Renscan5™ retrofit upgrade at GE Oil and Gas

“Huge reductions in inspection time and the ability to measure form – REVO® has opened a new frontier”

GE Oil and Gas Florence has transformed the performance of a DEA Global CMM with a retrofit system direct from Renishaw, allowing far higher data collection rates and thus form analysis, never before practically possible on the DEA CMM

Every year, GE Oil and Gas invites customers to an open house at its factory in Florence, Italy. This year 800 customers saw the results of a GE Oil and Gas New Technology Introduction project - a DEA Global coordinate measuring machine (CMM), retrofitted with a Renishaw REVO® system and measuring impeller parts at a dramatic speed.

As Claudio Bartali (Manufacturing Technology Project Leader) explains “The demonstration was spectacular – inspection time on a typical impeller reduced by 4 times. However, that is not the main reason we started the project and employed Renishaw to retrofit the CMM with REVO. The exciting part will start soon when we use the massive amount of accurate REVO-measured data to compare the form of inspected surfaces with the 3D CAD models.”

The retrofit, performed directly by Renishaw with its own experienced engineers, replaced the previous head, touch trigger probe, DEA controller and PC-DMIS® software with the Renishaw Renscan5™ system - REVO 5-axis scanning head, UCC2 controller and MODUS™ software.

Saverio Chiari (Manufacturing Technology Leader) is delighted with how smoothly it went, “The Renishaw service is very good – they are very focused on customer support and have been very supportive in the changeover to REVO.”

With a requirement for 100% inspection, there is a high demand on the CMMs and programming systems, which need to adapt constantly. At the GE plant in Florence, the DEA Global is used to perform dimensional inspections on components varying in size and geometry up to 1000 mm diameter.

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AEROSPACE COMPONENT AND GEAR BOX MANUFACTURER, BRADLEY-THOMPSON TOOL COMPANY, INSTALLS NEW WENZEL CMM WITH SCANNING PROBE AND OPENDMIS® SOFTWARE

When Bradley-Thompson Tool Company received an order to machine a large number of aerospace gear box castings new measuring capability was required…and Xspect Solutions met the challenge with the right Wenzel CMM, the necessary accessories and immediate software assistance.

Markets served have been a renaissance for Southfield, Michigan-based Bradley-Thompson Tool Company, who in recent years has focused their precision machining know-how on the aerospace industry…in particular, complex gear box castings.

“We’ve been successful in carving out a niche for ourselves on specific parts like gear boxes, without having multi-million dollar machining centers to do it,” says Art Watson co-owner of Bradley-Thompson. What we do have is tremendous machining and toolmaking experience born out of many years of designing, building and manufacturing parts and machining systems for the automotive industry. What our global aerospace customers have been impressed with here, right on 8 mile road in Detroit, has been our ability to accurately and consistently produce their complex parts on time, at a reasonable cost, with the tolerances and specifications they require. Like many aerospace suppliers, we first became involved by manufacturing service parts which ultimately provided us the opportunity to quote on OE components. We are ISO9000 and AS9100 certified.”

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Measuring Technology in Web 2.0

Carl Zeiss Metrology Portal: global, Internet-based discussions and value-added services covering all aspects of measuring technology

In addition to a highly accurate measuring machine, the most important resources in measuring technology are the latest software and detailed application knowledge. Today, knowledge and software updates are increasingly exchanged via the Internet. Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology (IMT) has accompanied this development over the past 10 years with discussion forums and software downloads.

In order to meet the rising demands of measuring tasks, Carl Zeiss IMT has now created the Metrology Portal, thus considerably expanding the existing offering. The objective is to support customers in their daily measuring work and plans for future projects, and to increase their productivity.

The Metrology Portal provides beginners and experts with information for all areas of measuring technology. Furthermore, additional information is available to customers who have a software support agreement with Carl Zeiss. The Metrology Portal is unparalleled.

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Hexagon Metrology Unveils New Feature Rich Touch Screen Jogbox

Rugged Handheld Input Device for Brown & Sharpe and Sheffield Branded CMMs

Hexagon Metrology, Inc. announced the availability of the Universal Jogbox, a new handheld input device for Brown & Sharpe and Sheffield branded Coordinate Measurement Machines (CMMs) shipped from the North Kingstown, Rhode Island factory. Incorporating a modern touch screen interface with an ergonomic design and soft-touch materials, the Universal Job Box was designed first and foremost to be extremely tough, designed to withstand the rigors of industrial use with improved resistance to drops and similar shocks.

“Not only does the Universal Jogbox offer improved reliability and robustness, but we’ve also included many new features that will streamline the programming and operation of our Brown & Sharpe and Sheffield branded CMMs,” remarked Hexagon Metrology Product Manager, Eric Bennett. “From the layout of the touch screen interface to the new interaction features with our PC-DMIS measurement software, we’ve taken into consideration how our customers use the CMM and designed a handheld device that optimizes the workflow.”

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Navigator Technology for CONTURA® G2

Faster, more accurate measurements with efficient navigator technology

MAPLE GROVE/Minnesota/USA – January 28, 2010.

Carl Zeiss is expanding its CONTURA® G2 product line. Already very popular with mid-sized companies, it now includes the very accurate and fast CONTURA® G2 navigator coordinate measuring machine. The dynamic navigator technology from Carl Zeiss delivers a considerable improvement to the scanning speed without sacrificing measuring accuracy. Quickly navigating from one feature to the next is now a given.

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Hexagon Metrology is closing its Fond du Lac facility.

The international supplier of measurement systems streamlined its local operations over the last few months, consolidating work to Rhode Island and Ohio, said Bill Fetter, the company's director of marketing. The Fond du Lac location, 660 S. Military Road, had "excess capacity" in light of the tough economic times.

Fetter said a closing date hasn't been set, but most employees have already left. Fewer than 20 jobs are being lost.

He declined to comment on if workers received severance packages or were offered positions elsewhere.

The company has 11 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Brazil, China, France, Germany, Israel, Italy and Switzerland, according to its Web site, www.hexagonmetrology.com. Hexagon has 52 precision centers in 20 countries, and a network of more than 70 agents and distributors on five continents.

It employed 8,112 people companywide in 2008, according to the site.

Delphi uses Aberlink's Axiom in EUI manufacture

An Axiom Too coordinate measuring machine (CMM) from Aberlink has helped an automotive-parts manufacturer tighten geometric tolerances between its EUIs. Delphi's Stonehouse, Gloucestershire facility makes electronic unit injectors (EUIs) for heavy-duty applications.

These help vehicle and engine manufacturers around the world to meet demanding emissions legislation. Delphi's advanced EUI comprises an individual camshaft-plunger pump for each cylinder, capable of delivering fuel at very high pressures (up to 2,500 bar).

These high injection pressures are absolutely essential to enable engines to meet current and future emissions legislation, but require incredible manufacturing tolerances - often in the sub-micron region. Delphi's EUI systems incorporate full electronic control, with pilot injection reducing noise. Ensuring optimum operation efficiency, sensors located around the engine feed a continuous stream of data to the engine control unit (ECU), which calculates the exact amount of fuel to be injected and the timing of its delivery.

An international truck manufacturer recently challenged Delphi Stonehouse to tighten the geometric tolerances on the interface between the EUIs from 100 to 30um. Exceeding drawing requirements and beyond the inherent capability of the processes involved, the new increased tolerance demanded a revaluation of the manufacturing and inspection methods. A manufacturing and inspection strategy was embarked upon for the high-volume injectors. An inspection bottle-neck was quickly identified as a major potential difficulty. In consultation with Chris Gay, one of the Delphi Stonehouse's preferred inspection-equipment suppliers, several potential gauging solutions were explored. Having deemed dedicated fixtures as being too inflexible, an ideal solution was found, in the Axiom Too Coordinate Measuring Machine from Aberlink.

Will Johnson, quality manager at Delphi Stonehouse, said: 'Within a two-week period, working closely with Delphi personnel, Aberlink ran injector measurement trials, made minor modifications to its software, successfully completed arduous RandR trials and installed two Axiom Too CNC CMMs within the Stonehouse facility.

'Mindful of the urgency of our requirements and to further expedite the procurement process, we took advantage of Aberlink's Lease Hire Scheme. 'As the Aberlink operator interface is relatively simple, we have enjoyed the benefits of a reduced training time, while the high speed of our new Aberlink CMMs will enable us to keep up with the current unit-inspection volume of 2000 units per week and our projected throughput of 3000 units,' he added.

Always at the forefront of CMM innovation, Aberlink has recently completed installation of several specialist machining centres at its worldwide headquarters in Gloucester. Every Aberlink CMM features a high-grade aluminium bridge incorporating premium-quality air bearings, ensuring optimum performance across a range of environments, including less than perfect shop-floor conditions. 

Integration of the machine electronics into the CMM frame, rather than a separate desk unit, has resulted in Aberlink machines boasting the smallest footprint of any equivalent-sized machine. Aberlink's 3D measurement-software provides the user with a powerful yet easy to use interface, substantially increasing new users' component throughput.

Aberlink's flexible 3D metrology software package has been developed as a multi-platform solution. In addition to supporting both manual and CNC CMMs, it can also be used on portable arms, vision systems, video machines and profile projectors.

CMM Programming Automation Now Available for SolidWorks Users

PAS CMM for SolidWorks reduces up to 97% of CMM programming time

PAS Technology, developer of the revolutionary PAS CMM automation software, announced the release of PAS CMM for SolidWorks, an add-on that enables SolidWorks CAM users to automate CMM programming directly from their familiar SolidWorks environment.

With PAS CMM for SolidWorks, users can utilize their SolidWorks models or drawings, including GD&T, to create CMM programs in three easy steps that take minutes instead of hours or days. The integrated solution supports the generation of CMM programs suitable to any CMM machine in a DMIS environment.

“We are excited to bring our solution to the SolidWorks world,” said Sam Golan, PAS Technology’s President and CEO. “PAS CMM has a successful track record of enabling leading manufacturers to dramatically reduce the time and effort required to produce CMM programs. The tight integration between the two products will provide even greater time and cost savings to organizations that use SolidWorks.”

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FARO and Aberlink sign agreement to make Aberlink 3D available for FARO Gage

FARO, the world’s leading provider of portable measurement and imaging solutions, and Aberlink, the largest UK owned CMM manufacturer, have signed an agreement under which the Aberlink 3D software is now available as an option for the FARO Gage.

After a period of extensive product development, the latest version of Aberlink’s easy to use measurement software, Aberlink 3D, can now be employed with portable measuring arms. FARO have always supported an open architecture philosophy, and following successful test at customers’ sites in both the UK and Germany, decided to make Aberlink 3D software available as an option for the FARO Gage for their European customers.

Aberlink’s measurement software package was designed around an intuitive user interface that creates an interactive 3D image of the component as it is measured. In essence the software package represents an intelligent measuring system that is able to automatically recognise and define the various features being measured.

Software features developed specifically for FARO measuring arms ensure the on-screen image is always correctly orientated to match the measured part. Other innovations allow the arm to be used to control mouse functionality and the arm buttons to retake points and accept features. High speed scanning enables a standard fixed probe to be used to collect a high density of touch points using time and distance based point spacing

FARO’s David Homewood, Area Vice President of Sales for the UK, France and Benelux, said: “The software solution from Aberlink offers an excellent fit for our FARO Gage. The software offers simple functionality and visual representation of the parts being measured. Combined with a professional reporting package the Aberlink software adds new capability to the FARO Gage.”

About Aberlink

Aberlink designs, develops, manufactures, markets and supports a range of innovative manual and CNC Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs), vision measurement systems and measurement software. Aberlink products are renowned throughout the world for being cost effective, easy to use and above all providing manufacturing with reliable, high accuracy measurement results.

Worldwide headquarters in Gloucestershire, UK plus more than fifty regional sales and support offices in thirty five countries worldwide.

Revolutionary five-axis measurement system for CMMs wins another international award

Renishaw’s REVO® five-axis measuring system for co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs) has been honoured with another top international award, winning the Platinum Award for the Most Innovative Product at the ENGIMACH 2010 exhibition held in Gujurat, India. The trade fair is one of India’s leading events for engineering and machine tool technologies, and the award for REVO® was achieved against strong competition, with entry open to any of the 1,000 exhibitors participating at the event.

Commenting on this new award, Renishaw’s company spokesman, Chris Pockett, said, “This is the third international award for the REVO® system and is another outstanding achievement, especially as it has been recognised as the most innovative product across all categories of engineering technologies exhibited at ENGIMACH.”