FARO SEA Machine Tools & All Manufacturing by Willy Bilaro

MAY 2009

News

www.faro.com

Machine Tools & All Manufacturing

3D Portable Solution

DISCOVER

INSIDE

WHITEPAPER

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR RETURNS ON INVESTMENT AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT

True Position Measurement Measuring GD & T Properties Manufacturers today realize that feature location in part design and production is crucial. In order to produce interchangeable parts in a manufacturing environment, care must be taken that the design is sound enough to allow mating parts to work correctly.

PG6

NOT ONLY THE HIGH-ACCURACY HARDWARE SPEC BUT THE FUNCTIONALITY supported with the versatile software , find out how FARO solutions can make your operator a measurement guru.

DON’T SACRIFICE QUALITY FOR YOUR BOTTOM LINE

Have a quick overview of our full product spectrum and select the kind of system which suits your requirements.

SUCCESS CASES

Assuring the Reliability of 3D Prototyping Data with FaroArm and FARO Laser ScanArm

PG 3

Synergeering Group Provides High-Quality Rapid Prototyping Using the FARO Laser ScanArm®

PG 6

MACHINE TOOLS & ALL MANUFACTURING

FARO ARM success stories

Ultra Machine & Fabrication Saves Money – and Lives – Using FaroArms

Debco Tool & Die

Cuts Inspection Time in Half with the FARO Laser ScanArm®

Perkins Achieves Up to 98% Reduction in Inspection Time Perkins Engines has manufactured diesel engines and With global threats growing, the need for innovative companies to develop and manufacture vehicles that protect our soldiers is critical. One such company is Ultra Machine & Fabrication of Shelby, North Carolina. With over 20-years of fabrication and machining experience, Ultra (www.umf1.com) has earned a reputation for quality fabrication and expertise. They are proud to provide precision armor parts and weldments for vehicles, including the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.

power solutions for more than 75 years and is now using the FARO Gage-Plus. The company is the leading supplier of diesel and gas engines in the 4-2000kW market, with more than 1,000 leading equipment manufacturers across the industrial, construction, agricultural, materials handling, marine and electrical power generation sectors relying on its solutions. The Perkins distributor network provides parts, service support and technical expertise to customers

PROBLEM:

worldwide.

Most of the parts Ultra checks are machine and fabricated parts used in the military industry. Parts can range in size from 2x2-in. to 6x24-ft. Using measurement tools such as hand gauges, calipers, micrometers, and tape measures lacked several functional capabilities. For example, on an assembly 24-ft. long with many various parts to be placed in exact locations, Ultra was faced with GD&T, angles, outof-square, parallel, and flatness issues that they couldn’t measure with confidence. Not only were they left second guessing themselves on these 3-D measurements, but they lacked the needed reverse-engineering capability as well.

The Stafford team at Perkins Engines was experiencing

SOLUTION:

increasing customer demand and decided to look at ways in which to improve their production velocity in order to meet this. The team then identified inspection of V cylinder blocks as a potential area where time could be saved and decided to purchase and install the FARO Gage-Plus. When production requires a changeover from a V12 cylinder block to a 16 cylinder block, the first block produced must have a full machined audit before production of additional blocks can begin. Previously this involved removing the block from the machine and transporting it to an inspection

SOLUTION: Debco needed a better process. They looked at traditional CMMs and other laser scanners as an improved solution, but decided to acquire the FARO Laser ScanArm. For them, speed and accuracy were the most important factors and the ScanArm fulfilled those requirements. Debco uses their ScanArm to inspect parts for quality reports. They’re able to inspect for tolerance without removing parts from machining centers. When the machine is finished milling, they simply check the part for accuracy before removing it. This ability to scan, measure, and program results right at the machine – in situ – is a tremendous advantage. With the ScanArm it is easier and much quicker to check quality. They can even go to a customer’s facility, scan/chart details while in-press, and e-mail those measurements back to their shop in order to start machining right away. They also use the ScanArm to reverse engineer older parts for repair and duplication. This is a new capability where they can quickly scan and download measurement data directly into their programming software.

In order to reduce this first-off inspection time the team

ROI:

decided to purchase the FARO Gage-Plus for the final

For Debco Tool & Die, one clear advantage of the FARO Laser ScanArm is its ability to dramatically reduce the length of their quality assurance process.

The deciding factor for Ultra’s decision was accuracy – repeatability of up to .001” on an 8-foot Platinum FaroArm. The portability of the FaroArm allows them to take it anywhere they need - not only on the shop floor, but also to suppliers and customers - to compare measurements to the original CAD files and to resolve any points that are out of tolerance. This helps both Ultra and their suppliers save on material, rework, and labor costs.

FARO Gage-Plus is a sophisticated and highly accurate

machining operation in the V cylinder block section. The coordinate measuring machine, which highlights whether the V cylinder block machine settings have been correctly adjusted when changing blocks.

“We’ve cut our inspection time by 50percent and saved roughly $75,000 to $100,000 by using FARO,” said President Mike Hill.

As the FARO Gage-Plus is portable it allows the team to measure cylinder blocks in situ, eliminating the need to transfer the block to a separate inspection facility. In addition, the equipment is easy to use, with inspectors and operators on the team all undergoing training with the Gage. The FARO Gage-Plus has enabled first-off inspection time within the V cylinder block section at the site to be reduced from up to 8 hours to less than 10 minutes, an impressive

Perhaps the greatest value was the ability to reverse engineer parts and tools. Debco thinks in terms of “oldschool” (using a duplicating machine that was very labor intensive) and “new-school” (FARO’s cutting edge technology). What once took 300 labor hours now takes only 2-3 hours. That’s a difference of a couple of month’s work down to one afternoon! “This was a big investment for us,” said Hill, “but we’ve had nothing but return – and I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without my FaroArm.”

98% time saving. This allows the team to machine an

Ultra employees quickly accepted the new technology and daily use FaroArms in all phases of their operation. They even gained new business because they could now show measurement results on their customer’s parts and processes.

additional 26 cases per year per final operating machine.

By using their FaroArms, Ultra has reduced scrap by tens of thousands of dollars monthly. “Just one costly mistake can cost us $10,000 fast,” said Quality Director James Self.

to meet customer demand. As the arm is so simple and

“With FARO, we can prevent that mistake before it happens.”

One of the many parts Debco needs to inspect is a formdie cavity – total dimensions: 12x16x3 inches – for a fan blade. They previously used a hand template with grid lines laid out to xyz-coordinates. This method was not fast enough and took too long to program from the collected data.

to accommodate the new block.

complete as the facility had to be cleared and recalibrated

ROI:

PROBLEM:

It’s so easy to use that Debco began using their ScanArm the day they received it and it was eagerly accepted by their engineers. They now hard-probe measure daily and laser scan with it every week.

facility. This process would take up to an entire shift to

To solve these issues, Ultra turned to the FaroArm: a precision instrument capable of providing accurate measurements of 3-D features for the whole length and width of even their largest parts. It allows them to quickly confirm that products are meeting or exceeding customers’ expectations.

Ultra has several FaroArms that enable them to measure and document parts as large as 24-ft. or as small as a few inches. They can now view highly accurate, 3-D product files in real time and provide statistical data to their suppliers and customers – an added benefit that helps Ultra remain a world-class provider of fabricated armor parts.

Debco Tool & Die of Indianapolis, Indiana manufactures and repairs custom tooling and stamping dies. Founded in 1978, Debco serves the automotive, stamping, appliance, and medical industries. They easily work with small and large parts with complex form shapes.

Niall Carney of Perkins Engines said: "We have used the FARO Gage-Plus in several critical situations so far and it is proving to be a great investment for the site, helping us intuitive to use and program we plan to use it throughout our entire Stafford site, wherever accurate measurements are required. Potential applications range from engine assembly to validation of new prototype components."

visit our website to read more www.faro.com/SEA

MARCH 2009

Assuring the Reliability of 3D Prototyping Data with FaroArm and FARO Laser ScanArm Asano purchased Gold FaroArm in 2001, followed by Laser ScanArm in 2004, Titanium FaroArm in 2005, and Platinum FaroArm in 2007. The 3D measuring instruments that Asano had used before were mainly stationary 3D measuring instruments to be used in inspection rooms. The shape of the parts to be measured and size of jigs and inspection tools made it impossible to fit into the stationary instruments. “We needed to solve the problems attributed to the conventional measuring instruments, to be able to measure prototype parts on the production. The only choice to meet these needs at that time was FARO’s portable 3D measuring instruments,” say both Masayuki Hasegawa, Section Chief of Gunma Quality Assurance Section of First Metal Division, and Hiroyuki Hara, Section Chief of Sanwa Quality Assurance Section of the same division. Asano Co., Ltd., whose headquarters is located in Gunma, Japan, covers eight divisions that include manufacturing prototype pressed sheet metal parts for automotives; prototype pipe processing, prototype machining, manufacturing mass-produced pressed sheet metal parts and molds, and resin injection molds. The company was founded in 1945, with five factories to date. They primarily started with welding agricultural implements. “Our turning point was when we won a contract for prototyping tool boxes for motorcycles” says Akio Kishi, Head of Management Promotion Office of Asano. Since then their main business has been manufacturing automobile prototype parts. The key to the business of manufacturing prototypes can be a persistent search for better measurement techniques. Hiroyuki Akaishi, Director & Division Manager, First Metal Division says “FARO portable 3D measuring instruments have enabled us to conduct measurements that could not be performed with stationary measuring instruments. FARO products can be carried into the production floor and offer high flexibility attributed to the articulated arms, and are able to measure parts with complex shapes and at difficult places.”

Wisdom of those in the field Considerable reductions in measurement time At the headquarters factory, they perform contact measuring with Titanium FaroArm. To measure the prototypes of car sheet metal and other tall assemblies, they can reach the desired measurement point by turning the probe at a right or acute angle that contributes in reducing the measuring time by half. Also, unlike with the stationary type, they don’t need to be concerned about the positions of the jigs or sheet metal parts, or the size of the inspection tools to measure the gap with. They also use the stationary 3D measuring instrument that they introduced had been using. “Some of the products are flat ones that make it easy to determine a planar reference for which the stationary type is more efficient” says Mr. Hasegawa. For those products that “do not sit well”, or a planar reference is difficult to determine they use the FaroArm. They use whichever of the two types that suites application and take advantage of intelligence of those in the shop.

At the Gunma Sanwa factory, they use FaroArm to measure prototype car bodies. In measuring pipe parts for example, measurement took 40 minutes with the conventional method, but with FaroArm it has been reduced to 20 minutes. Furthermore, “For the subframes used to mount engines, the jig is so huge that it cannot be accommodated by the stationary type” says Mr. Hara. The ScanArm is a hybrid type that enables one to use both contact measurements with a hard probe and non-contact measurements with laser scan. At the Gunma Sanwa factory they use the instrument to measure medium- and small-size parts. The key is the quality assurance of 3D data Aiming to further improve the inspection results table. Manufacturing has entered a digital age in which communications involve 3D data. Customers require proof that the design 3D data has been accurately reflected on the prototype. FaroArm, which enables users to conduct comparative measurements with CAD data, reduces the measurement time considerably from that of the stationary type. It also allows users to generate reports on measurement data with a single click, thereby reducing product delivery dates considerably. For Asano, who is committed to high quality and short delivery dates, it is important to “further reduce

measurement time from the present level and more quickly respond to the imminent needs of customers” says Mr. Hasegawa. They also placed great faith in FARO’s technical capabilities, saying, “We want you to strive to improve operability so that anyone can learn to use the instrument quickly” says Mr. Akaishi, so that it does not long to learn how to operate the measuring instruments, even for complicated measurements. A Nikkei Monodukuri November 2008 Article used with permission to FARO by Nikkei BP. All Rights Reserved. ©Nikkei BP.

FARO gage success stories

Performance, Price, and After-Sales Support –

All-in-One with the FARO Gage

Arakawa Seisakusho was founded in 1960 and produces prototype parts and sheet metal for automobiles, rail cars, and manufacturing jigs. Precision and efficiency are required when measuring Arakawa’s products. In the past, part measurements were performed by subcontractors or on the sites of their customers. “This was costly, however, and presented problems such as having to return products to us for reworking if problems arose,” said Mr. Arakawa. They decided to introduce a CMM in their own facility and studied several companies’ products. “Of these, the products offered by FARO were clearly the best,” said Mr. Sekiguchi. “They were notable for their very high

specifications and high performance, naturally, but the decisive factor was their cost. They combined highlevel specifications with low prices. I really thought that there couldn’t be anything more competitive than these products”. Introducing FARO Gage would lead to reductions in manufacturing costs and operational efficiency - this was the decisive factor for Arakawa Seishakusho. One of FARO Gage’s features is its portability, which enables it to be used in a wide variety of manufacturing situations. It’s highly effective anywhere that measurements need to be performed. “It can be used anywhere in the field and by anyone, so measurements can be made easily on the spot,” said Mr. Sekiguchi. “I really value its portability and its measurement precision is extremely good.” The FARO Gage lets users easily perform measurements that in the past required the use of an inspection room. This would incur added facilities costs and the use of different measuring instruments. A single FARO Gage can perform all these operations, thus greatly contributing to significant reductions in manufacturing costs and increases in operating efficiency.

Moreover, the FARO can generate reports with SPC graphs and tables. All measurement results are automatically saved, thereby enabling the user to prepare comprehensive reports. Anywhere, anytime measurement drives quality assurance. For companies like Arakawa, quality assurance is vital. “In an industry like ours, quality assurance is absolutely the most important thing for our customers,” said Mr. Sekiguchi. “Thanks to the FARO Gage, we have made great advances in that regard. The greatest advantage is the portability of the unit. High-precision measurements can be conducted anywhere.” Mr. Arakawa added: “It is only after we have made a product that we can tell whether it is acceptable. For this reason, the final inspection is a very important process. By using the FARO Gage, we have made great improvements in that regard.” Highly satisfactory after-sales support Performance and low price are not the only FARO Gage features that Arakawa Seishakusho appreciates. They also value the after-sales support of FARO. “We cannot get the flexible support that we need for operational problems from other manufacturers,” Mr. Sekiguchi. “FARO responds to our requests promptly and with flexibility at all times. This is directly linked to the quality assurance of our products, and their enhanced reliability. So, we feel very grateful. They provide a full follow-up system.” Arakawa Seishakusho have made full use of the FARO Gage to speed their ROI. Both Mr. Arakawa and Mr. Sekiguchi are adamant in saying: “It’s superior in all three aspects – performance, price, and after-sales support. We have no dissatisfaction whatsoever.” Mr. Arakawa concluded: “At present, we are

committed to the automotive and railway fields, but we’d like to enter other fields by using the FARO Gage in the future. We’d like to make a comeback in the semiconductor field, where we were once a significant player.”

Measuring is Child's Play with FARO Gage

Components for F1, motorsports, medical, marine and

electronics industries all tested with FARO tool. Founded in 2002, BH Blackmore supplies components to a diverse range of industries, including F1, motorsports, medical, marine and electronics. The company has much experience in complex surface mapping and uses Unigraphics NX to carry out off line 3/4/5 axis machine programming. BH Blackmore also uses customised software to provide traceability and conformity documentation as part of its integrated quality management system. The company had previously been inspecting all of its manufactured components and machines manually using hard measurement tools. However, following a visit to a FARO demonstration at an exhibition, BH Blackmore decided to purchase the FARO Gage-Plus, primarily due to the flexibility the product offered compared to a fixed bed CMM. Brendan Blackmore, Managing Director of BH Blackmore, said, "The FARO Gage-Plus is a highly accurate, cost effective and easy to use piece of equipment and has more than met our expectations. The tool has allowed us to save significantly on the time and costs associated with our previous manual inspection process and we have been very impressed with the overall performance of the product. The FARO team were particularly helpful, providing us with all the assistance necessary during the phasing in of the equipment and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the FARO Gage-Plus to others." BH Blackmore now uses the FARO GagePlus within all its manufacturing and inspection processes to examine components and machines. Due to the successful implementation of the FARO Gage-Plus, the company is currently considering the possibility of upgrading its software to Delcam PowerInspect in the future. www.bhblackmore.co.uk

MACHINE TOOLS & ALL MANUFACTURING

orat Saisan Co., Ltd has been an automotive die maker since 1990 in Thailand. It is owned by both Japanese and Thai companies. Till ate, they have a staff strength of 153 in their factory in Bangkok, Thailand. Korat Saisan Co., Ltd has been an automotive die maker since FARO ARM success stories 990 in Thailand. It is owned by both Japanese and Thai companies. Till date, they have a staff strength of 153 in their factory in Bangkok, hailand. Korat Saisan Co., Ltd has been an automotive die maker since 1990 in Thailand. It is owned by both Japanese and Thai companies. ll date, they have a staff strength of 153 in their factory in Bangkok, Thailand. jklv c Solution

Improve quality, save time and money with Platinium FaroArm and ScanArm V3stock model, checking incoming CF, scan blank size, die reconstruction which requires reverse engineering, part modification and parts inspection. eir applications evolves around scan

er much evaluation and comparison the various portable CMM die in the market,since Platinium FaroArm with ScanArm is purchased Korat Saisan Co., and Ltd toThai solve their Korat Saisan Co., Ltdbetween has been an automotive maker 1990 in Thailand. It V3 is owned by by both Japanese

pending measurement needs. companies. Till

date, they have a staff strength of 153 in their factory in Bangkok, Thailand.

atinium FaroArm withtheir ScanArm V3 is a better solution compared toranges the rest. It is better localize portable CMM solution andx FARO Thailand office provides good local support. These They have different parts for measurements which from CFa (400mm x 250mm), press part (400mm ctors attributed to the purchase of FARO products. 200mm), Die (800mm x 500mm) and stock model (2,800mm x 2,000mm). They have been using traditional measurement hand tool for all their parts measurement. They have a fixed CMM in house which helps them in their day-to-day measurement requirements. However, the device which they have been using is unable to measure big size part such as Die. Additionally, it is also difficult for them to measure complex parts, which is time consuming. The fixed CMM which they had been using has no surface scanning capability which they required. Thus, they are sourcing for a suitable CMM solution which fits to their needs. Their applications evolves around scan stock model, checking incoming CF, scan blank size, die reconstruction which requires reverse engineering, part modification and parts inspection. After much evaluation and comparison between the various portable CMMs in the market, Platinium FaroArm with ScanArm V3 is purchased by Korat Saisan Co., Ltd to solve their impending measurement needs. Platinium FaroArm with ScanArm V3 is a better solution compared to the rest. It is a preferred portable CMM solution and FARO Thailand office provides good local support. These factors attributed to the purchase of FARO products. “Platinium FaroArm with ScanArm V3 helps us to save time and money. It also helps to improve our quality with new development and applications using the product.” said Mr Banjong Maneesri, factory manager of Korat Saisan Co., Ltd.

ELLER BE S T -S

FaroArm® Platinum

FaroArm® Quantum 

NEW – Up to 30% Higher Performance



Located in each joint, they allow the Arm to “feel” and react to thermal variations and improper handling for maximum accuracy

The only 8-foot portable measurement arm certified to .0007” (.018mm) repeatability 

NEW – Exclusive FARO i-Probe Individually serialised with automatic size recognition and built-in probe temperature sensor

Temperature & Overload Sensors



FaroArm® Fusion 

15% Accuracy improvement over its predecessor the Titanium FaroArm 

NEW – Bluetooth® Cable-Free Operation

Inspect and digitize wirelessly up to 30ft. (10m) away 

Wirelessly inspect and digitise up to 30ft. (10m) away 



Internal Counterbalancing Internal counter balancing provides comfortable stress-free usage



“measure anywhere” capability

NEW – Universal Quick Mount

Extended-Use Battery Integrated extended-use battery provides true “measure anywhere” capability



NEW — Auto Sleep Mode Automatically turn off unit to save energy and extend component life

Multi-Probe Capability Includes various Ball Diameters, Curved and Extended Probes

Adds mounting flexibility while reducing setup time 

Internal Counterbalance Internal counter balancing provides comfortable stress-free usage

Multi-Probe Capability Includes various Ball Diameters, Touch-Sensitive, Curved and Extensions

Lightweight Construction High-strength, lightweight construction for total portability and true “measure anywhere” performance

NEW – Auto Sleep Mode Automatically turns off unit to save energy and extend component life



NEW – Bluetooth® Cable-Free Operation Inspect and digitize wirelessly up to 30ft. (10m) away

Optional 7-Axis Availability Provides an additional Axis of Rotation for non-contact Laser Line Probes or curved probes

NEW – Ergonomic Handle for 6 & 7 Axis Models Improves ease-of-use, comfort and measurement effectiveness

Temperature Sensors Located in each joint, they allow the Arm to react to thermal variations for maximum accuracy and portability

NEW — Bluetooth® Cable-Free Operation 



NEW – Higher Accuracy, Greater Value



Universal 3.5” Quick Mount Universal 3.5” quick-mount offers “Mount-it-where-youmake-it” convenience and less downtime

MARCH 2009

Which system suits you best? FARO GAGE

FAROARM & LLP Accuracy up to 0.013mm

r 1.85m ≙ ∅ 3.7 m

1.5m

LASER TRACKER

Accuracy up to 0.005mm

≙

∅

0.5m

1. 2

r m

Tactile & optical measurement Touch object with probe or scan surfaces with optional Laser Line Probe.

20m

06 m≙∅3 r 153.49

60m

Accuracy up to 2mm

.9 8 m

80m

Flexible & accurate Axes for infinite rotation. Everywhere precision with temperature compensation of 10° to 40° C.

Measuring volume The Gage offers a working volume of 4ft (1.2m).

Facts & Figures – Accuracy of up to 0.0005‘‘ (0.013mm) – Wireless data transfer with Bluetooth – Open software architecture for stringent requirements – Internal counterbalance

Portable Mount the Gage on the workbench or directly on the machine producing your part.

software CAM2 Q

40m

LASER SCANNER

Tactile measurement Touch object with probe and press button to measure.

Flexible & accurate Axes for infinite rotation. Everywhere precision with temperature compensation of 10° to 40° C.

Portable Universal quick mount enables easy in-situ measurement.

∅

Accuracy up to 0.011mm

gage

FaroArm & LLP

Measuring volume FaroArms are available from 4ft (1.2m) to 12ft (3.7m) working volumes.

≙ 35m

70 m

Facts & Figures – Accuracy of up to 0.0002‘‘ (0.005mm) – GD & T and SPC measurement reports – CAD-to-part verification (PowerGAGE) – Easy-to-use software

laser tracker

CAM2 Measure X

FARO Scene

laser tracker X & Xi Tactile measurement The 3D coordinates are determined with the help of the laser beam and the mirrored reflector (SMR). Accuracy High precision for small and large parts even under difficult conditions.

Facts & Figures – Accuracy of up to 0.001‘‘ (0.025mm) using laser technology – Xtreme ADM: easily capture the laser beam if lost – SelfComp: automatic readjustment of encoders

Forensics

Heritage

Compare

Design

Portable Measure directly on the shop floor or elsewhere (unit only weighs 22kg / 48lbs).

laser scanner

Laser Scanner Software Tunnel & Mining

Measuring volume The Laser Tracker has a volume of up to 230ft (70m).

Architecture

Process, Power & Piping

Photon 120/20 Non-tactile optical measurement Carried out with intelligent laser system.

Resolution The Laser Scanner creates a picture with up to 711 mio. pixels per scan.

3rd Party Sofware

Facts & Figures – Measures up to 976,000 points per second – Field of view 360° horizontal, 320° vertical – Accuracy 2mm at 25m – Scan images in b/w or colour (optional)

Measuring Range The Laser Scanner captures a volume with a spherical radius of up to 120m. Portable At 31.97lb (14.5kg) the Laser Scanner is easy to transport.

MACHINE TOOLS & ALL MANUFACTURING

technology white paper

True Position Measurement

Measuring of GD & T Properties Manufacturers today realise that feature location in part design and production is crucial. In order to produce interchangeable parts in a manufacturing environment, care must be taken that the design is sound enough to allow mating parts to work correctly. Furthermore, the industrial process must be robust enough to produce parts called out in design in an efficient and predictable manner. Likewise, measurement of the final parts must be done easily and with confidence in order to verify the in-process or final products. For example, inspection of a bore in an open setup often requires multiple measurement steps and mathematical calculations. Portable CMM technology can alleviate much of this work by allowing the user to fix the part on the spot; by simply aligning the part using a reference plane, line and a point. Creating this alignment it creates an x, y and z axis on the part. The user can then measure a diameter and report its relative position - and any deviation from the nominal, including MMC (Maximum Material Condition). Overview Traditionally, to find the deviation from true position (sometimes simply called the position) of a feature, the “open setup” is used. This process involves the use of calipers, height gauges, micrometers, and other hand tools used in conjunction with an inspection plate to take measurements and compare the feature’s position to datums. Following the appropriate measurements, the true position diametrical deviation, D, must then be calculated via the following mathematical formula (equation 1): D = 2{(Δx)2 + (Δy)2}1/2 where Δx = the deviation from the true position along the x-axis and Δy = the deviation from the true position along the y-axis.1

Min.

Consider the following situation (shown in figure 1), which is one of the simplest examples using the open setup method. In order to determine the true position of this hole, the block must be fixed in place. At this point, several measurements must be made, perhaps with a pair of calipers. First, the diameter of the hole must be determined. To do this properly, several different measurements should be taken in order to verify the diameter and, at least in a qualitative way, the circularity of the hole. (Little can be said of the actual cylindricity of the hole, however. The diameter’s uncertainty combined with the lack of data on cylindricity often means expensive go/no-go gauges must be used as well.) Next, measurements should be taken of the hole’s closest and farthest points to the x-axis (defined by the datum “L”) and the y-axis (defined by the datum “N”). In this way the position of the centre axis of the hole can be calculated in Cartesian coordinates. This (x & y) position can then be compared to the nominal called out in the drawing and the deviation can be calculated (according to equation 1). This cumbersome procedure representing one of the simplest measurement scenarios can take twenty minutes or more and is subject to relatively large amounts of error due to the difficulty of determining the hole’s closest and farthest points from the xand y-axis. The procedure becomes even more complex when MMC conditions are applied or when the geometry of the part deviates from the simple part under consideration. Now consider the use of a portable CMM that records positions of a probe via encoders and translates these positions into a coordinate system useful to the user. First, the user clamps the part in place using simple tools such as toe clamps. Then the operator takes several data points along datum “L” by merely using the device’s probe to touch the points in question and pressing a green button each time contact is made to record the

Synergeering Group Provides High-Quality Rapid Prototyping Using the FARO Laser ScanArm®

PROBLEM: Synergeering previously used a large variety of tools and technologies – including hand gauges and calipers – to measure and inspect parts of all types and sizes. These past methods were often inaccurate, incomplete, and not as detailed as Synergeering and their customers required. To try to solve these problems, they looked at a traditional fixed CMM, but that presented another long list of problems and disadvantages. SOLUTION: One solution that not only solved Synergeering’s metrology problems, but did so while providing them the speed, versatility, and scanning capability they were looking for was the Quantum FaroArm® with the all-new Laser ScanArm V3 attachment. The FARO system’s ease-of-use and speed helped Synergeering to not only increase their overall accuracy, but also improved their productivity. Implementing the improved technology was very easy. “The process was extremely easy, especially with the on-site help and experience of Les Baker, FARO’s Application Engineer,” said Founder and CEO Thomas Gogoe. “The technology was quickly accepted by our team, again thanks largely to Les’ great training and the simplicity of the software.” Synergeering uses PolyWorks® 10.1 which is a powerful point-cloud software that processes the Laser ScanArm data. The ScanArm

data. When all of the appropriate points are taken, the user pulls away from the part and presses the red button to terminate the measurement process. The software then best fits the line and allows the user to define the resulting line as datum “L”. The process is then repeated for datum “N” and the hole (cylinder). The user then inputs the nominal values for the cylinder, tells the software to dimension the position of the cylinder, and the result is returned (including cylindricity). The entire process, including setup, is less than five minutes in most cases. Conclusion The advent of portable CMM technology has greatly reduced the difficulty of measuring GD&T properties, including the deviation from true position of features. The combination of hardware and software allows the user to take points easily and quickly and the software uses best fit algorithms to give the user accurate, virtually instantaneous, results. The portable CMM also eliminates other issues associated with the traditional open setup method such as the need for go/no-go gauges and a lack of three dimensional form results. This technology provides manufacturers accurate and convenient measurements where deviations from true position can be found and corrected quickly.

References 1. James D. Meadows, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing: Applications and Techniques for Use (CRC Press, LLC, 1995), p. 441. 2. Robert A. Ochs: Positional Tolerancing Presentation, http://www.isixsigma.com/offsite.asp?A=Fr&Url=http://faculty-staff. ou.edu/O/Robert.A.Ochs-1/Notes/PositionalTolerancingPres.ppt

Forging and Measuring

Synergeering Group provides high-quality rapid prototyping and rapid manufacturing services to customers in the automotive, aerospace, medical, and consumer products industries. Based in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Synergeering (www.synergeering.com) prides itself on being the best. Their capacity for rapid manufacturing and building fully functioning rapid prototype parts is unrivaled. Synergeering’s experienced staff produces functional parts utilizing Laser Sintering (LS) of nylon plastic and 3-D printing with the highest resolution process and materials available. Synergeering also utilizes Electron Beam Melting (EBM) of titanium and cobalt chromium directly from CAD data.

Min.

hardware and PolyWorks software provide the perfect combination of ease-of-use and functionality – so much so that Synergeering uses their ScanArm for measuring and scanning daily. They use their ScanArm for reverse engineering, 3-D modeling, point-cloud generation, and part inspection. The combination of the FARO hardware and PolyWorks software provides Synergeering comprehensive 7-axis, high-resolution scanning ability and the best inspection system capable of creating Nurb-based surfaces that can be imported back into native CAD systems as .IGES or .STEP files. ROI: Synergeering added the Quantum FaroArm with the V3 Laser ScanArm to expand their services to include reverse engineering and better their measurement capabilities. Replacing their previous measurement methods made Synergeering’s overall processes more accurate and efficient. Synergeering can laser scan customers’ parts and create fully-surfaced 3-D CAD models, then produce fully functional components from their unique rapid prototype capabilities, and deliver within days. “Synergeering’s ongoing dedication to research and development, as well as our experience producing thousands of functional components has, without fail, provided reliability and value to our customer base,” said Gogoe. “Our experienced engineers continue to master both the art and science of creating the highest quality FreeForm-Fabricated parts. And our processes are constantly being refined with new methods — like those provided by FARO — that will save our customers time and money.”

components In order to ensure products of the highest quality, Forge Fedriga has always used specially developed inspection systems that help minimise errors during final inspection.

The company manufactures components for valves and turbines, pressure tanks, special pipes, hubs and shafts. For the manufacture of these products Forge Fedriga uses a wide range of materials, from carbon steel to nickel and titanium alloys. "All of our products," says Marco Castelli, the company's Quality Control Manager, "conform to international technical standards. Our employees produce comprehensive technical documentation for every project. Status modifications for current orders are therefore provided in real time." "And that's why we decided on a FARO product," explains Marco Castelli. "We measure with the portable Platinum FaroArm and have reduced our measuring time and costs while improving quality during manufacturing and final inspection. The versatile, user-friendly measuring device can be set up directly on the component, which greatly reduces the amount of work during final inspection. Accepting orders that require complex measurements will never be a problem for us again," concludes Marco Castelli.

MARCH 2009

Passion and Balance

In our interview FARO's CEO Jay Freeland shares his vision, insights and personal measure of success. He is Ernst & Young's 2008

Entrepreneur Of The Year in the technology category and is now in the running for the national award in the same category.

Jay Freeland CEO of FARO is Ernst & Young's 2008 Entrepreneur Of The Year in the technology category for Florida.

FARO's headquarters are near Cape Canaveral. Tell us about shuttle launches and your NASA connections. My wife is an engineering manager for the Space Shuttle program so we've seen a lot of launches also at close quarters. Visually, launches are spectacular, particularly at night when it goes from complete darkness to full daylight the second they ignite the rocket boosters. NASA and many of its affiliates are very good FARO customers: not just with the Shuttle program, but in other defense and commercial programs as well. FARO is a global force. How much do you have to travel? About 15-20% of my time is spent travelling. I've been in businesses that required me to travel 60% of my time. But that was usually a sign of deeper trouble in the company. We have an extremely strong leadership team at FARO capable of managing the day-to-day local or regional operations without me coming to see them every week. Where do you see FARO headed in 5-10 years? We'll have significant additions to our technology portfolio, many of which will be tied to non-contact technology and a broad range of software applications. We'll be selling into vertical markets we can only dream of today, and we'll have made FARO and the technology we create a global standard in industry.

Do you have a personal favourite application for FARO products? What I love is the breadth of applications for our technology. I've seen everything from aligning pins and holes for pre-fabricated furniture using our Gage to aligning the sections Jay Freeland of the fuselage of jumbo jets using our Laser Tracker. I've seen reverse engineered parts a few inches in size using our ScanArm to a complete three-dimensional model of an auto factory using our Laser Scanner.

"One of my fundamental philosophies in life is to live with passion."

What's your personal motto or 'measure of success'? "Live with passion, live with balance." Passion is fundamental to your overall success. Living with balance is equally important as it keeps perspective. It also allows you to stay in touch with reality. Following those two rules enables success, no matter how you measure it. To read the full length version of the interview go to www.faronews.com/interview

In our portrait FARO News interviews a personality that inspires with innovation in economy, technology or science.

Thailand Parts & Inspection Seminar with Thai German Institute

Editorial (CSM) by Hakiran Sandhu

aims to highlight on the various measurement applications with our full product range from small parts inspection to large parts measurement. The seminar was well attended by over 45 participants from Automotive, Mold Making, Metal Fabrication, Machine Tools Manufacturers. Hands-on demonstration on our customers’ parts were also one of the main highlight at the seminar. Our customers gave a short presentation on how they have used FARO Arm to inspect their parts. FARO Thailand Parts & Inspection Seminar was held successfully on 27th March 2009 at Thai German Institute. This event was jointly organized by FARO Technologies (Thailand) and Thai German Institute (TGI). The seminar

The global economic downturn has proven to be a challenging year in 2009. Major manufacturing industries are experiencing a slowdown in their projects and are putting their capital investments on hold.

FARO Global News FARO Wins Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award

FARO Earns 14-FaroArm Order from Fortune Top 10 Company

Despite this, FARO continues to strive to provide the best processes for our customers. We continue to step up our efforts in providing high quality precision equipment to help our customers in enhancing productivity and thereby leading to the reduction of costs. In this issue of FARO News, you will be able to have a quick overview of our full product spectrum and select the kind of system which suits your requirements. Also in this issue, we are featuring some of our renowned customers who are currently using the FARO 3D Portable Measuring Machines which enable them to cut inspection time by up to 60%. We hope some of our customers’ success stories will also inspire more success stories from you.

FARO, the world leader in portable 3D measurement and imaging technology, announced that it has won the Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award from the National Centre for Advanced Technologies (NCAT)

FARO Technologies Inc, announced that it has received an order from a major multinational technology and services congolmerate for 14 Quantum and Platinium FaroArm systems.

Last but not least, as the saying goes, ‘fortune favours the brave.’ It is important to be brave when it is the darkest. We know the economy will improve in time to come and let’s work towards this success in this challenging year. Yours sincerely, Hakiran Sandhu Country Manager Southeast Asia.

feature

interview

MACHINE TOOLS & ALL MANUFACTURING

Sun Country Reduces Inspection Time by 60% with the FARO Gage

The mobility and quick set up of the Gage has reduced inspection times and since the Gage automatically records measurements, the variability of hand tools has been replaced with the consistent measurements of the Gage.

Sun Country is constantly expanding and improving their technologies and capabilities with investments in new equipment and processes and everyone was on board to use FARO’s technology to make them more efficient. All facets of the manufacturing and quality departments have positively accepted the FARO Gage and the benefits it provides. “On our most complex and larger parts, what took us two hours now takes 30 minutes with the Gage,” said Gonzales. “We’ve seen approximately 60% savings in our inspection times on large diameter parts.” Sun Country utilizes Six-Sigma techniques to drive down costs and improve productivity. They consistently offer their customers cost savings and on-time deliveries along with impeccable aerospace quality. The FARO Gage is another important tool that Sun Country uses to reassure their products are meeting customer specifications – quickly and at a lower cost. to be continued at www.faro.com/sea/user_stories/2703

Solution Sun Country needed a solution that provided them flexibility and ease-of-operation. They needed to be able to measure consistently for in-process and first article inspection and at the point of final inspection.

Problem Being in the aerospace industry, most of Sun County’s inspection tolerances are extremely tight. Currently, their main focus is quickly and accurately measuring diameters of 24- to 40-inches. Sun Country used a variety of traditional hand tools to measure and inspect their precision machined jet engine and control parts on the manufacturing floor. As is often the case however, individual operator skills limited the consistency of results. What results one operator “measured” was not always the same as what another would get on the same part. The off-the-floor option of a fixed CMM gave them the needed accuracy and consistency, but at the price of time and convenience. Not really a great option at all.

Komatsu is one of the world’s leading industrial machinery manufacturers. In 2007 its division of of manufacturing & sales of press machines implemented FaroArm and FARO Gage articulated 3D measuring instruments to follow Laser Tracker they had been using. They did this in response to a need to measure gear engagement errors. An articulated instrument offers more freedom. For the gear example, it was possible to measure two gears by inserting FaroArm into a hole so that it could display data on faulty locations. Then the gears could be corrected without any unnecessary disassembly work.

Return on Investment “Our biggest challenge, obviously, has been the old cliché ‘time is money’ and having a quick turnaround in inspection techniques and ethods,” said Joe Gonzales, Sun Country’s Vice President of Quality Assurance and Engineering. “FARO has delivered on all three – improved techniques, methods, and time savings.”

Sun Country (www.suncountryindustries.com) manufactures finished components and assemblies for spacecraft, aviation controls, jet engines, and medical and scientific markets. They are fully equipped to design and manufacture tooling in-house, manufacture product, monitor processes, and complete mechanical assembly and integration to customer specifications. From concept to finished product, Sun Country works closely with their customers to produce quality components and assemblies that meet the highest demands of the global aerospace and defense industries.

Contributing to the Speedier Training of Operators

The FARO Gage provides Sun Country the ease-of-use and

Since then, these three models have been used at the Komatsu Plant according to shape of the object to be measured. Whether to use the FaroArm or FARO Gage depends on the ease of use and the measurement performance. The smaller the part, the higher the degree of precision required. A measurement performance of 1/100 millimeter is possible with the FaroArm and 6/1000 millimeter with the FARO Gage. Thus, the FARO Gage is used for small parts. In contrast, the more general-purpose FaroArm is used if speedy, efficient measurement is requested.

Sun Country Industries is an aerospace contract manufacturing company specializing in close tolerance machining and precision assembly of jet engine and airframe components, assemblies, and kits. Based in Albuquerque, they are the largest aerospace contract manufacturer in New Mexico. A division of McNally Industries, Sun Country’s customers include GE Aviation, Rolls-Royce, General Dynamics, Rockwell Collins, Goodrich, and many others.

consistency they want with the accuracy they demand. The FARO Gage is a portable CMM that is not confined to an isolated inspection room. Its portability allows it to be taken right to the machine producing the part. Inspections can be taken while in-process and improvements can be right there – without stopping production by taking a part off the floor.

The portable 3D measuring instruments provide many different benefits to the division. First, technical training is now much easier. In the past, intricate work was required in which data for the object was collected using levels, stretches, jigs, and the like, on which functional calculations were performed. It took at least two or three years to learn how to perform these measurements perfectly, without “causing Muri (physical strain), Muda (waste), and Mura (inconsistencies) in the work itself.” In contrast, with the portable 3D measuring instrument, anyone can learn how to perform measurements with consistent precision in two or three months, simply by learning how to operate the instrument. There will never be variations caused by differences between individuals, so that “the reliability of the measurement results has increased both among the users and within the company as a whole.” Having the need for complicated calculations eliminated, the required man-hours have been reduced considerably. In the past, a surface plate (work table) was installed, on which an object was placed and measured based on the detection of the position relative to the surface plate. This meant that large parts had to be moved with a crane, which required much labor and time. In contrast, a portable 3D measuring instrument can be carried in and used to measure an object directly, eliminating the need to place the object on a surface plate. The Laser Tracker, for example, can perform measurements on a regular concrete factory floor. As a result, “we have been

able to achieve reductions in the number of man-hours of more than 70% for some objects and about 30% on average.”

FARO Event Calendar MTA Malaysia 2009

6 - 10 May 2009

PWTC, Malaysia

Aerospace Suppliers Exhibition

27 - 29 May 2009

Singapore Expo

InterMold Thailand 2009

25 - 28 June 2009

BITEC, Thailand

MTA Vietnam 2009

8 - 11 July 2009

HCM, Vietnam

Metalex Thailand

19 - 22 November 2009

BITEC, Thailand

World Engineering Congress

4 - 5 November 2009

Thailand

The division uses the 3D measuring instruments to measure parts manufactured by other manufacturers as well. It is not unusual to carry measuring instruments to partner companies, if required, to conduct on the spot parts measurements. “This is

the advantage of a portable instrument, but if the Laser Tracker and FaroArm are also adopted by our partner companies, then our work will be even easier.” At present, the legacy measuring instruments remaining in the plant are being considered for replacement with 3D instruments, depending on future developments. “My hope is to allocate one unit per operator,” concluded Mr. Kobayashi.

imprint publisher Asia Pacific Headquarters: FARO Singapore Pte Ltd 3 Changi South Street 2 Xilin Districentre Tower B Singapore 486548 tel: +65 6511 1350, fax: +65 6543 0111 email: salesap@faro.com website: www.faro.com/sea

US Headquarters: FARO Technologies, Inc. 125 Technology Park Lake Mary, FL 32746 (800) 736-0234 (407) 333-9911

FARO Singapore Pte Ltd tel: +65 6511 1350, fax: +65 6543 0111 email: salesap@faro.com website: www.faro.com/sea

Editor Yoshie Toriya, Joleena Chia Publication Design Felix Sim Contributors Hakiran Sandhu

“Our biggest challenge, obviously, has been the old cliché ‘time is money’ and having a quick turnaround in inspection techniques and methods. On our most complex and larger parts, what took us two hours now takes 30 minutes with the Gage. We’ve seen approximately 60% savings in our inspection times on large diameter parts.”

Reducing Measurement Hours by Avg 30%