An example of a space expander
Background
The oil ring portion of a piston ring distributes the required layer of oil that enables a piston to slide easily inside a cylinder. If a foreign object or material is attached to the surface of the space expander on the oil ring, the oil layer will no longer be adequate, and the piston will not move smoothly. Exclusion of such contaminants is, therefore, critical to piston performance.
Application
Accurate analysis of foreign objects on the surface of space expanders plays an important role in maintaining and improving engine efficiency. It is important to select inspection equipment that is well-suited for this purpose.
Solution
The inverted design of the Olympus DSX digital microscope enables nondestructive observation of a piston of any size. Its 3D image acquisition function provides a detailed display of foreign material through a profile measurement that includes width, height, or other dimensions. The microscope can be used to identify foreign material, which helps highlight any manufacturing processes that may be the source of this commingled foreign material.
Images
A foreign object on the surface of a space expander, as observed with a 20x objective lens
The surface of a space expander, as observed with a 5x objective lens
