Machined hole-feature measurement
Separate diameter and spacing measurements from missing-hole and obstruction checks.
// Short answer
A vision station can check that the visible drilled holes, counterbores and chamfer features expected for a machining operation are present on the correct part. A located view compares a feature list with the approved variant before the PLC releases the component. Seeing a hole or a thread entrance does not establish its depth or the condition of the complete internal thread. Those checks remain with a suitable gauge or another measuring method.
// At a glance
The station in three lines
- Inspection point
- After the operation that creates the visible feature; before it is hidden.
- Release
- PLC quality hold or confirmed rejection, defined for this line.
- Validation
- Your good, faulty and borderline production samples.
// Fit & limits
What this station will not do, and what it needs
What it will not do
- Hole depth An entrance view does not measure how far a blind hole extends.
- Thread quality A visible thread start is not a full internal-thread inspection.
- Hidden faces Reorient the component or retain another inspection step.
What makes it work
- Operation sheet Identify features added by the machining operation.
- Variant rules List intentionally absent features for every approved variant.
- Challenge parts Include unmachined, partly machined, stained and wrongly oriented examples.
// On South African lines
Check drilled holes, chamfers and visible machined features: where the check belongs
A missed operation may leave a blank boss, an absent cross-hole or an unfinished edge even when the outside dimensions are correct. Define the inspection from the routing sheet: what must have changed after this operation, which face shows the change, and which variants legitimately omit it. Inspect before the next assembly step hides the feature. The result should identify the failed feature rather than give a single unexplained red light.
This is an engineering scope for sample assessment, not a report of a completed customer installation. The sources below support measurement, imaging or test-method principles; station performance must be established on your products.
What the line reports, and what the station checks
| What the line reports | What a station checks | Where it stops |
|---|---|---|
| One hole is missing after drilling | Check presence at each expected position after locating the part | A dark stain must not be accepted as an open hole. |
| A chamfer operation was skipped | Inspect the visible mouth geometry with controlled lighting | A bright ring alone does not prove the required chamfer angle or depth. |
| The wrong drilling program ran | Compare the expected pattern and variant-specific features | Identical visible patterns may still differ inside. |
| A tapped hole looks finished | Check only agreed visible entrance features | Internal thread completeness and functional fit need the specified thread gauge. |
// The complete solution
Hardware, software and installation
[Schematic]Plan view, not to scale
Swipe sideways to see the whole drawing →
[1]: Trigger
[2]: Lighting
[3]: Image
[4]: Hold / reject
[5]: Confirm
Hardware
| Component | HIKROBOT example | Role in this station |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | HIKROBOT smart camera or area-scan camera | View the face that exposes the operation result. |
| Light | Backlight for through-holes; directional light for surface features | Separate open geometry from stains and reflections. |
| Fixture | Part location and presence sensing | Keep feature regions registered to the correct datum. |
| Control | PLC quality handshake | Hold the cycle when a feature result, recipe or image is missing. |
Software and vision tools
| Tool or software | What it does here |
|---|---|
| Recipe | Load the approved feature list from the part variant. |
| Registration | Locate the component before inspecting feature regions. |
| Feature checks | Use presence, edge and pattern tools with explicitly labelled counterexamples. |
| Quality release | Return per-feature decisions and a cycle reference to the PLC. |
Installation and integration
01
Define the inspection contract
Agree the defect/feature list, acceptable variants, reference samples, failure response and excluded checks.
02
Establish optical access
Identify features added by the machining operation. List intentionally absent features for every approved variant.
03
Connect the quality decision
Include unmachined, partly machined, stained and wrongly oriented examples. A result is valid only for its own part or pack cycle.
04
Control changes
Bind the program and inspection limits to the authorised product revision; record who changes them.
05
Commission on the real line
Repeat the challenge set under the agreed production conditions, then check cleaning, restart, bypass and rework handling.
// Budget and scope
What determines the station quotation
The optical test and integration survey define the scope before a rand budget is issued.
No numerical budget is assigned to this scope before optical feasibility and the handling/PLC requirements are defined. A shared camera model or similar product does not establish the cost of this complete station.
| Cost driver | What changes the scope | Information needed |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Number of faces and need for reorientation | Drawing and operation sheet |
| Lighting | Through-hole access versus reflective hole mouths | Clean and production-condition samples |
| Interlock | Available PLC signals and hold/rework routing | Cycle diagram and quality release rules |
Compare the scope with the cost guide. The quotation states its price date, VAT treatment, installation, commissioning and exclusions.
// Related technology
Which technologies this scenario uses, and why
The technologies behind this station, how much each matters here, and where each is explained in depth.
| Technology | Role | Why it matters in this scenario | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presence detection and counting | Core | Supports the machined hole and feature inspection task within the stated viewing and acceptance limits. | Presence and counting |
| Area scan cameras with a vision controller | Core | Supports the machined hole and feature inspection task within the stated viewing and acceptance limits. | Camera and lens selection |
| Lighting technique | Supporting | Supports the machined hole and feature inspection task within the stated viewing and acceptance limits. | Machine vision lighting |
| PLC link and reject with confirmation | Supporting | Supports the machined hole and feature inspection task within the stated viewing and acceptance limits. | PLC and reject integration |
// Acceptance
How the station is proven before handover
Every station is accepted on your products, against numbers agreed in writing before the build. How we deliver →
01
Missed operations
Challenge each feature independently, including partly completed operations.
02
Variant changeover
An incorrect or missing recipe must prevent automatic acceptance.
03
PLC sequence
Test missing trigger, stale result, unload/reload and restart; a past pass cannot release the next component.
04
Evidence and handover
Record the challenge set, outcomes, recipe revision, inspection conditions and unresolved limits. Agree false-reject and missed-defect targets before building; no universal performance figure is assumed.
// FAQ
Questions about this station
What samples are needed for this inspection?
Identify features added by the machining operation. List intentionally absent features for every approved variant. Include acceptable production variation and borderline failures, not only ideal parts.
Can the camera cover every defect?
An entrance view does not measure how far a blind hole extends. A visible thread start is not a full internal-thread inspection. The agreed scope lists what is visible and what needs another method.
Can this be integrated into an existing line?
Assess optical access, available space, triggers, PLC signals and a safe physical hold or reject route first. The scope covers a new inspection station; it does not assume repair or takeover of an existing third-party vision system.
How is the station price established?
The sample study defines views and optics; the site survey defines handling, enclosure, PLC integration and validation. The quotation states the rand amount, price date, VAT treatment and exclusions. No transferable fixed price is implied.
Sources
- HIKROBOT VisionMaster (Vendor tool scope, verified 25 September 2026 in the source ledger. Tool availability is not proof of performance on your products.)
- NI: A practical guide to machine vision lighting (Lighting principles cited in the site lighting guide, checked 24 September 2026. Application depends on material and viewing geometry.)
Related:
More line solutions in automotive and engineering:
// Next step
Send us your products and the fault you want caught
Describe the line, the products and the fault. We test on your good and faulty samples and reply with a feasibility note and a budget.