This will create a wall thickness 360° around the part top and bottom 8 points each.
To read the article click this link.
https://cmm-quarterly.squarespace.com/articles/calypso-point-recall-with-loop
Showing posts with label CMM Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CMM Articles. Show all posts
Calypso - Point Recall with LOOP
Calypso - Form Datum
What the Form Datum does is establish a FUNCTIONAL Datum Reference Frame coordinate system, similar to if you were setting up the primary, secondary, and tertiary datums on a functional checking gage. This is ONLY for a datum reference frame and does not modify how the base and secondary alignments evaluate their respective coordinate system. In the screen shot below, you can notice the different origin points are for a base alignment and datum reference frame.
To set the Form Datum correctly click on Extras/ Settings/ Measurement/ Form Datum, check both the Outer Tangential Element and the Re. Calculation as per ISO 5459 boxes.
What is happening?
When we create our base alignment the alignment uses the intersection point of your features as below.
This is based on the measurement of the actual features of the part.
Form Datum uses the highest contact points that would touch a Datum Feature Simulator, in order of primary, secondary, and tertiary features, establish a real coordinate system. Calypso will establish the proper location through the form datum reference calculation per ISO 5459. Again this is ONLY used for a Datum Reference Frame and does not affect the Base Alignment.
Form Datum Applied.
As you can imagine this will affect your location and true position results.
NIKON METROLOGY INTRODUCES PREMIUM PORTABLE ARM-BASED CMM SCANNING SOLUTION WITH MCAx Articulated arm and MMDx Scanners
| |||
|
Creaform has sold its 1500th Handyscan 3-D unit
Creaform has sold its 1500th Handyscan 3-D unit, a MAXscan laser scanner for large parts, to car manufacturer Daimler Automotive Co. in China.
Daimler Automotive will use the MAXscan to quality control sheet metal and passenger compartments, execute gap and flush analysis and check parts. The Chinese automaker also expanded its suite of quality control instruments with a HandyPROBE portable optical CMM, which will be used to inspect jigs and fixtures.
“This sale represents a new breakthrough for us in what is now the largest auto market in the world, and it confirms our position of world leader in 3-D scanning and optical measurement,” said President Charles Mony.
Daimler Automotive will use the MAXscan to quality control sheet metal and passenger compartments, execute gap and flush analysis and check parts. The Chinese automaker also expanded its suite of quality control instruments with a HandyPROBE portable optical CMM, which will be used to inspect jigs and fixtures.
“This sale represents a new breakthrough for us in what is now the largest auto market in the world, and it confirms our position of world leader in 3-D scanning and optical measurement,” said President Charles Mony.
Monster CMM Meets Military Needs
When Science and Engineering Services (SES) recently leased 500,000 sq ft of the old Dunlop tire manufacturing facility in Huntsville, AL, they needed a big CMM -- and Xspect Solutions found one for them. The supplier of rebuilt and remanufactured CMMs has extensive expertise with large CMMs. So when SES, a Huntsville-based Dept. of Defense ISO 9001:2000, AS 9100:2004 Rev B and FAA approved 145 Repair Station manufacturing suppl ier, went to the Internet for a supplier of a large gantry-type CMM, Xspect stood out as the best potential source.
“We have recently secured a significant number of new hardware and services contracts from the U.S. Dept. of Defense and other related OEM manufacturers that required more manufacturing floor space to accommodate programs involving military equipment like tank components (turrets) and helicopters,” explains Millard Jernigan, VP for special projects for Huntsville SES. “The helicopter work includes modification, upgrade, rebuild, and painting of all types of Army helicopters. In Huntsville, we have had a 61,000 sq ft manufacturing facility for the past 12 years, but we recently leased 500,000 sq ft of the old Dunlop Tire facility and have completely refurbished this space to handle some of our new programs.”
The space is completely heated, air-conditioned, and newly painted. Large milling machines and a large waterjet cutting machine with a 13 x 13 ft bed, capable of cutting up to 8-inch armor plate, were installed. The capital investment program included a large CMM to provide the high-quality inspection needed for checking large airframes.
Machine tools are not CMMs
| By Dr. Scott Smith, University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
To improve productivity, it seems logical to measure parts using the same machine tool that makes them. After all, the machine tool usually has the required axes, sufficient work volume and typically a touch-trigger probe. Yet, full on-machine measurement is often not good enough. Why are the most accurate measurements still made on special-purpose coordinate measuring machines? CMMs, like metalcutting machine tools, are constructed to be as accurate as economically feasible. CMMs however, unlike machine tools, are made more accurate through computer-based error compensation throughout the work space—volumetric error compensation. After a CMM is built, its error map is carefully measured using laser interferometry, for example. The error functions for straightness, squareness, linear positioning accuracy and angular errors are measured and tabulated. Because the geometry of CMM components can be taken as constant, these errors can be combined and corrected using software. While volumetric error compensation is almost universal in CMMs, it is rare for machine tools to have correction for more than ballscrew errors. So why is volumetric error compensation more difficult for machine tools? The geometry of machine tool components is not constant, making machine tools different than CMMs in at least four significant ways. CMMs are usually housed in well-controlled thermal environments. Metrology laboratories are routinely maintained at 20° C, the temperature at which dimensional measurements are specified. These rooms have large airflows, temperature-lock doors and special thermal control systems to hold the temperature within a narrow range, routinely to a small fraction of 1° C. Before part measurements are made, the parts are required to “soak out”—that is, to come completely to the temperature of the metrology room. On the other hand, machine tools are often operated in poorly controlled thermal environments. Windows may allow sunlight into the room, and doors to the outside may be open. While machine shops are routinely heated, only a minority are air-conditioned. The changing thermal environment changes the geometry of the machine tool. The machine tool has thermal modes in the same way that it has vibrational modes, but the time constants of the thermal modes are long—on the order of hours or days. CMMs do not have significant on-board heat sources. While there are servomotors to drive the CMM axes, the required power is low. The axes of CMMs have low friction, often riding on a cushion of air. Machine tools have drive motors, preloaded axes and spindles, and receive heat from the cutting process and the sprays of lower-temperature coolant. These heat sources turn on and off unpredictably, depending on the part. The heat sources on machine tools excite the thermal modes, and, as a result, the machine is always moving. The machine never gets warmed up. As an example, consider a machine tool with a spindle mounted on the front of a vertical column. When the spindle is first turned on, the heat is largely contained in the spindle, which grows out, away from the column. The spindle position moves in +Y. Later in the day, even with the spindle still running at the same speed and under the same load, the heat from the spindle begins to migrate into the column, but on the front side more than on the back side of the column. The column deforms and begins to lean back, moving the spindle in –Y. If, as is more common, the spindle starts and stops and speeds up and slows down, then thermally induced errors become difficult to predict. CMMs do not have to “be” anywhere. Rather, they have to know accurately where they are when the probe “clicks.” As a result, the drives and guideways can be rather flexible. Machine tools have to be in particular locations and they have to hold those positions against high forces. The drives and guideways must be very stiff. Machine tool axes have to be preloaded to avoid backlash, and they exhibit friction. Reversal errors are a significant problem for machine tools, but far less so for CMMs. Unlike CMMs, machine tools must move axes at prescribed (and often high) speeds to coordinate with the cutting actions of the tool. CMMs do not usually experience significant process loads. The contact force between the probe and the target may be millinewtons. As a result, the deformation of a CMM during measurement operations is usually small and generally limited to the effects of the weight of the part (which does not change on a CMM), and the changing center of mass of the moving components. Machine tools experience significant process loads. The cutting force can easily be hundreds of pounds. Cutting produces large spindle torques, and the rapidly moving heavy axes produce inertial loads. For these reasons, machine tools are resistant to volumetric error compensation. It does not mean that machine tools cannot be used for measurement. Rather, it means that CMM-base measurements are, at least for now, significantly more accurate. CTE About the Author: Dr. Scott Smith is a professor at the William States Lee College of Engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, specializing in machine tool structural dynamics. Contact him via e-mail at kssmith@uncc.edu. |
Source
NVision and FixLogix Partner to Provide Unique Part Holding for Non-Contact Scanning
(July 15, 2009) - NVision Inc. and FixLogix LLC have partnered to provide a new easy-to-use and economical modular part-holding system designed especially for non-contact scanning. The FixLogix part-holding system uses a t-slot fixture plate with integrated components to stage the part on the machine. The system offers tremendous savings compared to conventional fixtures, and offers a superior solution to laser scanning applications due to the infinite adjustability of the t-slot system. “The FixLogix system is the first part-holding system to deliver exactly what is needed for diverse engineering projects,” said Steve Kersen, President of NVision. “We are excited to bundle it with of our scanning systems to provide our customers a complete turn-key solution for both reverse engineering and inspection.”
Fixtures made for machining are not appropriate for non-contact measurement. They are designed to withstand the high cutting forces involved in machining so they are typically quite expensive and block much of the part from optical inspection. “The ideal approach to fixturing for optical inspection would be levitation,” said Dan Smith, President of FixLogix. “Our new part-holding system provides the next best thing by offering a minimalist approach to holding the part firmly. We provide a standard kit that can be configured to hold nearly any part, with simple structures that minimize interference with scanning. It saves hours that today are commonly spent in scouring the shop for a makeshift fixture that takes hours to assemble and may not hold the part in the right orientation.”
The t-slot plate has a clamp ledge around the perimeter, allowing easy lock-down with toe-clamps. New “near zero” force clamps feature an innovative self-wedging design ideal for trapping soft or fragile parts without distortion. The FixLogix modular part-holding system provides multi-axis infinite positioning of locating components, which simplifies fixture construction. The frame is laser engraved with reference scales along the T-slots, providing clear documentation of the fixture setup for easy repeatability. The modular part-holding system works equally well with optical scanning systems mounted on gantries and portable coordinate measuring machines (CMM).
NVision provides the FixLogix modular part-holding system as part of a complete package with their non-contact optical scanning systems. These include the NVision HandHeld scanner, MAXOS, and MobileScan.
• The HandHeld Scanner is a powerful portable device that is capable of capturing 3D geometry from components of virtually any size. It is attached to a mechanical arm that moves about the object, freeing the user to capture data rapidly and with a high degree of resolution.
• The MAXOS system uses a concentrated light to make measurements rather than a touch probe allowing it to measure complex geometry - even if it has a shiny surface - without the need for spraying. The MAXOS is also unaffected by the limitations of ball radius compensation from which traditional CMMs suffer. It can measure radii down to 0.1 mm with an accuracy of +/- 2 microns.
• The MobileScan laser system moves automatically controlled to follow a pre-defined measurement strategy. This means that the scanner can be left alone to scan production items without the constant attention that is required by a handheld device. MobileScan connects easily to a standard notebook computer via USB or Firewire and comes integrated with computer-aided inspection software that automatically processes scan data from a physical part to generate highly accurate polygon and parametric surface models.
For more information, contact NVision, Inc., 440 Wrangler Dr, Suite 200, Coppell TX 75019. Ph: 972.393.8000, Fax: 972.393.8002. E-mail: sales@nvision3d.com. Visit NVision's Web site at www.nvision3d.com.
Fixtures made for machining are not appropriate for non-contact measurement. They are designed to withstand the high cutting forces involved in machining so they are typically quite expensive and block much of the part from optical inspection. “The ideal approach to fixturing for optical inspection would be levitation,” said Dan Smith, President of FixLogix. “Our new part-holding system provides the next best thing by offering a minimalist approach to holding the part firmly. We provide a standard kit that can be configured to hold nearly any part, with simple structures that minimize interference with scanning. It saves hours that today are commonly spent in scouring the shop for a makeshift fixture that takes hours to assemble and may not hold the part in the right orientation.”
The t-slot plate has a clamp ledge around the perimeter, allowing easy lock-down with toe-clamps. New “near zero” force clamps feature an innovative self-wedging design ideal for trapping soft or fragile parts without distortion. The FixLogix modular part-holding system provides multi-axis infinite positioning of locating components, which simplifies fixture construction. The frame is laser engraved with reference scales along the T-slots, providing clear documentation of the fixture setup for easy repeatability. The modular part-holding system works equally well with optical scanning systems mounted on gantries and portable coordinate measuring machines (CMM).
NVision provides the FixLogix modular part-holding system as part of a complete package with their non-contact optical scanning systems. These include the NVision HandHeld scanner, MAXOS, and MobileScan.
• The HandHeld Scanner is a powerful portable device that is capable of capturing 3D geometry from components of virtually any size. It is attached to a mechanical arm that moves about the object, freeing the user to capture data rapidly and with a high degree of resolution.
• The MAXOS system uses a concentrated light to make measurements rather than a touch probe allowing it to measure complex geometry - even if it has a shiny surface - without the need for spraying. The MAXOS is also unaffected by the limitations of ball radius compensation from which traditional CMMs suffer. It can measure radii down to 0.1 mm with an accuracy of +/- 2 microns.
• The MobileScan laser system moves automatically controlled to follow a pre-defined measurement strategy. This means that the scanner can be left alone to scan production items without the constant attention that is required by a handheld device. MobileScan connects easily to a standard notebook computer via USB or Firewire and comes integrated with computer-aided inspection software that automatically processes scan data from a physical part to generate highly accurate polygon and parametric surface models.
For more information, contact NVision, Inc., 440 Wrangler Dr, Suite 200, Coppell TX 75019. Ph: 972.393.8000, Fax: 972.393.8002. E-mail: sales@nvision3d.com. Visit NVision's Web site at www.nvision3d.com.
Reproducible and Easy Measurement of Large Sample Areas
Axio CSM 700 from Carl Zeiss with new functions
JENA, STUTTGART/GERMANY – May 5, 2009.
The new functions of the Axio CSM 700 confocal light microscope from Carl Zeiss enable materials scientists to measure large sample areas more conveniently and use the system more flexibly.
For this microscope, Carl Zeiss offers a motorized scanning stage with a 150 x 150 mm travel range that is suitable for materials research, quality inspection and routine applications. Scanning stage control is integrated into the Axio CSM 700 software and allows large sample areas to be captured like a mosaic with high resolution. This function has been further optimized with a stitching algorithm so that no transitions are perceived between the single images in the final pictures. Therefore, results such as roughness and wear rate can be determined with a higher statistical reliability even with large sample areas.
It is also now much easier to operate the Axio CSM 700 thanks to the new, coded and motorized nosepiece which now comes standard.
The Axio CSM 700 highly accurately measures even fine roughness on relatively “soft” surfaces without contact. The microscope visualizes surfaces three-dimensionally, with high resolution and in true color, and also allows precise measurement of 3D microstructures as well as roughness determination in maximum quality. Topographical measurements are performed at more than 100 frames per second. Additional benefits include the reliable detection of height information with step heights from approx. 20 nm up to the millimeter range, as well as images with a depth of focus otherwise only possible with scanning electron microscopes.
The easy-to-use software provides numerous analysis options, including the measurement of roughness, evaluation of layer thickness and particle analysis. Additional functions such as a newly programmed filter facilitate and improve image processing.
Furthermore, English units like inches and microinches have been integrated into the Axio CSM 700 software. Therefore, material microscopy standards valid in parts of North America, in particular, can be better complied with.
JENA, STUTTGART/GERMANY – May 5, 2009.
The new functions of the Axio CSM 700 confocal light microscope from Carl Zeiss enable materials scientists to measure large sample areas more conveniently and use the system more flexibly.
For this microscope, Carl Zeiss offers a motorized scanning stage with a 150 x 150 mm travel range that is suitable for materials research, quality inspection and routine applications. Scanning stage control is integrated into the Axio CSM 700 software and allows large sample areas to be captured like a mosaic with high resolution. This function has been further optimized with a stitching algorithm so that no transitions are perceived between the single images in the final pictures. Therefore, results such as roughness and wear rate can be determined with a higher statistical reliability even with large sample areas.
It is also now much easier to operate the Axio CSM 700 thanks to the new, coded and motorized nosepiece which now comes standard.
The Axio CSM 700 highly accurately measures even fine roughness on relatively “soft” surfaces without contact. The microscope visualizes surfaces three-dimensionally, with high resolution and in true color, and also allows precise measurement of 3D microstructures as well as roughness determination in maximum quality. Topographical measurements are performed at more than 100 frames per second. Additional benefits include the reliable detection of height information with step heights from approx. 20 nm up to the millimeter range, as well as images with a depth of focus otherwise only possible with scanning electron microscopes.
The easy-to-use software provides numerous analysis options, including the measurement of roughness, evaluation of layer thickness and particle analysis. Additional functions such as a newly programmed filter facilitate and improve image processing.
Furthermore, English units like inches and microinches have been integrated into the Axio CSM 700 software. Therefore, material microscopy standards valid in parts of North America, in particular, can be better complied with.
Helmel Introduces First DCC CMM Under $20,000
HELMEL ENGINEERING PRODUCTS, INC. announces the introduction of their American-made, shop hardened automatic coordinate measuring machine for small and medium sized parts at an introductory price under $20,000. Called the PHOENIX RB, it is a DCC system with a measuring capacity of 12” x 12” x 10”, and is a complete, ready-to-run machine with a “real estate friendly” compact footprint. Helmel has been a dedicated broad-line CMM builder in Niagara Falls, NY, and since 1973 has cultivated the more rugged and durable mechanical bearing concepts, developing a reputation for smaller benchtop and mini-CMMs in addition to larger offerings.
Click here to read the entire article
Click here to read the entire article
Renishaw at the Control 2009 Show
Renishaw will be announcing a series of major new initiatives at Control 2009 (stand 3304, hall 3), including its first CMM retrofit service, its first metrology software, a new surface finish probe and a range of new optical encoders including a fine-pitch absolute encoder with ground-breaking specifications. The show takes place from 5th to 8th May in Stuttgart, Germany, and one of Renishaw's key messages is for manufacturers throughout Europe who are suffering from unacceptable inspection bottlenecks that tie up staff and expensive machines whilst waiting for vital measurement results. Visitors will see that a cost-effective Renishaw CMM retrofit does not require a large investment in new equipment and is available for all budgets and applications, from touch trigger probing and 3-axis scanning, through to the latest ultra-fast REVO 5-axis measurement system.
Engineers at the Renishaw stand will be pleased to offer a free, no obligation consultation, about retrofitting a CMM. Even if visitors have an older CMM they may be very surprised at the results that can be achieved by a one-stop retrofit solution from a company with expertise in all relevant technologies, from Renishaw's new MODUS metrology software and UCC2 controller, through to sensors and machine calibration.
Also demonstrated will be the new REVO surface finish probe, which should be of great interest to many quality control operations, offering fully integrated surface finish measurement within a CMM program. Using passive infinite rotational adjustment the probe can be orientated to allow the measurement of a surface at any angle and is suitable for a range of applications, including plain surfaces, bores and bosses.
Also demonstrated will be the new REVO surface finish probe, which should be of great interest to many quality control operations, offering fully integrated surface finish measurement within a CMM program. Using passive infinite rotational adjustment the probe can be orientated to allow the measurement of a surface at any angle and is suitable for a range of applications, including plain surfaces, bores and bosses.
Control is also an opportunity to see RESOLUTE, Renishaw's true absolute, fine-pitch optical encoder system that has excellent dirt immunity, and an impressive specification that breaks new ground in position feedback. The world's first absolute encoder capable of 27-bit resolution at 36,000 rpm, this gives RESOLUTE an astonishing market-leading resolution of just 1 nanometre at 100 m/s for both linear and angle encoder applications. Large set-up tolerances enable easy installation and high reliability, whilst low jitter and SDE (Sub-Divisional Error) meet the demands of high precision stages.
Also on show at Control, TONiC is Renishaw's new super-compact non-contact optical encoder, offering speeds up to 10 m/s and resolutions down to 5 nm for both linear and rotary applications.
Renishaw invites all visitors to Control to use the Renishaw stand as a convenient base for their visit, with meeting facilities and complimentary refreshments available throughout the exhibition. This is the second year that Control will be held at the new Stuttgart Exhibition Centre, which is on the same site as Stuttgart airport and therefore just a short walk from the terminals. It is also well connected for visitors arriving by road or rail. Manufacturers from across Europe can therefore easily visit Control 2009 in a single day.
Making a Point: Picoscale Stability in a Room-Temperature AFM
Forget dancing angels, a research team from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado (CU) has shown how to detect and monitor the tiny amount of light reflected directly off the needle point of an atomic force microscope probe, and in so doing has demonstrated a 100-fold improvement in the stability of the instrument’s measurements under ambient conditions. Their recently reported work* potentially affects a broad range of research from nanomanufacturing to biology, where sensitive, atomic-scale measurements must be made at room temperature in liquids.
Atomic force microscopes (AFMs) are one of the workhorse tools of nanotechnology. AFMs have a sharp, pointed probe fixed to one end of a diving-board-like cantilever. As the probe is scanned across a sample, atomic-scale forces tug at the probe tip, deflecting the cantilever. By reflecting a laser beam from the top of the cantilever, researchers can sense changes in the force and build up a nanoscale topographic image of the sample. The instruments are terrifically versatile—in various configurations they can image electrostatic forces, chemical bonds, magnetic forces and other atomic-scale interactions.
Atomic force microscopes (AFMs) are one of the workhorse tools of nanotechnology. AFMs have a sharp, pointed probe fixed to one end of a diving-board-like cantilever. As the probe is scanned across a sample, atomic-scale forces tug at the probe tip, deflecting the cantilever. By reflecting a laser beam from the top of the cantilever, researchers can sense changes in the force and build up a nanoscale topographic image of the sample. The instruments are terrifically versatile—in various configurations they can image electrostatic forces, chemical bonds, magnetic forces and other atomic-scale interactions.
CARL ZEISS ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF ANDREW SISLER
MAPLE GROVE, Mar 30 —Carl Zeiss announced today at WESTEC 2009 (Booth #3512) the appointment of Andrew Sisler as Vice President of Sales. In this position, Sisler will lead the business efforts and new business development in North America.
I am excited that Andy has joined the Carl Zeiss team,” said Greg Lee, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss IMT. “He brings more than 20 years of distribution and technology leadership experience to Carl Zeiss and will help us continue to grow our already strong presence in North America. His vast experience as a sales executive in B2B is another stronghold for Carl Zeiss in addition to his team-oriented approach and competitive drive.”
Prior to joining Carl Zeiss, Sisler was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for CRST Van Expedited. Before working at CRST, he held various leadership positions at Bandag, Inc. including Vice President of Sales and Support as well as President of Bandag, Canada Ltd.
“I am very proud to be joining the Carl Zeiss team and being part of a successful, global company that is known for its long history of developing leading-edge technologies and products,” said Sisler. “I am very enthusiastic about the products and look forward to contributing to the continued success of Carl Zeiss.”
Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology is a member of the Carl Zeiss Group. It is the global leader in CNC coordinate measuring machines and complete, multi-dimensional metrology solutions for a wide variety of industrial sectors. Approximately 1,500 employees at three manufacturing locations and more than 100 sales and service centers serve customers around the world.
Carl Zeiss is a globally leading international group of companies in the optical and optoelectronic industry. In fiscal year 2007/08 (ended 30 September), the Carl Zeiss Group, which is wholly owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, generated revenues totaling EUR 2,731 million. The Carl Zeiss Group has approximately 13,060 employees, including about 4,620 outside Germany.
Further information is available at: www.zeiss.com and www.zeiss.com/imt
Bowes Uses Delcam Software for Airbus Interiors
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Mar 19, 2009 - Delcam’s CADCAM software has been used by Bowes Design and Development in most projects it has undertaken for the last 15 years, including two projects within the development of the cabin interiors for the Airbus A380. The first project was to develop a concept interior; the second to manufacture replica cabin linings for climate-control testing.
The interior project, which was undertaken in association with a team of design consultants, involved the development of the complete cabin, including the seating, lighting and a bar, within 20 weeks. To complete the work to deadline, the cabin was divided into a number of sections that were manufactured, checked and finished with the Delcam software before being shipped to Toulouse for assembly.
Some of the aircraft interiors developed by Bowes with Delcam software
The cabin linings had to be delivered to the Airbus engineering division in Hamburg with an even shorter deadline of 16 weeks. Unlike mock-ups for sales and marketing, the engineering prototypes had to perform under real-life conditions and be subjected to the full range of environmental conditions that could be experienced in the cabin. The replica cabin met and exceeded customer expectations, in both temperature and humidity testing, and so provided an important contribution to the development of the A380.
While this type of work may provide some of Bowes’ most high-profile projects, it only makes up half of the company’s business. The remainder comes from the automotive, marine and other industries. The range of processes used is equally diverse, including direct machining, reaction injection molding, vacuum casting, resin transfer molding, thermoforming, and carbon fibre-reinforced plastics molding and hand lay-up.
This diversity is an important part of the company’s success according to Director Dave Thompson. “Most of our clients provide a CAD model that needs to be turned into a physical prototype,” he explained. “With our range of processes, we can choose the route that is most cost-effective and that will also meet the customer’s quality requirements.”
To provide all these services, Bowes has thirteen CNC machines, six of which are five-axis. These are used to give a very fast, accurate turn around. The largest is a CMS router that is 4.8 x 2.4 x 1.2 meters. “We use the different machines for different materials and applications,” said Mr. Thompson. “For example, our newest piece of equipment is a DMG DMU 100 that we chose for machining aluminum injection moulds for short-run production. This is a growing part of our business and the results from the new machine have been very impressive.”
In contrast, in its18 years of using CADCAM, Bowes has always stuck with Delcam software.
The company now uses the PowerSHAPE modeling software to design all its different types of tooling from the CAD models supplied by its customers. Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM system is used for all the machining, whether it is the direct production of finished parts or the manufacture of tooling. Similarly, all inspection is carried out with the PowerINSPECT inspection software, both on a conventional coordinate measuring machine and on a portable FARO inspection arm.
Paul Beckett, who has been using the Delcam software for fifteen years and is now Managing Director, said “Delcam is established as the leading system for toolmaking and cutter-path generation. Now it is even more dominant. Our Delcam software always does the job. It is extremely flexible, which is essential for our variety of processes, and gets faster with every release, which we need when customers want projects completed the day before they place the order. Over the years, we’ve looked at other systems but we’ve never felt any need to change from Delcam.”
For more information on coordinate measuring machines go to http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
The interior project, which was undertaken in association with a team of design consultants, involved the development of the complete cabin, including the seating, lighting and a bar, within 20 weeks. To complete the work to deadline, the cabin was divided into a number of sections that were manufactured, checked and finished with the Delcam software before being shipped to Toulouse for assembly.
Some of the aircraft interiors developed by Bowes with Delcam software
The cabin linings had to be delivered to the Airbus engineering division in Hamburg with an even shorter deadline of 16 weeks. Unlike mock-ups for sales and marketing, the engineering prototypes had to perform under real-life conditions and be subjected to the full range of environmental conditions that could be experienced in the cabin. The replica cabin met and exceeded customer expectations, in both temperature and humidity testing, and so provided an important contribution to the development of the A380.
While this type of work may provide some of Bowes’ most high-profile projects, it only makes up half of the company’s business. The remainder comes from the automotive, marine and other industries. The range of processes used is equally diverse, including direct machining, reaction injection molding, vacuum casting, resin transfer molding, thermoforming, and carbon fibre-reinforced plastics molding and hand lay-up.
This diversity is an important part of the company’s success according to Director Dave Thompson. “Most of our clients provide a CAD model that needs to be turned into a physical prototype,” he explained. “With our range of processes, we can choose the route that is most cost-effective and that will also meet the customer’s quality requirements.”
To provide all these services, Bowes has thirteen CNC machines, six of which are five-axis. These are used to give a very fast, accurate turn around. The largest is a CMS router that is 4.8 x 2.4 x 1.2 meters. “We use the different machines for different materials and applications,” said Mr. Thompson. “For example, our newest piece of equipment is a DMG DMU 100 that we chose for machining aluminum injection moulds for short-run production. This is a growing part of our business and the results from the new machine have been very impressive.”
In contrast, in its18 years of using CADCAM, Bowes has always stuck with Delcam software.
The company now uses the PowerSHAPE modeling software to design all its different types of tooling from the CAD models supplied by its customers. Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM system is used for all the machining, whether it is the direct production of finished parts or the manufacture of tooling. Similarly, all inspection is carried out with the PowerINSPECT inspection software, both on a conventional coordinate measuring machine and on a portable FARO inspection arm.
Paul Beckett, who has been using the Delcam software for fifteen years and is now Managing Director, said “Delcam is established as the leading system for toolmaking and cutter-path generation. Now it is even more dominant. Our Delcam software always does the job. It is extremely flexible, which is essential for our variety of processes, and gets faster with every release, which we need when customers want projects completed the day before they place the order. Over the years, we’ve looked at other systems but we’ve never felt any need to change from Delcam.”
For more information on coordinate measuring machines go to http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
Hexagon Metrology and GF AgieCharmilles Close Collaboration Agreement
Hexagon Metrology SA has finalised a significant collaboration agreement with GF AgieCharmilles. Under the terms of the commercial arrangement, Hexagon Metrology becomes the preferred measurement partner for the Swiss multinational. GF AgieCharmilles will now specify Hexagon Metrology co-ordinate measuring machines for all its 3D pre-setting and measurement applications.
The agreement paves the way for the installation of Hexagon Metrology CMMs at the largest GF AgieCharmilles application centres in Geneva, Shanghai, Singapore and Chicago. GF AgieCharmilles will also showcase Hexagon Metrology technology at all the trade fairs at which it exhibits.
The agreement paves the way for the installation of Hexagon Metrology CMMs at the largest GF AgieCharmilles application centres in Geneva, Shanghai, Singapore and Chicago. GF AgieCharmilles will also showcase Hexagon Metrology technology at all the trade fairs at which it exhibits.
Surface Normals
Issues When Programming From CAD When Using A CMM
By Mark Boucher, CMM Quarterly http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
There are several issues that arise when bringing a CAD model into your CAD based coordinate measuring machine (CMM) programming software. One of these issues has to do with surface normals (surface vectors). You can bring in a model and the entire model or a portion of that model is visible, but dark (Figure1), or certain sections are not visible at all. This problem arises from the surface vectors pointing in the opposite direction than your CAD system views them. You are looking at the back side of the surface. You must reverse the surface normal (Figure 2). If your software has this capability, you are looking for something similar to ‘reverse surface normals’. This will flip the surface so the front faces in the correct orientation for your software to view the surface.
By Mark Boucher, CMM Quarterly http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
There are several issues that arise when bringing a CAD model into your CAD based coordinate measuring machine (CMM) programming software. One of these issues has to do with surface normals (surface vectors). You can bring in a model and the entire model or a portion of that model is visible, but dark (Figure1), or certain sections are not visible at all. This problem arises from the surface vectors pointing in the opposite direction than your CAD system views them. You are looking at the back side of the surface. You must reverse the surface normal (Figure 2). If your software has this capability, you are looking for something similar to ‘reverse surface normals’. This will flip the surface so the front faces in the correct orientation for your software to view the surface.
All surfaces have a front and a back side; a CAD program must know which is which. How is this done? The model must somehow include information to specify the front of a surface. This is done by surface normals.
This is a line perpendicular to the front surface and beginning on that surface pointing away from the surface. Meaning it exists only on the side of the surface that is its front. The CAD system must have this information to shade the model properly. Those that
use a CAD system need this to drive the probe normal to the surface.
Direction vectors have been covered extensively by Richard Clark, his three part series was featured in CMM Quarterly (http://www.cmmquarterly.com/ ). Suffice it to say that these surface normals are what give you the direction vectors from CAD models when programming. If you do not use a CAD model to program then you must calculate the normal vector. Contact rcmetrology@yahoo.com for a Direction Vector Calculator.
When picking a feature off a CAD model the software will extract the normal vector from the CAD surface. As mentioned above you may have the ability to flip surface normals or you may have the ‘view surfaces from both sides’ option. Care must be given to this selection because the surface will be visible but the vector may point in the opposite direction you need to probe the part, your probing direction vector. Just know when viewing the vector after feature selection, that it is correct.
This is a line perpendicular to the front surface and beginning on that surface pointing away from the surface. Meaning it exists only on the side of the surface that is its front. The CAD system must have this information to shade the model properly. Those that
use a CAD system need this to drive the probe normal to the surface.
Direction vectors have been covered extensively by Richard Clark, his three part series was featured in CMM Quarterly (http://www.cmmquarterly.com/ ). Suffice it to say that these surface normals are what give you the direction vectors from CAD models when programming. If you do not use a CAD model to program then you must calculate the normal vector. Contact rcmetrology@yahoo.com for a Direction Vector Calculator.
When picking a feature off a CAD model the software will extract the normal vector from the CAD surface. As mentioned above you may have the ability to flip surface normals or you may have the ‘view surfaces from both sides’ option. Care must be given to this selection because the surface will be visible but the vector may point in the opposite direction you need to probe the part, your probing direction vector. Just know when viewing the vector after feature selection, that it is correct.
This article is copyrighted. Please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com for permission to reprint.
CMM Calibration And These Tight Financial Times
By Mark Boucher, CMM Quarterly http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
With these pressing financial times may companies will be looking to cut costs. The Quality Control department will certainly be one of the areas that will be looked at. There have been some discussions about how often do we to have the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) calibrated. The standard for the industry has been yearly. Can this be pushed out to two years? Am I violating any customer specifications?
Yearly Calibrations
It has always been standard procedure to have the CMM calibrated yearly. This has been the accepted practice for good reason. One must look at how often your individual CMM is being used, the wear and tear, and the history of your CMM to properly determine if foregoing a calibration cycle is wise.
Before a decision is made about moving out the calibration cycle, it is highly recommended to check with your OEM to how this will affect the OEM warranty and how this will affect their standing behind the manufacturing specification of the CMM. Of course, this will be like checking with the oil company to see if the oil in a car really needs to be changed every 3,000 miles. Yearly calibration is a continuing revenue source for the OEMs but if you have already moved away from the OEM to a contracted 3rd party for calibrations then you have already addressed any concerns about the OEM warranty.
When looking at the CMM as a valued piece of your Quality department and your commitment to the customer to ensure you are producing a good product care must be given to your decision to push out the calibration. My personal recommendation is not to skip any calibration cycle unless the CMM is truly not being used on any regular basis. Even with some of the costs being demanded by the OEMs for calibration these days it is still important to have the preventative maintenance done yearly. Think about the cost associated with repairing a CMM that goes down during a production run. Trying to schedule a service repairman to get your CMM up and running in a timely manner can result in extra costs that may have been avoided if yearly maintenance had been done.
Important things to consider about the consequences of foregoing a yearly calibration:
How often do I use the CMM?
How will this affect my warranty?
How will this affect the OEMs standing behind the published accuracy specs?
Can I afford the cost and time associated with a ‘down’ machine?
Does my 3rd party calibration service offer preventative maintenance as part of their service?
Do I fully understand what my OEM offers when it comes to calibration?
How much money will I really be saving by pushing out the calibration cycle?
Will my customer be affected? Do they have any requirements that will prevent me from changing my calibration schedule?
3rd Party Calibration Services
When contracting a 3rd party calibration service it is important to establish trust in the contractor you choose. As with any contracting service I would recommend calling a few of their customers to get a good understanding how services that are offered where performed. Many of the contracted calibration services are former OEM service repairmen and are well qualified to perform calibrations and repair but it will be important to establish and understand exactly what services will be performed and what type of warranty comes with the service.
You can contact me at http://www.info@cmmquarterly.com/ if you would like a list of 3rd party calibration contractors.
This article is copyrighted. Please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com for permission to reprint.
With these pressing financial times may companies will be looking to cut costs. The Quality Control department will certainly be one of the areas that will be looked at. There have been some discussions about how often do we to have the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) calibrated. The standard for the industry has been yearly. Can this be pushed out to two years? Am I violating any customer specifications?
Yearly Calibrations
It has always been standard procedure to have the CMM calibrated yearly. This has been the accepted practice for good reason. One must look at how often your individual CMM is being used, the wear and tear, and the history of your CMM to properly determine if foregoing a calibration cycle is wise.
Before a decision is made about moving out the calibration cycle, it is highly recommended to check with your OEM to how this will affect the OEM warranty and how this will affect their standing behind the manufacturing specification of the CMM. Of course, this will be like checking with the oil company to see if the oil in a car really needs to be changed every 3,000 miles. Yearly calibration is a continuing revenue source for the OEMs but if you have already moved away from the OEM to a contracted 3rd party for calibrations then you have already addressed any concerns about the OEM warranty.
When looking at the CMM as a valued piece of your Quality department and your commitment to the customer to ensure you are producing a good product care must be given to your decision to push out the calibration. My personal recommendation is not to skip any calibration cycle unless the CMM is truly not being used on any regular basis. Even with some of the costs being demanded by the OEMs for calibration these days it is still important to have the preventative maintenance done yearly. Think about the cost associated with repairing a CMM that goes down during a production run. Trying to schedule a service repairman to get your CMM up and running in a timely manner can result in extra costs that may have been avoided if yearly maintenance had been done.
Important things to consider about the consequences of foregoing a yearly calibration:
How often do I use the CMM?
How will this affect my warranty?
How will this affect the OEMs standing behind the published accuracy specs?
Can I afford the cost and time associated with a ‘down’ machine?
Does my 3rd party calibration service offer preventative maintenance as part of their service?
Do I fully understand what my OEM offers when it comes to calibration?
How much money will I really be saving by pushing out the calibration cycle?
Will my customer be affected? Do they have any requirements that will prevent me from changing my calibration schedule?
3rd Party Calibration Services
When contracting a 3rd party calibration service it is important to establish trust in the contractor you choose. As with any contracting service I would recommend calling a few of their customers to get a good understanding how services that are offered where performed. Many of the contracted calibration services are former OEM service repairmen and are well qualified to perform calibrations and repair but it will be important to establish and understand exactly what services will be performed and what type of warranty comes with the service.
You can contact me at http://www.info@cmmquarterly.com/ if you would like a list of 3rd party calibration contractors.
This article is copyrighted. Please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com for permission to reprint.
CAD Modeling The Basics
By Mark Boucher, CMM Quarterly
I want to cover some basics about CAD models that might help us understand what is happening with some model features when you program from a CAD model using your coordinate measuring machine. By understanding surfaces we can better evaluate any anomalies we may encounter when we import a model into our CAD base CMM software.
There are several model types and we will cover two of the most common ones you would come across today, solid models and surface models. To be more accurate, they are parametric models and freeform surface models.
Parametric Models
Parametric models are created from features that are defined by parameters, or dimensions. These dimensions can be changed and the feature moves with the change. Prior to parametric modeling if a change was made then the feature was recreated, extruded, trimmed, etc…, in the new position and the old feature was deleted. Parametric modeling maintains the relationship of part creation, assembly, to output of the blueprint and a change anywhere along that process will update the model at every level.
Parametric models are referred to as a solid model, as opposed to a wireframe model. A wireframe model is made up of lines that represent the part but have no surfaces on them and makes 3d viewing somewhat tedious.
Parametric modeling revolutionized the CAD industry and allowed more affordable CAD software to become available to anyone. You can now pick up parametric CAD programming software up at your local Best Buy right off the shelf.
Freeform Surface Models
The second model type I want to cover is the surface model. With surface models curves are used to define the surface area and surfaces are applied between the curves then they are trimmed and merged, to make a solid. The problem with this method is to make sure all the voids between the surfaces are filled in. The surface definition changes as the need requires. Let’s say, you have a plane that requires basically four lines to define the boundary of the plane. A chamfer merging into a radius requires a greater amount of defining to create this type of feature. While creating the surfaces you may end up with a small void as you try to fill in the feature. Point placement from your CMM program will be dependant on where it sees the plane boundaries and a void will not be inclusive in this plane so the boundaries are redefined not giving you a true representation of the surface. In parametric modeling these types of transitions are automatically resolved.Some CMM CAD based software have a ‘healing’ or ‘repair’ functionality that will mend some of these errors. It is always advisable to use healing when using this type of model. If your software does not include this functionality there are third party softwares that do the job for you.SurfacesCreation of surfaces begins with a spline, aka curve. Splines are single lines that make up the shape of the surface. Imagine points that make up the shape of your surface and spline will fit through these points. These splines are then used to create the surface through a method known as ‘swept’ (using the curves as a guide rail) or meshed (lofted) through. A ‘swept’ surface follows the shape of the curve line. If you had a helical curve the swept surface will follow that helical shape as it extrudes the surface.
If your engineering department does any sort of reverse engineering they will ask for a series of curve files that they can import into their CAD system. The curve files are then used to ‘mesh’ or ‘loft’ the surfaces. The density or frequency of the curve lines along the surface will depend on the complexity of the surface being scanned. For flat planes only several are needed but scanning the chamfer to radius transition we discussed before would require a greater amount of curves to define the feature.
Another method is direct creation of the surface with manipulation of the surface control points. Points are created along the curves that can be grabbed and drawn in any direction to create a new surface shape. This inherently will create new surfaces to fit the new configuration.
It is important to note that the majority of CMM software in the market today do not have true CAD functionality and thus do not have the ability to manipulate surfaces as described above but it is important to know what is happening during model creation.
This article is copyrighted. For permission to reprint this article please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com
I want to cover some basics about CAD models that might help us understand what is happening with some model features when you program from a CAD model using your coordinate measuring machine. By understanding surfaces we can better evaluate any anomalies we may encounter when we import a model into our CAD base CMM software.
There are several model types and we will cover two of the most common ones you would come across today, solid models and surface models. To be more accurate, they are parametric models and freeform surface models.
Parametric Models
Parametric models are created from features that are defined by parameters, or dimensions. These dimensions can be changed and the feature moves with the change. Prior to parametric modeling if a change was made then the feature was recreated, extruded, trimmed, etc…, in the new position and the old feature was deleted. Parametric modeling maintains the relationship of part creation, assembly, to output of the blueprint and a change anywhere along that process will update the model at every level.
Parametric models are referred to as a solid model, as opposed to a wireframe model. A wireframe model is made up of lines that represent the part but have no surfaces on them and makes 3d viewing somewhat tedious.
Parametric modeling revolutionized the CAD industry and allowed more affordable CAD software to become available to anyone. You can now pick up parametric CAD programming software up at your local Best Buy right off the shelf.
Freeform Surface Models
The second model type I want to cover is the surface model. With surface models curves are used to define the surface area and surfaces are applied between the curves then they are trimmed and merged, to make a solid. The problem with this method is to make sure all the voids between the surfaces are filled in. The surface definition changes as the need requires. Let’s say, you have a plane that requires basically four lines to define the boundary of the plane. A chamfer merging into a radius requires a greater amount of defining to create this type of feature. While creating the surfaces you may end up with a small void as you try to fill in the feature. Point placement from your CMM program will be dependant on where it sees the plane boundaries and a void will not be inclusive in this plane so the boundaries are redefined not giving you a true representation of the surface. In parametric modeling these types of transitions are automatically resolved.Some CMM CAD based software have a ‘healing’ or ‘repair’ functionality that will mend some of these errors. It is always advisable to use healing when using this type of model. If your software does not include this functionality there are third party softwares that do the job for you.SurfacesCreation of surfaces begins with a spline, aka curve. Splines are single lines that make up the shape of the surface. Imagine points that make up the shape of your surface and spline will fit through these points. These splines are then used to create the surface through a method known as ‘swept’ (using the curves as a guide rail) or meshed (lofted) through. A ‘swept’ surface follows the shape of the curve line. If you had a helical curve the swept surface will follow that helical shape as it extrudes the surface.
If your engineering department does any sort of reverse engineering they will ask for a series of curve files that they can import into their CAD system. The curve files are then used to ‘mesh’ or ‘loft’ the surfaces. The density or frequency of the curve lines along the surface will depend on the complexity of the surface being scanned. For flat planes only several are needed but scanning the chamfer to radius transition we discussed before would require a greater amount of curves to define the feature.
Another method is direct creation of the surface with manipulation of the surface control points. Points are created along the curves that can be grabbed and drawn in any direction to create a new surface shape. This inherently will create new surfaces to fit the new configuration.
It is important to note that the majority of CMM software in the market today do not have true CAD functionality and thus do not have the ability to manipulate surfaces as described above but it is important to know what is happening during model creation.
This article is copyrighted. For permission to reprint this article please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)