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Cat's steering put to the test
ZF Steering Systems Nacam (Nacam) manufactures steering columns for most European passenger car companies, which makes QA of critical importance. The thrust of the QA regime has always been to use the best technology to minimise the possibility of human error compromising product quality.
Naturally, with safety critical components, the primary objective is to ensure that a component does not fail in service but there is the secondary consideration of protecting the company’s reputation for quality and reliability.
Nacam is using Kistler sensors and monitoring systems in QA applications, and the latest is a test rig to ensure that the screw threads in the universal joints for the new Jaguar XF are within spec.
The test rig, designed by Nacam’s Manufacturing Engineering Manager Paul Richards, with technical assistance from Kistler’s Eddie Jackson, uses two Kistler Type 4502 miniature torque sensors to check that both threads have been formed correctly and are neither too loose or to tight. This latter parameter is important as during installation on the car, the clamping screws are inserted after the steering column is in situ and space is tight. If the threads are not within spec, the whole column has to be removed — an expensive operation for which Nacam has to pay.