Blechexpo 2025: Kistler and Nidec SYS present Inline Vision & Weld Marking-on-the-Fly

Unplanned downtime in punched part production is costly. Thanks to the Inline Vision & Weld System (IV&WS 512) from Kistler, production continues even when a defective part is detected. This is made possible by the combination of optical quality inspection with precise cutting and laser welding technology (Cut & Welding) in a single, seamless system. The Inline Vision & Weld System fully automates the removal of NOK (defective) parts from the punching strip and subsequently reconnects the strip using Nidec SYS’s wobble laser welding. The process ensures that only OK parts remain on the punched part coil – without manual intervention that could interrupt production or potentially damage surrounding OK parts.

For complete traceability: marking up to 1,600 punched parts per minute

A new feature in the current version of the Inline Vision & Weld System is an integrated laser marking system, KLM (Marking-on-the-Fly). This allows punched parts to be marked, for example, with QR codes or barcodes. The system can mark up to 1,600 parts per minute, ensuring complete traceability of all punched parts – a critical factor in industries such as automotive and medical technology. The vision inspection system also continuously delivers quality data, which can be used to analyze and improve production processes.

Werner Borth, CEO of Nidec SYS, underscores the added value of the new solution: ”With this innovative development, we are empowering our customers in high-end connector manufacturing to future-proof their production processes. They gain greater efficiency, enhanced quality, and a higher degree of automation – delivering a decisive competitive advantage.”

Whether stamping, joining, or machining: 100% quality thanks to compact and flexible measurement solutions

“The integration of multiple production steps into a single system saves valuable production space, which manufacturers can then use for peripheral devices with longer autonomy times,” says Edgar Wuchrer, Business Development Manager at Kistler. “Inline Vision & Weld enables 100% inspection and marking of punched parts in the smallest possible space. Visitors to Blechexpo can experience just how compact the system is.”

At its own booth, Kistler will present further innovative solutions that help make production processes more efficient. Among the highlights are electromechanical NC joining systems, which offer significant advantages over conventional technologies for automated joining and press-fitting processes. The compact NCFC joining module will be demonstrating a clinching application live at Blechexpo. Its small size and lightweight design make it ideal for use in tight production spaces, on robots, or on robotic arms. The electromechanical servo presses can be flexibly integrated into existing production lines – either as individual components or as turnkey press assembly workstations (Smart Single Stations).

The ANALYSE system, a modular and automated testing system for quality assurance in screw assembly, will be on display as well as the PRODUCTOR assembly tool, which allows measurements before, during, and after assembly to continuously monitor screw processes. Kistler also demonstrates the future of resistance spot welding with its sample welding tong, which is equipped with intelligent force sensors for smarter, more transparent, and fully process-safe processes. For wireless cutting force measurements, Kistler offers innovative solutions with the Rotating Cutting Dynamometer (RCD) and the telemetric measurement system (TMS). The RCD is specifically designed for process development and qualification in dynamic machining processes. Here, it enables precise measurements and analyses to optimize machining. The TMS is used in industrial series production and features wireless signal transmission for continuous tool monitoring, for example in turret lathes. This enables real-time monitoring of tool performance in production environments.