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Explanation of PeP

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What is plasma? Plasma is often called the fourth state of matter, alongside solid, liquid, and gas. It’s formed when gas is heated or energized to such an extent that its atoms lose electrons, creating a mix of charged particles—free electrons and ions. This state is highly conductive and is found naturally in stars, including the sun. On Earth, we can create plasma in controlled environments, like in plasma polishing, where it’s used to remove surface imperfections through electrical discharges. Plasma plays a key role in advanced manufacturing and surface treatment processes. What is Plasma electrolytic Polishing (PeP)? Close-up PeP Plasma electrolytic polishing (PeP) is a surface finishing and deburring technology that uses an electrically charged electrolyte solution to polish and deburr metals, resulting in smooth, high-gloss surfaces and edges. Unlike traditional methods, PeP combines plasma electrolysis with anodic dissolution, making it ideal for achieving fine finishes and re...
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Cost and benefit analysis

Cost-benefit analysis: Manual deburring vs. Plasma electrolytic Polishing (outsourced) 1. Previous Situation: manual deburring Costs: Labor Time : Manual deburring is time-consuming and requires skilled labor. Costs are primarily driven by wages and the time needed per component. Average time per product : High due to intensive labor. Labor costs : Estimated based on the number of working hours employees spend on manual deburring. Consistency & quality Risk of variation : Manual deburring can produce inconsistent quality depending on the operator's experience.   Post-processing : May be necessary in some cases, adding extra time and costs. Material loss & damage : Manual deburring can result in micro-damage, negatively affecting product accuracy. Benefits: Initial investments : Manual deburring requires minimal upfront investment in machinery and can be done with basic tools. Flexibility : M...
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Alternatives

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Alternative processing methods Deburring and polishing are crucial steps in the manufacturing process as they significantly enhance the quality and functionality of products. Burrs, or sharp edges and protrusions that form during machining processes, can affect the accuracy of parts, especially in complex shapes where precision is essential. Additionally, burrs can trap dirt and contaminants, which compromises the cleanliness of the product—cleanliness being one of the most important criteria for customers such as ASML. Effective deburring helps save costs by reducing defects and wear, while improving the overall finish and reliability of parts, even in advanced and complex designs. Alternative processing methods for deburring and polishing products are as follows Tumbling (vibratory deburring) Description : Tumbling, or vibratory deburring, is a process where workpieces are placed in a vibratory or rotating tumbler along with an abrasive medium. The mechanical motion causes fricti...
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Influence on PCOI

PCOI In the Lucassen Group’s Heaterhead project, a key challenge has emerged in meeting the increasingly stringent quality requirements of clients like ASML. The current manual post-processing, where products are deburred under a microscope, is labor-intensive and time-consuming. To address these challenges, plasma polishing is being introduced as an external step in the production process. This study utilizes the PCOI model (Process, Control, Organization, Information) to analyze the impact of this technological innovation and outline the transition from the current state to the future state. 1. Process Current State: Manual deburring under a microscope is labor-intensive and time-consuming (2 to 3 hours per product). No external polishing technology, leading to inconsistent quality and variable lead times. Future State: Plasma polishing is introduced as an external step, improving initial finish quality and speeding up post-processing. Manual deburring remains necessary but becomes m...
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Future situation

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Future Situation for Lucassen Group with PeP in the Heaterhead Project: By implementing PeP before the manual deburring stage in the Heaterhead project, the Lucassen Group is going to significantly improve process efficiency. PeP will remove the majority of burrs early in the production process, resulting in several key benefits: Reduced Manual Labor : Since most of the burrs will be removed through PeP, the manual deburring process will become less labour-intensive and time-consuming. This will allow skilled workers to focus on finer finishing and quality control. Shortened Lead Times : With most burrs removed through plasma polishing, the overall production lead time will decrease. This faster turnaround will help Lucassen Group meet the increasing demands from clients like ASML, both in terms of quality and delivery deadlines. Enhanced Product Quality : The initial surface finish provided by PeP will improve the overall quality of ...
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Research approach

Research Objective The aim of this research is to determine how the manual post-processing time of the Heaterhead project can be reduced to meet the increasing quality requirements of the client. The following research question has been formulated for this purpose. The sub-questions serve as a critical tool, as they highlight specific aspects of the problem and collectively lead to an answer to the main question. Research Question: "How can the manual post-processing time of the Heaterhead project be reduced to meet the client's increasingly stringent quality requirements?" Sub-Questions: What are the current post-processing procedures within the Heaterhead project, and which specific operations take the most time? What technologies are available to reduce post-processing time, and which is best suited to the production environment of the Heaterhead project? How can the implementation of alternative post-processing solutions improve the quality and consistency of the fina...
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Current situation at Lucassen Groep B.V.

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The basic structure of the Heaterhead Process The basic structure of the Heaterhead process provides a visual representation of the production process for the Heaterhead project. The research focuses on reducing time by applying new technology as an addition to the deburring process. Below is an explanation of the process outline: Raw materials are supplied from the expedition department to the milling or turning department, where the products are manufactured on CNC machines. For the CNC milling department, an EPC process (First Product Control) is performed. The purpose of this step is for the operator to measure the part produced at the start of a production batch, ensuring form and positional tolerances as well as dimensions are met. Following this, a microscopic inspection is conducted by the deburring technicians to verify whether the visual results meet the required standards. Next, the products are temporarily stored in the deburring or measuring department. Some products must ...
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