PDS
Corporation
| COMPANY/LOCATION: |
PDS Corporation, Knoxville, Tennessee |
| PRODUCT: |
Large area video displays |
| YEARS IN BUSINESS: |
3 |
| EMPLOYEES: |
10 |
| SITUATION: |
PDS manufactures Scan Star, a modular system of video displays that
can be stacked up eight high to create a video wall. The video wall can
be as large as 200 square meters. To maintain the image integrity, the
modules have very tight tolerances on the construction of the image wall.
As PDS technicians were constructing a prototype wall, they discovered
that some of the modules were not aligning properly, causing distortion
in the overall image quality. The PDS technicians found that misalignment
of critical pins and holes caused assembly problems along with the distortion
of the image. |
| PROJECT: |
Through the Direct Assistance Program, PDS contacted the Oak Ridge
Centers for Manufacturing Technology where ORCMT engineers used the Coordinate
Measuring Machine to measure the pins and holes on the video wall prototype.
The CMM measured the locations of each of 24 pins that hold the video displays
together. By measuring the coordinates of the pins as data points, the
ORCMT staff were able to determine precisely where the guide pins were
off and correct the problem by recommending drawing changes that allow
nondistortion assembly. |
| RESULTS: |
In less than two weeks, ORCMT personnel were able to provide PDS the
inspection data needed to solve the alignment problem. The ORCMT assistance
extends the viability of the video wall project as a product proving ground
and may help the company obtain more funds for research and development
and possibly spin off new products.
Tim Bingham, CAD manager for PDS, said "The assistance from ORCMT
helped the company prove its theory and its product." |
Technical assistances provided to the private sector by the Oak Ridge
Centers for Manufacturing Technology (ORCMT) and its manufacturing extension
partners throughout the United States.
|
