems

Proven Quality Control

Cyth’s reverse-engineered solution exceeded expected accuracy and throughput metrics and provided the pipette manufacturer with reliable, repeatable testing capabilities.

The seamless integration into production and long-term sustainability of the manufacturing systems helped to quickly establish a beneficial ROI for system development.

Production and quality improvements:

• Microscale manufacturing precision with sub-micron positioning accuracy

• Automated multi-stage quality inspection eliminated manual verification steps

• Reduced human handling of delicate instruments improved quality consistency