Quality Manufacturing Today Autumn 2017 by Cranbrook Media

QUALITY MANUFACTURING TODAY

www.qmtmag.com Autumn 2017

ACCURACY, DETAIL AND PRODUCTIVITY

Ne w!

at your fingertips with the Nikon ModelMaker H120 scanner ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

EXTREMELY LOW NOISE DATA by using blue laser technology UNEQUALLED PRECISION scanner accuracy of 7 microns UNCOMPROMISING SPEED at over 450 stripes/sec ENHANCED USER EXPERIENCE for precise and intuitive scanning MEASURE CHALLENGING MATERIALS with real-time optimization of settings for every single measured point

PREMIUM PORTABLE METROLOGY More than two decades since the inception of the ModelMaker product line, the cutting-edge Nikon ModelMaker H120 on articulated arm firmly pushes the ever-exacting boundaries of handheld laser scanning. Incorporating blue laser technology, ultra-fast frame rate, specially developed Nikon optics and the ability to measure the most challenging materials this represents the next generation of portable laser scanning.

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NIKON METROLOGY I VISION BEYOND PRECISION

CONTENTS

Autumn 2017 New and Comments 4 Events 5 Choose the right method â&#x20AC;&#x201C; enhance coating inspection 6 Making coating inspection faster, simpler and more precise

Clear view for X-ray accuracy

All revved up

3D event for metrology professionals

Some like it hot

Added insight

Water speed challenge

Uprated inspection solves problems

Calibration raises robot performance

IT Director Pat Coyne Email: pat.coyne@qmtmag.com

Holography from your WiFi router

Website: www.qmtmag.com

Phased array ultrasonics adds up

Uprated metrology for seals

A CNC vision system ensures the accuracy of diagnostic tool

Quality at arms length for Royal Enfield

Front cover: Olympus Europa SE & Co. KG Web: www.olympus-ims.com www.olympus-ims.com/en/ measurement-solutions Email: scientificsolutions@olympus-europa.com Editor Andy Sandford Email: editorial@qmtmag.com Director/Publisher Dawn Wisbey Email: dawn.wisbey@qmtmag.com Tel: +44 (0)20 8289 7011 Mob: +44 (0)7974 640371 Design and Production Manager Rob Tremain Email: studio@qmtmag.com

Media enqiries media@qmtmag.com QMT Magazine is a multi-media business magazine for the quality, measurement, inspection and test industries, supported with a fully searchable interactive website www.qmtmag.com. QMT Mobile: website is available in mobile-optimised form. Log on with your phone and you will be directed automatically to the mobile pages. QMT App: download Quality Manufactory Today app for iPad and Android tablets

@QMTMAG Quality Manufacturing Today is published by Cranbrook Media Ltd. Registered company No. 06048241 Registered office: N.J. Ruse Associates, Eagle House, Cranleigh Close, Sanderstead, South Croydon, CR2 9LH Printers: Stephens & George Ltd ÂŠ Cranbrook Media Ltd

3DMC conference returns to Aachen

Ultrasonic testing into the melting pot

The key to understanding additive manufacturing is metrology says Baltic Orthoservice

Portable metrology helps a British team prepare to break world record

Linking a toolmaking microscope to a PC adds another dimension

As robots move into more demanding applications accuracy becomes an issue

Three dimensional images out of the ether

Is this the way ahead for metrology in additive manufacturing?

New products call for new measurement technology

Material benefits in product development 26 ARRK invested in in-house testing to understand how materials will perform

Bridging the industrial revolutions

Mind the gap

Linking the physical to the digital by unlocking manufacturing quality data

Bombardier uses laser measurement systems on new London trains

Comparing methods for fiber orientation analysis 32 Understanding different approaches to characterise fibrous materials

Products 36 Guest columnist 38 Ian Wilcox discusses productive metrology

QMT Autumn 2017 www.qmtmag.com

NEWS

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Quality Manufacturing Today. This issue picks up strongly on some of the prevailing megatrends across manufacturing. Additive manufacturing, for example, is fast becoming a production process rather than just a prototyping technique. But if you want to make metal parts by additive manufacturing to use in cars and planes, you need to be pretty sure that the quality is spot on. That means we need to develop new approaches in metrology to satisfy these stringent requirements – our article from the AFRC’s Danny McMahon looks at one likely candidate. Of course, there’s a lot more besides on the latest metrology products, applications and thinking, so I hope you enjoy reading this edition of QMT. Andy Sandford Editor QMT

TRAINING NDT Apprenticeship Standards National Apprenticeships provider Skills Training UK has launched its new Apprenticeship Standards for Non-De-

structive Testing (NDT). The Ofqual Level 2 Non-Destructive Testing Operator and Ofqual Level 3 Non-Destructive Testing Engineering Technician have been developed in partnership with West Midlands manufacturer and designer of ultrasonic probes and NDT accessories, GB Inspection Systems Ltd. Based in Burntwood near Birmingham, GB Inspections was a significant participant in the Apprenticeship Trailblazer group that helped set the new Apprenticeship Standards and has al-

ASSOCIATIONS Bowers joins BTMA Bowers Group has joined the British Turned Parts Manufacturers Association (BTMA) as a Technical Member. This membership status is for companies who support companies whose core business is the manufacture of precision machined components. Martin Hawkins, UK Sales Manager at Bowers Group, said: “The BTMA membership is a valuable opportunity for Bowers Group. We have designed and developed a range of high quality metrology equipment specifically for the measurement of turned parts, and believe that we can contribute significantly to the manufacturing industry’s requirements for high quality precision turned parts and machined components.” The Bowers Group supplies high quality precision measurement instruments from a wide variety of brands. For example, it offers the Sylvac F60T Optical Scanning Machine specifically designed for the non-contact inspection of turned parts, shafts, turbine blades, camshafts and associated components. www.bowersgroup.co.uk

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AWARDS Design win for Creaform Creaform’s portable optical CMM solution and 3D scanners, which include the MetraSCAN 3D, C-Track and HandyPROBE Next, won Bronze during the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), a leading international design competition held each year by the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA).

More than two dozen global design experts judged products covering 20 categories. This year’s awards attracted hundreds of entries from design firms, companies, and universities from 54 countries. The products were judged on their design innovation, user experience, benefits to clients as well as society, and aesthetics. Creaform’s portable optical CMM lineup also won the Red Dot: Best of the Best – Product Design 2016 for its quality and breakthrough design. www.creaform3D.com

ADDITIVE Speeding up metal AM A new technique could improve the efficiency of metal additive manufacturing and reduce waste by allowing components to be inspected during the build process. The technique, which uses laser ultrasound to detect defects, is being developed by Dr Ben Dutton from the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry. It was unveiled at the BINDT’s NDT 2017 conference in September. The approach could encourage the use of additive manufacturing within mass manufacturing industries as it removes the need for a separate inspection process once components are built. It also responds to the need for new and improved testing techniques in view of the increased use

QMT Autumn 2017

Pic: 3T RPD Ltd

EDITOR’S COMMENT

ready enrolled two employees on Skills Training UK’s programme. William Hawksford has started the Ofqual Level 3 NDT Engineering Technician and Tyler Sharrock the Ofqual Level 2 NDT Testing Operator. William, who previously completed Skills Training UK’s Performing Manufacturing Operations Apprenticeship with GB Inspections, said: “An Apprenticeship was always a route I wanted to go down. I’m looking forward to pushing on and reaching the next level.” Skills Training UK and GB Inspections are also exploring the possibility of opening a dedicated NDT training facility in the Midlands. Neil Smith, General Manager at GB Inspection Systems Ltd, said: “Creating a dedicated Apprenticeship training facility for NDT in the Midlands would be a hugely positive step and we’re excited about the opportunities that it could bring.” www.skillstraininguk.com

NEWS of additive manufacturing in industries such as automotive and aerospace. Dr Dutton, an expert in non-destructive testing, says: “Currently some additive manufacturing systems incorporate in-process monitoring but they use cameras to take snapshots of the layers as the item is being created. The problem with cameras is that each new layer of powder can conceal part of the defect. With NDT methods such as laser ultrasound, there is a certain amount of penetration so you can look below the top layer and detect sub-surface defects in a non-contact way.” www.the-mtc.org www.bindt.org

CONFERENCE EPMC comes to Coventry The European Portable Metrology Conference (EPMC) 2017 will take place at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry UK on 14 & 15 November. The event focuses on precision dimensional measurement technology and offers a combination of seminars, poster sessions, exhibition, metrology stadium and an academic area. The event starts with a keynote speech from Chris Charnley, Quality Manager at Red Bull Racing and features speakers from Manchester Metrology, University of Bath, JLR, University of Coventry, the AMRC and others. The exhibition will showcase technology and services from Ametek/ Creaform, Brunson, Faro, G2Metric, GOM, Hexagon, Manchester Metrology, New River Kinematics, nms, Spectrum Metrology and Third Dimension. The organisers say that EPMC is an opportunity to see presentations on real world applications from leading industry experts, view the latest equipment from the world’s best suppliers, network and share ideas. www.epmc.events

CALIBRATION Wind and water Young Calibration Limited has extended its UKAS - ISO 17025 accreditation schedule to its water flow and wind tunnel services. The company says that this now includes the lowest uncertainty levels within the UK for its ultra-low flow water calibration facility covering 0.017 to 40 ml/min and large wind tunnel for rotating cup and ultrasonic anemometers covering 1 to 24 m/s. www.youngcalibration.co.uk

TESTING Nadcap for Sheffield lab The recently relocated Sheffield laboratory operated by Element Materials Technology has been awarded Nadcap accreditation for destructive testing services. Element says it now holds the highest number of Nadcap accredited laboratories of any independent materials testing company in the world. This latest accreditation for the Aerospace laboratory covers high cycle fatigue testing, low cycle fatigue testing, chemistry, metallography and mechanical testing, including creep and stress rupture testing services. Element Materials Technology acquired Exova Group in June this year and the combined group now has 29 Nadcap accredited laboratories operating in eight countries in North America and Europe. Rick Sluiters, EVP Aerospace, Element commented: ‘’Receiving this Nadcap accreditation demonstrates our commitment to our clients by offering a complete range of testing services approved to the very highest levels of excellence. www.exova.com

ACQUISITION HMI acquires FASys Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence has acquired FASys Industrie-EDVSysteme GmbH, a German system integration specialist and provider of software and hardware solutions for production-oriented tasks.

The move will strengthen the capabilities of Hexagon’s CAM specialist Vero in the areas of tooling management and shop-floor network solutions. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Cologne, Germany, FASys supplies manufacturing software including DIN 4000/4003-based tool and resource management, and solutions for the integration of pre-setting and CNC machines (DNC). Commenting on the acquisition, Steve Sivitter, CEO at Vero Software said, “In looking to expand our technology portfolio beyond CAM, the acquisition of FASys is a very important step. The company brings great technology

EVENTS 9 – 11 October 3DMC • Tivoli Stadium, Aachen, Germany 1 – 2 November Advanced Engineering NEC, Birmingham, UK 14 – 15 November EPMC • The Ricoh Arenca, Coventry, UK

www.3dmc.events

www.easyfairs.com

www.epmc.events

9 – 13 April 2018 MACH • NEC, Birmingham, UK www.machexhibition.com 24 to 27 April 2018 Control • Messe Stuttgart, Germany www.control-messe.de

• QMT is a media partner and a wealth of manufacturing experience to Vero Software. We’ve been collaborating with FASys for some years, so it’s exciting to help the team there expand their global reach and provide our existing customers with more technology to improve productivity.” www.hmi.com

APPOINTMENT Shickell joins NMS 3D NMS 3D UK Ltd has announced the appointment of Steve Shickell as its UK Sales and Marketing Manager. Steve has a wealth of experience providing metrology solutions to sectors including aerospace, automotive, F1, science and research and power generation. NMS is complementing its existing subcontract measuring business by expanding its UK Operation to provide and supply absolute in-Line 3D scanning cells to automotive OEM’s and aerospace manufacturers. The NMS DUO Scan Cell, for example, incorporates two Leica Absolute AT960 Trackers with T-Scan‘s using NMS Control Software and Polyworks reporting Software which can capture 120 Key Fetures in 60 Seconds over a complete Car Body to an accuracy better than 0.12mm www.nms-int.com

QMT Autumn 2017 www.qmtmag.com

COVER STORY

Choose the right method – enhance coating inspection

Markus Fabich of Olympus Europa talks about techniques that make industrial coating inspections faster, simpler and more precise.

Figure 1: Cross section of a PCB imaged with a BX53M microscope.

n many industries coatings are used as protection against air, moisture and physical damage – or for decorative purposes. Adding a coating can improve the appearance of a product, but also its function and its lifetime. The thickness of the coating often determines the level of protection it offers and therefore the longevity of the component. During manufacturing and while a component is in operation, inspection is essential in assessing the thickness and the quality of a coating. Inspections help to predict the strength of a coating as well as its remaining lifetime. To inspect the wide range of coatings available, different inspection techniques, including microscopy, ultrasonic testing, eddy current testing and X-ray fluorescence, can be used. In order to determine the best technique for a specific component, it is important to establish which parameters provide the most useful information. Furthermore, when a component is coated with more than one layer of coating, it is important to use a technique that can measure each layer. Commonly used criteria for determining the optimal inspection technique include the maximum number of layers that can be analysed, accuracy, thickness limit, ease of use and whether the method is destructive or nondestructive. This article takes a closer look at the commonly

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used coating inspection techniques, explaining the benefits and drawbacks – and gives examples of industrial applications where each of these techniques is particularly well suited.

Microscopy – get the full picture Microscopy is a precise and versatile technique to analyse coatings; light can be used in a variety of ways – both destructively and nondestructively – to give information about coatings. The classic microscopy method examines a coating by analysing polished cross sections. This technique has a limit of detection below 1 µm

QMT Autumn 2017

COVER STORY

Figure 2: Silicon wafers (left) coated with a transparent material can be inspected by confocal microscopy (right).

Figure 3: Scan of a metal component that has been coated with a corrosionresistant alloy. The scan was created by conventional ultrasound using Olympus’ 45MG thickness gauge.

and can cope with a high number of layers on top of each other. However, this is also a destructive technique that requires detailed sample preparation before analysis. One application where polished cross section microscopy can reveal fine details is in the inspection of printed circuit boards (PCBs). PCBs consist of a resin coated with thin layers of copper that can be formed into highly intricate patterns. As the electrical resistance depends directly on the thickness of the coating, inspecting coating thickness is essential to confirm the functionality of PCBs. Figure 1 shows the complex internal structure of a PCB revealed by polished cross section imaging. The cross section gives a detailed view of the different layers without the need for expensive scanning equipment, such as computer tomography scanners. When a nondestructive test is essential for an inspection workflow, confocal microscopy can be used instead. Confocal microscopes, such as Olympus’ LEXT OLS 4100, can reveal precise details of transparent coatings in three dimensions without the need for elaborate calibrations. The inspection of semiconductors, where coatings of SiO2 are applied on top of Si wafers, is an example of a coating where confocal imaging

is suitable. It provides a detailed, easy-to-use, nondestructive test, in which different wafers or different areas of a wafer can be inspected quickly (figure 2). In addition to the two microscopy techniques described above, many other procedures exist in which microscopes are used for coating measurements. Microscopy imaging is used, for example, in the so-called calotest, which is done on very hard coatings used in milling and grinding tools. Also, microscopes with 3D measurement capability can carry out direct step measurements to determine the thickness of a structured coating.

Scan large surfaces faster with ultrasound When large areas of a coated surface need to be inspected nondestructively and in a short space of time, ultrasonic (UT) inspection is often a suitable technique. UT inspection relies on the reflection of sound waves at a boundary between materials, for example between a coating and the bulk material. It is a portable solution that is well suited for measuring large structures and thick coatings as there is no upper limit on the travel distance through the coating. The sensitivity of UT measurements depends on the efficiency of waves reflecting off a boundary and therefore on the acoustic properties of the different materials. There are also limits to the ability of UT technology to measure thin coatings, such as those below 80 µm. UT inspection is frequently used to inspect metal plates and pipelines that have been coated with corrosion-resistant alloys. Figure 3 shows the intensity of the UT beam reflected from the metal– coating interface and from the back wall of the component. It demonstrates its dual function as a coating measurement tool and as a thickness gauge, while also detecting the effects of corrosion and other flaws in the material.

Figure 4: Eddy current flaw detectors use electricity and magnetism to detect flaws – and to measure the conductivity and thickness of a coating.

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QMT Autumn 2017

COVER STORY

Method

D/ND1

Minimum thickness

Benefits

Drawbacks

Microscopy

D/ND

<1 µm

Imaging capability, high resolution

Not portable, sample preparation may be required

Ultrasound

80 µm

Portable, large areas, dual functionality

Coatings with suitable acoustic properties only

Eddy current

<0.5 µm

Dual functionality, portable

Reference may be needed, coatings with suitable electric properties only

X-ray fluorescence

0.05 µm

Fast, portable

Reference may be needed, specific elements only, one unique element per layer

Table 1: Overview of commonly used coating measurement technologies.

Destructive/Nondestructive

Figure 5: XRF spectra show which metals are present in which concentrations by measuring secondary photons.

Add thickness measurements by eddy current Another measurement technique that can be easily integrated into an existing inspection workflow due to its dual function as a flaw detector and coating inspection tool is eddy current detection. An eddy current probe works by using an electric current in the coil of the probe to generate so-called eddy currents in the material to be inspected. Flaws in the material – as well as the presence of a coating – will affect the phase or the amplitude of these eddy currents (figure 4). Eddy current probes can inspect even the thinnest coatings, offering a lower thickness limit below 0.5 µm. Furthermore, it is a nondestructive technique done on a portable instrument. The main limitation of eddy current measurement is the range of materials it can be used on; ferromagnetic materials may not be suitable. Some coatings may also require calibration; however, Olympus’ N600C contains a comprehensive library of commonly used materials. Olympus also supplies easy-to-use calibration software for when calibration using a microscope is required. In the aerospace industry, flaw detection using eddy current probes is commonplace, for example when looking for microfractures in the wings or fuselage. The dual function of eddy current flaw detectors means that coating measurement can easily be added to the inspection workflow without significant increases in labour and cost.

of metals in a coating by irradiating the coating with X-rays and detecting secondary (fluorescent) photons coming back (figure 5). Once calibrated, an XRF spectrum can be used to calculate the thickness of a coating from the amount of fluorescence detected. The main benefit of XRF is that it is a fast technique (typical scanning time: 10 s) that detects coatings in the range of 50 nm in a small, portable device (figure 6). It does, however, only detect the presence of metals. For this reason, the detection of a layer or layers of coating relies on unique metals being present in each layer. Inspection of galvanisation is a good example where XRF excels in terms of speed, reliability and simplicity. Galvanisation involves applying a thin coating of zinc on a steel or iron compound to prevent rusting. The high amount of zinc in the coating, combined with the absence of zinc in the bulk material, makes these systems ideal for XRF measurements.

Figure 6: Handheld XRF analysers, such as the Vanta, can be used for inspection during manufacturing as well as for in-service inspections.

Summary Coating thickness measurements provide valuable information about the quality of a coating, the quality of the product itself and its estimated lifetime. The materials used in coatings vary enormously depending on the function of the coating, which means that there is not one single technique that is suitable for all types of inspection. The four techniques described here – microscopy, ultrasound, eddy current and X-ray fluorescence – are all commonly used in industrial inspection to look at a wide range of different coatings (table 1). Comparing the benefits and drawbacks of each of these techniques helps to make informed decisions when choosing a technique for accurate, fast and reliable measurements. Find more information at http://bit.ly/2eDg8ZA www.olympus-ims.com

Fast results with portable XRF A final method to analyse the composition and thickness of a coating quickly and precisely is to use X-ray fluorescence (XRF). XRF detects the presence

QMT Autumn 2017 www.qmtmag.com

MEDICAL

Clear view for X-ray accuracy IBEX innovations is using a CNC vision system for precision measurement of medical components

The Baty system allows IBEX to ensure the accuracy of components used in its X-ray modulation technology

owers Group has supplied IBEX Innovations with a Baty VuMaster CNC Vision System to ensure the accuracy of key components used in ground breaking X-Ray detector technology. IBEX has developed and commercialised technology that can generate high sensitivity materials information from standard X-ray detectors. This means that in medical applications additional information can be obtained without subjecting the patient to a further dose of X-rays. Applications include bone mineral density measurements to better diagnose osteoporosis and it may potentially halve the X-ray dose used in the routine screening of women for breast cancer, potentially enabling the early detection of cancer cells. The patented IBEX technology adds a precise three-dimensional structure, the IBEX Multi Absorption Plate (MAP), in front of an existing detector to modulate the X-ray beam in a predictable way over the area of a few pixels. This needs to be highly accurate, hence the need for a high precision measurement solution such as the Baty VuMaster CNC Vision System. This encompasses a floating measuring camera that moves anywhere in the measuring range. The camera moves and the part stays still, so the set-up time and expense of work-holding devices are avoided. IBEX Innovations’ Grants and Project Delivery Manager Kurt Scott said: “We are very pleased with the performance of the VuMaster. Although it has mainly been used for research and development so far, it’s a valuable piece of inspection kit. The features of the VuMaster are a perfect fit for our application, and the automated measurement process means that our lab technicians are free to get on with their work. The measurement process is fast and accurate, it really works for us.” Using the The VuMaster, IBEX is able to ensure the accurate measurement of the MAPs, which are thoroughly inspected to ensure all dimensions are consistent and within the required tolerances. The VuMaster can be operated manually or programmed to carry out inspection routines that can be recorded and stored. When played back, these ‘programs’ give a fully automatic (CNC) process, recreating the same lighting conditions and using ‘Video Edge Detection’ to automatically ’capture’

feature data. The result is fast, accurate, ‘non-contact’ measurement over a large measuring range, including automatically generated reports in the form of a fully dimensioned drawing of the measured part, and more detailed tabulated data report in pdf or xls format. SPC data analysis is also included in Fusion software, these reports can be stored locally or to the company network. Kurt Scott continued: “We will make use of all of the features of the VuMaster, including the output reports, which are really useful for us to be able to prove the accuracy of the MAPs and meet the relevant ISO quality standards.” Once the IBEX MAP is fitted in front of an existing X ray detector, advanced software algorithms then deconstruct the effect of the MAP to determine pixel by pixel spectral content. Using the additional spectral information returned by IBEX equipped detectors, the IBEX Software Toolkit independently classifies the material type and thickness of features. By recovering spectral information normally lost in single images from indirect silicon line and area sensors, IBEX-equipped X-Ray detectors can effectively classify both materials and thickness changes in a sample. www.bowersgroup.co.uk

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QMT Autumn 2017

All revved up Prestige motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield has boosted productivity and improved quality control checks thanks to a Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence ROMER portable measuring arm

VISIT US AT Northern Manufacturing & Electronics 27-28 September, stand no. H2

FARO® QUANTUMS TAKE A QUANTUM LEAP IN YOUR MANUFACTURING!

The New Global Standard for Arm Technology Engineers are using the equipment for a wide range of scanning and inspection tasks at its new research and design facility at Bruntinghthorpe, Leicestershire. The 3m arm’s capabilities allows the chassis development team to fully inspect and scan some motorcycles in a single exercise without the need to move and re-position the kit. For other motorcycles, leapfrogging using the arm and Polyworks software is quick and easy. Inspection data is not only used to verify prototype motorcycles in relation to their CAD intent, but also to check off-line production tolerance and build quality, Chris Hunt, chassis development project engineer said: “The ROMER arm has helped us to improve accuracy, reduce user error and save time. It is very quick and extremely user-friendly. Hexagon’s training and technical support services are very good and staff are always on hand to guide us through any problems and new challenges.”. Dave King, Royal Enfield’s motorcycle accessories quality assurance manager, chose the ROMER arm over other models mainly because of its calibration feature. “We required a portable measuring arm for scanning prototype parts to confirm accuracy and benchmark our products for design development so the calibration feature was a key point for me. Royal Enfield is now set to purchase the same equipment used at the Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground facility for its technology centre in India. Future plans may also include the addition of some CMMbased systems for achieving higher accuracy on a range of small engine parts. HexagonMI.com

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First measuring Arm to be certified against the new and rigorous ISO Standard 10360-12:2016

•

Innovative design and IEC tested for performance and reliability

•

Reengineered ergonomics for enhanced usability and 15% reduction in effort and fatigue

•

High-speed wireless operation for probing and scanning

CONFERENCE

3D event for metrology professionals 3DMC, the 3D Metrology Conference returns to Aachen 9 – 11 October

T M E D I A PA RT N E R

he 3D Metrology Conference, 3DMC, is a new series of conferences dedicated to the application of 3D metrology systems. The conference series is run by experts in the UK at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and University College London (UCL), and in Germany at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and the RWTH Aachen University. The conference team is supported by an industrial advisory board comprising members from major primes in the aerospace, automotive and power industries, as well as service providers. 3DMC is not a conventional scientific conference, rather an industry and application oriented event for metrology professionals with specific interest in the development and application of 3D measurement technologies. 3DMC aims to bring together end-users and suppliers of measurement systems and software, service providers and academics developing the next generation of systems and

3DMC Presentation themes include:

• Measurement of geometric • • • • •

• • •

changes in radio telescope antenna using laser scanners or photogrammetry The influence of scanning parameters on CMM measurements Augmented reality as a tool for near real-time feedback of inspection information to improve measurement reliability The quality information framework and its place in the future of digital manufacturing New measurement system concepts from NPL, CERN, NIST, Hitatchi, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and others Potential pit-falls when comparing the performance of measurement systems based on different technologies, highlighting the importance of understanding exactly what the different technologies actually measure In-process and on-machine metrology and machine tool calibration A new standard for performance verification of XCT systems, and The role of metrology in the fourth industrial revolution and how metrology systems must adapt to realise our expectations of future manufacturing capability.

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industrial applications. The informal environment, with dedicated networking sessions, encourages delegates from industry and research institutes to explore their respective requirements and ideas for the future. This helps to focus research activity to maximise impact and to keep end-users informed of future capabilities. 3DMC is “where metrology meets industry” and “innovation meets application”. The conference is supported by an exhibition showcasing the products of around 20 commercial companies, a bigger show than at the first event last year. Amongst the products on show, Faro will be exhibiting the new Quantum articulated arm CMM as well as their laser tracker, SIOS will show their SP 15000 C5 5DoF calibration interferometer, API will have their latest laser tracker, the OT2 Core, and Werth will show the new TomoScope XS compact x-ray CT machine. Furthermore, Capvidia and Kotem will be announcing their cooperation in development of manufacturing workflows from Design to Quality using semantic MBD technology and QIF; a combination of technologies that has demonstrated gains of greater than 50 % in efficiency compared to prior traditional workflows. A key focus of the event is current and future manufacturing and the opportunities which, in particular, portable 3D and integrated metrology can offer. However, this is not exclusive and contributions are welcomed from a range of related 3D technologies such as fixed-axis coordinate metrology (CMMs), Computed Tomography, indoor navigation, 3D imaging for heritage recording and virtual/augmented reality. This year the conference has presentation offers from Germany, the UK, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the USA, Canada, China, Japan and Russia. There will be workshops from API on robot positional verification, OGP on software for point cloud analysis, and Werth on XCT operation. The event will kick-off on Monday 9th October with workshops and an ice-breaker drinks reception. www.3dmc.events

QMT Autumn 2017

Some like it hot Ultrasonic probes can carry out critical tests in vessels holding molten metal

Utrasonic probe technology which can conduct safety critical testing inside galvanizing equipment – while holding molten zinc at 450°C – which was developed from research conducted at the University of Warwick – is now being commercialised by Zinco UK. The galvanizing process involves immersing chemically cleaned steel products into a zinc kettle to provide corrosion protection and long life. Galvanizing kettles need to be checked periodically to monitor rates of corrosion throughout the equipment to avoid a catastrophic molten zinc spillage. Corrosion wear rates vary depending on volumes, dip sizes and the amount of production at each plant. Previous monitoring techniques used external probes, required galvanizers to drain the zinc from the kettles, or could only be used after the kettle had cooled. Zinco UK, established in 2007 has worked with Sonemat Limited, a spin-out from the University of Warwick, to explore how ultrasonic technology developed at the University could be used be used to test the kettle’s integrity while still loaded with molten zinc. Sonemat co-founder Professor Steve Dixon said: “Sonemat created a solution. We devised a new Zinc Immersion Probe (ZIP) which was then manufactured and successfully trialled to provide accurate thickness measurements of kettles even though the probe is immersed in 450°C molten metal” Zinco Managing Director David Watkins added: “We are confident that this new resource will lead to us serving at least 30% of the world-wide market this safety critical testing.” www.sonemat.com

Shop ﬂoor process control with the ﬂexible Equator gauging system

Join hundreds of automotive part suppliers who use the low cost Equator as a manually loaded system or in fully automated cells Equator provides fast data capture, highly repeatable results and easy operation, at a low purchase price and with low cost of ownership. • Operators or robots can switch between different parts in seconds • Automated cells can be easily configured with EZ-IO software • Unique ability for repeatable gauging in widely varying thermal conditions combined with flexibility Process Monitor is built into both manual and automated systems. It allows users to view the gauging history of a part, an invaluable function for controlling a manufacturing process, along with an instant graphical view of the status of each feature tolerance. Process Monitor also enables management of the mastering For more information visit process according to temperature, time or number of parts gauged.

www.renishaw.com/encoders For more information visit www.renishaw.com/equator

Renishaw plc New Mills, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, GL12 8JR T +44 (0)1453 524524 F +44 (0)1453 524901 E uk@renishaw.com

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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Added insight

Close-up of the acetabular implant.

The key to understanding additive manufacturing is metrology says Baltic Orthoservice

The patient-specific acetabular hip implant in place.

o ensure quality in the production of accurate, patient-specific implants, endoprostheses and surgical guides, Baltic Orthoservice in Kaunas, Lithuania, uses an array of metrology technology. This includes a multi-sensor coordinate measuring machine (CMM) including a laser scanner and a micro-CT (computed tomography) system supplied by Nikon Metrology. The ALTERA CMM with LC15Dx laser scanner allows fast inspection of 3D-printed implant surfaces and screw holes, while the XT H 225 CT guarantees internal structure quality and accurate geometrical correlation between CAD implant model and manufactured product. Paulius Lukševičius, Engineer of Mechanics explained, “3D-printing is a complicated technology and there is a big variation in processing parameters, so predicting the quality and geometry of printed objects is quite a challenge. “Patient-specific implants are a bespoke treatment solution, which means that the surgery must be ‘pre-planned’ virtually so the implant can simply be put in place. To be able to execute the virtual plan, it is vital to be 100% sure that implant geometry is exactly the same as the CAD model and that the holes are machined to high accuracy. “To fulfil these goals, we use a variety of metrology equipment. The CMM with laser scanner is irreplaceable when we need to perform fast checks after each manufacturing and post-processing stage, especially to

check spherical surfaces, bearing surfaces and hole angles.” Unlike standard modular hip implants used to treat severe clinical conditions, patientspecific alternatives are designed as a single device with anatomically adapted surfaces. It eliminates the risk of instability and adapts the implant to the bone rather than the bone to the implant. A major benefit of the procedure is that, during surgery, there is no need to shape the bone to adapt it to the implant or use bone cement, meshes and augments to fill the bone defect. The implants are designed using virtual anatomical bone models which are obtained from medical CT scans of a patient. For manufacturing the implants, Baltic Orthoservice uses direct metal laser sintering equipment purchased in 2012. After 3D-printing, implants undergo a variety of post-processing steps, including heat treatment, surface polishing and milling for screw holes. There are a number of medical device standards and regulations that must be met, which is why it is paramount for products to be of ultra-high accuracy. With fine tolerances and strict standards to be adhered to, the post-processing stages are repeated until the physical implant matches the desired virtual model exactly. Quality assurance measures are taken following every step, during which the LC15Dx laser scanner is able to show quickly how well the physical part matches the virtual model. Mr Jokymaitytè said, “Laser scanning and

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QMT Autumn 2017

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING micro-CT serve two different purposes and both excel in different areas. “The CMM with laser scanner is very effective for inspecting features and surfaces of bigger parts such as an acetabular implant, for quality control of standard products like osteosynthesis plates and for assessing standard elements in patient-specific implants, i.e. screw holes or spherical shapes. “The micro-CT system is a vital tool for nondestructive analysis of the internal structure and geometry of additively manufactured components.” As the Quality Control Laboratory at Kaunas was a new project to supplement the additive manufacturing facilities, there were no previous systems to be replaced. Baltic Orthoservice knew what was required and compared the best technologies on the market to find the right solution. Mr Lukševičius said, “The primary requirement was to have the capability to inspect parts made from different types of materials. The size of the working area was also important, but most crucial was accuracy.” He pointed out that a key advantage of the Nikon Metrology LC15Dx is its ability to scan reflective and multi-material surfaces thanks to ESP (enhanced sensor performance) technology. It maintains accuracy, speed and

A 3D-printed acetabular implant being inspected using the Nikon Metrology LC15Dx laser scanner.

data quality by intelligently and continuously adapting the laser settings for each measured point. Probing error is comparable to that of tactile inspection (1.9 μm) and data collection is fast at 70,000 points per second. By maintaining such high standards when scanning difficult surfaces, the LC15Dx is an ideal tool for inspecting complex parts in the medical industry. Paulius concluded, “The Nikon solution offers more in-depth knowledge of what we are manufacturing and gives better precision and understanding of 3D-printing errors and deviations. It means we achieve superior product quality and avoid problems during operations”. www.nikonmetrology.com

What do you Inspect? Defect analysis of a CFRP bike frame. Data courtesy of Rigaku Corporation

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PORTABLE METROLOGY

Water speed challenge A British team is using portable measurement technology to perfect a potentially world-beating hydroplane

he current world water speed record of 317.18 mph / 510.45 km/h was set by Australian Ken Warby in Spirit of Australia in1978. The four decades since then represent by far the longest period that the record has stood unbeaten. Project Longbow, under project leader David Aldred has the ultimate aim of breaking that impasse. The team, includes serving British military pilot, Lt. David-John Gibbs RN, as driver for the craft, and a group of British experts with a joint passion to design, develop, build and successfully run their jet hydroplane Longbow. Once constructed this craft will hopefully be a learning platform and basis for a credible attempt to challenge the Outright World Water Speed Record. David Aldred explained. “A jet hydroplane can

be described as a pure thrust gas turbine or rocket powered boat, with a hull designed in such a way that when high speeds are achieved, the craft only has a few square inches of its surface in contact with the water surface, which in turn reduces hydrodynamic drag to a minimum”. A major contributor to the Longbow project is Kevin Hardcastle, design engineer and founder of Aximo Ltd, a product and mechanical design consultancy. Kevin’s acknowledged expertise and considerable experience in a range of relevant 3D CAD and CAE tools, has been invaluable in assisting with the design of the craft. To enable Kevin to produce the required drawings for analysis of the driver cockpit from the buck already fabricated, the assistance of Manchester Metrology’s laser scanning services was enlisted. Given the project’s demanding accuracy requirements, Neil Blakeman of Manchester Metrology used a FARO Edge ScanArm HD to scan the drivers tub and to capture the required data for conversion into a NURBS format. Neil said. “Manchester Metrology offer specialist contract measurement services using the latest metrology technology and provide support both in the UK and worldwide. Given Longbow’s challenging accuracy requirements we decided to use the FARO Edge ScanArm HD to scan the driver’s cockpit, as it has an accuracy specification of ±25μm. The Edge ScanArm HD combines the flexibility and functionalities of a FARO Edge measuring Arm with the high-definition Laser Line Probe HD, the kind of powerful contact/non-contact portable measurement system that is ideal for challenging applications such as Longbow. “Also, as each of Longbow’s team of experts and technical contributors have ‘day-jobs’ and give their time voluntarily, it was important to use a technology that could capture and process the required precise data in a timely fashion. “The Edge ScanArm HD proved perfect for the task of scanning Longbow’s driver’s tub. All of the essential data was collected precisely and quickly.” David Aldred concluded “Although we have already made significant progress, the Longbow project is still in its design and prototype phase. As this foundation period is fundamental to the ultimate success of the project, the considerable expertise and hard work of Kevin Hardcastle of Aximo Product Design Consultancy has been invaluable. In addition, the much appreciated assistance of Manchester Metrology and the company’s use of FARO’s Edge ScanArm HD has enabled the project to make another major leap forward.” www.jet-hydroplane.uk www.faro.com

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QMT Autumn 2017

TOOLMAKING

Uprated inspection solves problems

Birmingham-based precision engineering firm, GB Precision has expanded the benefits it is obtaining from its toolmakers’ microscope by fitting it with a camera linked to a PC screen

s Director, Paul Turner, explains; “This has greatly increased the advantages we gain from the toolmakers’ microscope, transforming it from solely an inspection tool into a flexible communication device that helps us solve engineering problems and so improve the engineering solutions we provide to our customers. One of the issues with using a microscope on its own, is that, naturally, only one person at a time can view the image. That’s inconvenient when you want to discuss a specific feature, angle or geometry with members of the team. Using the camera attachment, the image is displayed directly on the PC screen, so several people can simultaneously see the component under discussion, and if the viewing angle, position, magnification needs to be altered, again, all parties see the

change immediately.” Another significant benefit is the ability to automatically store data directly to the PC, so maintaining a detailed record for future use - a growing requirement of customers in many advanced engineering sectors, such as aerospace, medical and pharmaceutical. The camera provides built-in mouse control, allowing the user to interact directly with on-screen menus to record photos of the microscope images, as well as measurement functions including the ability to draw freehand lines, measure perimeter and area of enclose features. Viewing the images on the large PC screen is also more ergonomic than looking down a microscope eyepiece, making detailed image scrutiny more comfortable. www.gbprecision.co.uk

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AUTOMATION

Calibration raises robot performance

Fig 1 Robot design uses joint rotation to position the tool tip in space. By design, link deviation and position error are additive.

As robots move into more demanding applications calibration becomes more and more of an issue for accuracy says API Robots have become common place in the manufacturing environment. They are commonly used for simple tasks which are repetitive, and do not require high accuracies. Some examples include pick and place, arc-welding, and part inspection. The major factors in the popularity of robots are their low price, small footprint, and versatility. While these features are critical for the robotics market, they introduce challenges for accuracy and metrology. Consider a CMM. There is low thermal growth, each axis is independent, and the gantry design which is typically employed offers great stability. The classic robot design offers none of these considerations. Each joint has high thermal variation, and the tool center point is at the end of all six joints, creating considerable variation and sag at the TCP. Additionally, the small footprint of the robot provides for a very poor foundation for the system. Despite this, robots are known for having high repeatability. This is achieved through the robotsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; manufacturing, advanced controllers, and high accuracy encoders. Taking advantage of the repeatability, robot performance can be improved.

Robot Performance Robot performance can be described, generally, in two parts; positioning and path travel. Robot positioning depends on the controller parameters, such as the home position of the robot, its payload

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settings, tool offsets, amongst other parameters. Most of these inputs are set by the user, but there are some which are set by the OEM, such as the joint lengths, encoder positions, gear ratios, and other constants the robot uses to calculate its positioning. The robot path is largely determined by how it is programed, and where the start- and end-point of the travel is. In order to quantify robot performance scientifically, ISO9283 was introduced. After a few iterations, the 1998 edition was written, and has remained the standard with only minor addendums. This standard fully defines robot performance with 14 testing procedures. Measuring a robot in compliance with the ISO standard has some obvious benefits such as knowing your robot is performing as expected against an internationally recognised and approved standard. Additionally, quantifying the robotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capabilities helps customers looking to purchase a robot match a robot with their intended use. One advantage which should be noted is that the ISO defines testing procedures. To understand this, consider running a program from the controller to test path accuracy. The program needs to be written in such a way that the robot is told what path to take. If there are only points in the program, this will not suffice to test path accuracy. Similarly, one needs to account separately for the orientation of the tool when considering the path. The ISO standard not only defines what measurements to make, but defines the procedures for testing.

QMT Autumn 2017

The Bowers Group of Companies

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AUTOMATION

Fig 2 Sample joint pair with DH Parameters indicated. In this sample, Link I is twisted to an angle which is not a multiple of 90°, causing A and D to not run in the joints. However, for most robots, Alpha and Theta are multiples of 90°, and A and D run along the joints and links.

Theta(deg)

Table 1 Sample DH Parameter table generated by API’s RMS software

D(mm)

A(mm)

Offset(deg)

468

-90

600

550

-90

Robot Calibration After the robot performance is defined, it is natural to ask how to make the robot performance better. The industry has been moving towards a solution known as Denavit-Hartenberg, or DH, Calibration. The DH model of a robot is made up of a four by six matrix of values, two rows of distances and two of angles. In general, Theta is the joint angle between the joint and its preceding one, D is the joint offset between the joint and the preceding one, A is the link length, and Alpha is how much the joint is twisted compared to the preceding joint.

Robot Metrology Solutions API has long been known for its laser trackers, and innovative measuring solutions. API has now added Robot Metrology Solutions (RMS) to its line of measuring techniques. RMS is a software designed to integrate API Laser Trackers into the robot metrology system. It is comprised of the Robot Performance Measurement (RPM) and DH Calibration modules. The RPM module measures robots in accordance with ISO9283:1998. The software will first walk the user through setting up the work volume as prescribed by the ISO. This procedure ensures the optimal poses will be used for measuring the robot performance. Additionally, the software will report these poses in coordinate format, allowing the user to enter the points directly into the controller memory for eases and consistency. After the setup, a project file is created. All of the 14 measurement procedures are

Alpha(deg)

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available to measure from the project. RPM generates the measurement positions, making programing the test simple. The software already has the nominal positions saved in the project tile, so no further setup is required. As the robot moves to these positions, the tracker will measure three SMRs on the robot tool tip, collecting 6 degree of freedom data about the robot performance. The measurements are easy to run, and the software will report the results as specified by the ISO. The DH Calibration Module is also easy to use. The robot is first programed to move to any number of locations. There is a minimum of 30 positions, but the more positions used, the better the calibration will be. As the robot moves these positions, the tracker will measure the robot. After the measurement process is complete, the tracker data and robot data are loaded into the software. The software will run inverse kinematics, and generate updated DH parameter which can be utilized by the user.

Conclusion Basic robot performance is defined by robot metrology. By using a software system like API’s RMS, the process can be straightforward, quick, and informative. By using quantified performance results, a decision can be made to calibrate the robot. API’s RMS software also offers a calibration process which can provide the end user with updated DH parameters which will improve robot performance. www.apisensor.com

QMT Autumn 2017

HOLOGRAPHY

Holography from your WiFi router German scientists are exploring a new way to create three-dimensional images Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a holographic imaging process using the radiation of a WiFi transmitter to generate three-dimensional images of the surrounding environment. While optical holograms require elaborate laser technology, generating holograms with the microwave radiation of a Wi-Fi transmitter requires merely one fixed and one movable antenna. “Using this technology, we can generate a three-dimensional image of the space around the WiFi transmitter, as if our eyes could see microwave radiation,” says Friedemann Reinhard, director of the Emmy Noether Research Group for Quantum Sensors at the Walter Schottky Institute of the TU Munich. The researchers envision fields of deployment especially in the domain of industry 4.0 – automated industrial facilities, in which localizing parts and devices is often difficult. Processes that allow the localization of microwave radiation, even through walls, or in which changes in a signal pattern signify the presence of a person already exist. The novelty is that an entire space can be imaged via holographic processing of Wi-Fi or cell phone signals. “Of course, this raises privacy questions. After all, to a certain degree even encrypted signals transmit an image of their surroundings to the outside world,” says Friedemann Reinhard. “However, it is rather unlikely that this process will be used for the view into foreign bedrooms in the near future. For that, you would need to go around the building with a large antenna, which would hardly go unnoticed. There are simpler ways available.”

Centimetre-scale precision

Until now, generating images from microwave radiation required special-purpose transmitters with large bandwidths. Using holographic data processing, the very small bandwidths of typical household WiFi transmitters operating in the 2.4 and 5 gigahertz bands were sufficient for the researchers. Even Bluetooth

and cell phone signals can be used. The wavelengths of these devices correspond to a spatial resolution of a few centimetres. “Instead of a using a movable antenna, which measures the image point by point, one can use a larger number of antennas to obtain a video-like image frequency,” says TUM’s Philipp Holl, who carried out the the experiments. “Future Wi-Fi frequencies, like the proposed 60 gigahertz IEEE 802.11 standard will allow resolutions down to the millimeter range.” The concept of treating microwave holograms like optical images allows the microwave image to be combined with camera images. The additional information extracted from the microwave images can be embedded into the camera image of a smart phone, for example to trace a radio tag attached to a lost item. But the scientists are just at the beginning of the technological development. For example, research on the transparency of specific materials is lacking. This knowledge would facilitate the development of paint or wall paper translucent to microwaves for privacy protection, while transparent materials could be deployed in factory halls to allow parts to be tracked. The researchers hope that further advancement of the technology may aid in the recovery of victims buried under an avalanche or a collapsed building. While conventional methods only allow point localization of victims, holographic signal processing could provide a spatial representation of destroyed structures, allowing first responders to navigate around heavy objects and use cavities in the rubble to systematically elucidate the easiest approach to quickly reach victims. The research was funded by the Emmy Noether Program of the German Research Foundation (DFB) and the TUM Junior Fellow Fund. go.tum.de/354019

QMT Autumn 2017 www.qmtmag.com

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Phased array ultrasonics adds up

Danny McMahon, senior manufacturing engineer and team lead for metrology and digital manufacturing at The University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) points the way ahead for additive metrology

Danny McMahon: Danny McMahon is senior manufacturing engineer and team lead for metrology and digital manufacturing at the AFRC

The potential benefits of additive manufacturing for many industries has been well documented – but it also comes with a host of unknowns. The ability to print products and components where they are actually needed, could be transformative for manufacturing. To take an extreme example, the International Space Station announced in December 2014 that it had printed a ratchet wrench with a design file transmitted from the ground – other products have been printed in space since then. Here on earth though, many sectors are still grappling with what additive manufacturing means for them. Across the board, it throws up one very large problem: validating the components produced by 3-D printers for specific applications. In highly regulated industries it’s a serious challenge and, if it’s not tackled, additive manufacturing’s potential could be hamstrung from the get-go. There are many steps required to get to the point where we have a tried-and-tested system for proving the suitability of additive manufactured parts. Looking specifically at the measurement and validation of their internal characteristics and integrity, there are a couple of ways currently being considered for how this can be achieved. The first, under examination by the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network, is X-ray computed tomography (XCT). XCT is a non-destructive technique for visualising the internal properties of a component. This approach is being analysed at the higher end of the value curve – on aerospace components, among others, largely because of the limitations inherent to XCT. Although it offers great accuracy, XCT is also expensive, requires a great deal of power to look inside metallic parts, and needs a lot of time to perform scans – normally four hours for a reasonable-sized component. All of these factors rule it out for a range of industries and applications.

Ultrasound approach

The alternative technique, which the AFRC is tackling, is ultrasonics – specifically, phased array ultrasonics. This approach is similarly non-invasive, but even cutting-edge systems are about a fifth of the cost of XCT, both in terms of set up and running. It is also

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scalable, meaning it can be used on small and large parts, with very few restrictions in terms of the volumes it can handle. Likewise, the maintenance requirements are much higher for XCT systems, which often need replacement parts. Phased array ultrasonics can provide a more accurate picture of the internal dimensions of a part, compared to more basic, single-element ultrasonic inspections. This is achieved through the ability to pulse individual ultrasonic elements independently within the array, delivering greater access to different regions within the part, without the need to physically move the probe. With a wide variety of data gathering and processing options available, the latest techniques offer significantly higher levels of resolution and accuracy than was achievable with traditional phased-array methods. We’ve been working with Cranfield University on this technology for about a year, using it to inspect wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) parts. Like other additive manufacturing parts, they’re produced by adding layer upon layer of material, with the addition of a welding power source. This approach to manufacturing can create small gaps, or cavities, within the part and, therefore, defects which need to be understood and managed.

QMT Autumn 2017

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

The University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) is investigating advanced manufacturing methods and the metrology technology they require

Additive manufacturing techniques also allow the creation of internal features where there is no physical access for inspection or measurement. Previously, these defects and internal features would not have existed, as traditional manufacturing techniques prohibit the creation of internal features. The closest technique that could be used is sand casting. This process sees molten metal poured into a mould, created by compressing sand. Inserts can then be placed inside the mould to create internal features or cavities. Once the mould is made, the sand is broken up and can simply be ‘shaken’ out of the part. Using this, or other similar techniques, the quality control would be applied to the mould, instead of the part, and a manufacturer could have confidence that a good mould would result in a conforming component. This cannot be done for additive manufacture, as there are no moulds and near unlimited possibilities for printing internal features. Using the latest technology and techniques, the AFRC has been conducting research in phased array ultrasonics for a variety of applications. We have been able to reconstruct the bony surfaces of the knee joint using robotically manipulated probes, aiding robotic knee arthroplasties. This has pushed forward the ability to reconstruct complex three--dimensional surfaces using ultrasound – a capability particularly suited to components made using additive manufacturing. Internal structures have also been inspected on wing components, combining optical geometric surface reconstruction techniques, robotic positioning, and phased array ultrasonics. With this applicationbased research, we are looking to push the

technique up the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale so that these advancements can be fully exploited.

3D reconstruction of AM parts

We have begun trials in the inspection of additively manufactured components, with full 3D reconstruction of outer and internal features achieved on simple parts, as well as the identification of defect locations. Scaling up this capability to larger and more complex parts would allow the next course of action in the production process to be defined. For example, rather than scrapping a component at great cost, the defect could simply be repaired, cut out, or left in there and treated in a particular way further down the production line. In a real manufacturing context, this could lead to significant cost savings, shorter lead times, and, ultimately, assurance over the integrity of 3-D printed products. It’s still early days and many of the biggest challenges are yet to come. The real litmus test will eventually be phased array ultrasonic testing’s adoption by industries like aerospace. Rightly, the approval processes for getting components into these sectors are very stringent and there will need to be many procedures in place to prove the integrity of additive manufactured parts is just as solid as those created using traditional means. Nevertheless, this could be an important step forward in defining a proven metrological approach, for more and more products are going to be manufactured in the future. There are hundreds more that will need to be taken concurrently. But initial indications suggest that phased array ultrasonics will be an important part of that journey. www.strath.ac.uk

QMT Autumn 2017 www.qmtmag.com

CMMS

Uprated metrology for seals

CMM, height gauge and surface testing kit meet the requirements of a new product

When CDK Seals won an order for the production of metal components from a new aerospace customer it needed to invest in new equipment and methods in its manufacturing and metrology. Historically, the Yeovil manufacturer produced its seals from a variety of PTFE composites, however the new order required a three-part assembly using steel, aluminium bronze and PTFE. The three component assembly consists of both a concave and convex component as well as a housing that makes the complete assembly 80mm diameter with a 60mm height. The issue for CDK was that the 1500 assemblies with a total of 4500 parts had to be machined to a 0.03mm tolerance. Unfortunately for CDK, its micrometers and vernier callipers couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t measure many of the complex features, especially the curved surfaces. One particular issue was with a 4mm diameter cross-drilled hole positioned on one of the concave surfaces. CDK engineers visited Mitutoyo and decided that a Crysta Plus M443 Co-ordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) would provide the right solution. The low-cost and user-friendly CMM has a bridge type design and a work area of 400 by 400 by 300mm and 0.0005mm resolution. Managing Director Mr Dave Paget said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We agreed with Mitutoyo that the Crysta Plus was the most suitable product for measuring the highly critical parts and ordered the machine on a Thursday. It was delivered and commissioned the following Wednesday. Mitutoyo were excellent. They installed the machine and did the programming for the three seal components, so we

could be instantly up and running. The training was simple and straightforward and we have the CMM networked to a PC, so we can store any subsequent programs off-line. Mitutoyo also provided a series of 3, 2 and 1mm diameter ruby probes. The small probes enable us to get inside the 4mm diameter drilled hole and check the concentricity as well as the angle of the hole that has a critical angle tolerance of +/-0.1degrees.â&#x20AC;? Whilst the CMM proved ideal for measuring the curved surfaces, internal holes and other critical features, it was agreed that a plate with a 60mm internal bore with a bellow moulded to it, should be measured with a digital height gauge. Here Mitutoyo provided a 2D linear LH600E digital height gauge capable of measuring components up to 600mm high with an achieved accuracy of 1.1+0.6L/600 microns. The final issue for CDK regarding the project was the surface finish on the aluminium-bronze parts. Friction between the mating parts would lead to wear, which had the potential to impact the performance of the assembly. To eliminate this issue, the mating parts required a surface finish better than 0.4Ra. From a production perspective, CDK invested in a vibratory bowl finishing machine from PDJ Vibro to enhance the surface finish of the parts. However, the parts still required measuring to ensure conformity to the required specifications and here Mitutoyo supplied a Surftest SJ-210 portable surface roughness testing machine. www.mitutoyo.co.uk

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QMT Autumn 2017

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MATERIALS TESTING

Material benefits in product development ARRK Engineering has established an in-house materials laboratory to support its product development services

Mechanical material testing is one of the services offered, which includes quasi-static and dynamic characterisation.

“In order to process all the accumulated information for the simulation, we generate so-called material cards. The long-term aim is to create a database in which the various materials are characterised as fully as possible,” explains Roman Sternagel

Before materials can be used in any application, their behaviour has to be analysed under different mechanical and climatic conditions. The results from static, dynamic and thermochemical tests form the basis for comprehensive material characterisations which are key to successful product development. A leading provider of development services, ARRK Engineering has therefore established an inhouse materials laboratory close to its headquarters in Munich. This enables car makers, machine and plant engineering companies and aerospace manufacturers to obtain all-round support from the ARRK Engineering specialists in this field. Moreover, the company plans to use the information from the tests to generate material cards with a view to optimising the simulation models for structural and crash calculations. “Prior to the development of our Strategy 2020, we interviewed our customers to assess the demand. The establishment of our own materials laboratory where we can characterise almost any material,

including composites and bonded materials, is the logical conclusion of this,” explains Anne-Claire Höppner, Head of the Test & Validation department and Director of the Center of Competence (CoC) Material Testing & Simulation at ARRK Engineering. By covering a multitude of project environments over the past few decades – primarily in the field of automotive material development – the company has built building up substantial technical expertise in materials. That means ARRK Engineering specialists can access a comprehensive body of know-how in the use of machines and a broadbased knowledge of the material characteristics of elastomers, thermoplastics, fibre-reinforced composites, adhesives, surfaces and metals. ARRK says that being able to conduct its own tests in an in-house laboratory puts it in an ideal position to intensify its cooperation with a wide range of customers.

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QMT Autumn 2017

Dynamic characterisation of composites In order to be able to determine the characteristics of both metals and plastics, the existing machine pool has been extended. The services offered include – along with sample production and standard-compliant preparation – the performance of mechanical material tests including quasi-static and dynamic characterisation. Anne-Claire Höppner says: “We record parameters such as anisotropic stresses, compressive and tensile strength, maximum shear strain or

MATERIALS TESTING the possibility of environmental simulations and analyses of separable and inseparable compounds, with a special focus on adhesives, which have undergone little research to date. This enables parameters such as heat expansion, viscosity and gel point to be described, along with glass transition and crystallisation temperatures.

Predictive material cards

notched impact strength. In order to extend the dynamic characterisation process to composite materials, we have access to a Zwick HTM 16020 high-speed testing machine” The thermochemical tests allow developers to determine the degree of cure and fibre volume or filler content. In addition, ARRK Engineering offers

Roman Sternagel, leader of the Materials Testing team, says: “Our service portfolio covers all tests which are of particular relevance to the automotive industry. The next step is to process the information we have gathered for use in simulations so we can offer our customers an all-round solution.” To this end, the material characteristics are incorporated into computer models using an optimised process to generate predictive material cards. These are required during component development, e.g. for structural or crash calculations. “Translating the information into such a card is complex, because you first have to establish which software and which material model will give you a realistic picture of the material’s behaviour,” adds Mr Sternagel. The long-term aim is to create a database in which the various materials are characterised as fully as possible. Selected materials are already being tested to provide a basis for this. www.arrkeurope.com

ARRK Engineering has set up its own materials laboratory close to its Munich headquarters in order to provide comprehensive characterisation of a variety of materials and therefore offer manufacturers optimal support for their product development

“The establishment of our own materials laboratory, where we can characterise virtually any material, including composites and bonded materials, is the logical conclusion of our demand survey,” explains Anne-Claire Höppner

What do you Inspect? Pore network characterization of aluminium foam. Data courtesy of Shimadzu Corporation (inspeXio SMX-225CT FPD HR)

Digital inspection and materials analysis software Whatever the part or material you need to inspect using X-ray CT, radiography, or microscopy, Avizo Software provides a comprehensive set of tools addressing the whole research-to-production cycle: from materials research in off-line labs to automated quality control in production environments.

Amira-Avizo.com

INDUSTRY 4.0

Bridging the industrial revolutions

Michael Lyle: Michael Lyle is President and CEO of InfinityQS

Michael Lyle, CEO of InfinityQA, says that the key to bridging the gap between the physical and digital is unlocking the manufacturing quality data you already own The concept of ‘digital transformation’ is becoming increasingly well-worn amongst industry players. Driven by the emergence of progressive technologies such as cloud computing, organisations are applying digital transformation strategies to streamline processes, drive greater efficiencies, improve and accelerate decisionmaking, and expand business reach. According to the latest research from Gartner, 42% of CEOs have begun to digitally transform their businesses and all evidence suggests this figure will grow in the years to come. While some have taken to digital transformation like a duck to water, others have been slower to adopt—like the manufacturing sector. For centuries, manufacturing has been at the forefront of mankind’s biggest industrial transformations: the use of water and steam power to mechanise production, the use of electric power to create mass production, and the use of electronics and information technology to automate. Today, we find ourselves on the cusp of a new transformation: Industry 4.0. In its simplest form, Industry 4.0, or ‘4IR,’ is the introduction of smart factories with machines that are connected to the internet and are part of a system that can visualise the entire production chain. Moreover, entities throughout the system can make their own decisions based on data analytics and artificial intelligence.

In practice, the case for the manufacturing industry embracing Industry 4.0 is obvious – greater scalability, efficiency, communication, and access to data, and enhanced security. But despite these widely understood benefits, many in the manufacturing world appear reluctant. Recently, a poll by the EEF, the Manufacturers’ Organisation, revealed that 42% of organisations have a ‘good understanding’ of what Industry 4.0 is. The challenge, however, is trying to incorporate this into a future strategy—from those surveyed, only 11% stated they were in a position to support the next industrial revolution. Given our reliance on technology, how can such a formative industry be so apparently behind? It might seem obvious, but the simple answer lies in the fact that a lot of the practices and approaches employed by manufacturers are still built on the processes and procedures employed in Industry 3.0 and, to a lesser extent, Industry 2.0. Arguably, one of the biggest areas in which we can see this demonstrated is within how a manufacturer manages its quality management processes. When people typically think of managing quality, it conjures up images of statistical process control charts used to study how a process changes over time—the main driver for this is to use the insights from the data to reduce recalls and ensure compliance standards are met. In simple terms, it could be suggested that this is no more than a tick-

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QMT Autumn 2017

INDUSTRY 4.0

The case for Industry 4.0 should be obvious

box exercise, and this is where the parallels to those legacy practices can be seen. For many manufacturers, the tools of the trade for managing and monitoring quality control are a pencil and a clipboard. If there is a failure in your ‘technology,’ it can often be rectified with a pencilsharpener. Information is noted onto worksheets, and then gathered together across multiple sites and plants. The information is then lumped into a spreadsheet to sit and gather dust in a filing cabinet, or at best siloed in databases or file servers across the organisation. Stopping here misses the greatest benefit of the data—if used effectively, it will provide strategic operational insights to help drive continuous transformation in quality, processes, and overall operations. The reality is that most manufacturers, locked into legacy practices, can’t imagine that this same information could be the key to unlocking dramatic improvements in yield, compliance, and resource utilisation. But through the capabilities of cloud computing, it’s possible. Manufacturers can achieve an aggregated, end-to-end view of production sites across the entire enterprise and create a foundation for digital transformation to Industry 4.0. Benefiting from the resulting insights, firms are able to develop a continuous cycle of improvement programme that gives them an edge on the competition. They can enact an ‘excellence loop,’ which consists of three interconnected parts: Enterprise Visibility: When all quality-related data is unified from all sources into a standardised and centralised database, it’s possible to visualise more than the quality of a single production line. The outcome is real-time visibility of the entire

enterprise, from end to end—including suppliers, incoming inspection, raw materials, in-process checks from shop floor operators and the quality lab, process data, packaging, and finished products. Operational Insight: With visibility of the entire operation, useful and actionable insight is generated about the enterprise’s processes, suppliers, and manufacturing operations. Improved analytics and reporting help to apply best practices consistently across all plants, lines, processes, and products in a prioritised manner. Global Transformation: Finally, the resulting insights can be applied to streamline, optimise, and transform processes and operations across the enterprise, elevating product quality, improving efficiency, and creating exponential cost savings. This excellence loop demonstrates the true capabilities and scalability that can be gathered from embracing digital transformation, enabling an organisation to gain maximum efficiencies from quality data. Ultimately, the pace and speed at which technology is moving and enabling us to better our business offerings means firms can no longer afford to be resistant to change. For manufacturers particularly, the reliance on those legacy practices often associated with the second and third industrial revolutions means critical sources of information are being ignored, which is debilitating their ability to keep pace with competitors. By making use of these data streams, you can effectively bridge the gap, ensuring that as the next industrial revolution starts to gather pace, you are able to sit at the forefront of it. www.infinityqs.co.uk

QMT Autumn 2017 www.qmtmag.com

RAIL INDUSTRY

Mind the gap

Train-maker Bombardier is using laser measurement systems on new London trains

Bombardier is using Third Dimension’s GapGun laser measurement for quality inspection in the production of 66 train carriages – on order for Transport for London’s Elizabeth line service. It is now also planning to use the system on 45 carriages for the LoTrain project for London Overground. The systems are being used on new Aventra electric multiple unit passenger trains, which will deliver a significant increase in capacity for London rail passengers. GapGun make quality checking along the length of the production line more efficient and has already saved the company a ‘huge’ amount of money according to Operation Quality Manager, Colin Mellor. Mr Mellor who has described the GapGun as a ‘culture changer’ said: “Since we started using the GapGun we have been able to speed up the production process and check each part as we go along, meaning we can head off problems before they arise. “We have recently sold our first Elizabeth line train and it’s clear from this first sale that the procurement of the GapGuns was indeed a wise investment.” The new trains are being manufactured and assembled at Bombardier’s plant in Derby, supporting more than 750 manufacturing jobs and 80 apprenticeships. The firm is using GapGun to check components and the gaps, flush and radius of panels before and after being fitted. Using the GapGun means not only is the time taken to check each panel considerably

reduced, but also problems can be rectified well ahead of completion. Mr Mellor added: “The GapGun completely removes ambiguity and subjectivity. It is so accurate it leaves no margin of error. We can also use the accurate data the GapGun records to predict problems before they even happen. “Plus, it’s really easy to use after just a couple of hours training and it doesn’t just measure gaps. It accurately measures flush and radius of features, which can drastically reduce the costs of having to make corrections at the end of the production process.” GapGun can also provide manufacturers with a fully auditable trail of every product measured. The modular and portable system has a range of flexible and ergonomic profile measurement capabilities that use optical triangulation to measure gaps, shapes and forms, quickly and accurately. GapGun is handheld and can measure without needing to touch the surface. This maximises the accuracy and repeatability of measurements, enabling the measurement of soft or unfixed parts and eliminating potential surface damage. Peter Rogan of Third Dimension, said: “Now with just a simple point and a click of the GapGun, measurements can be taken in seconds.” www.third.com

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QMT Autumn 2017

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14th & 15th NOVEMBER 2017 EUROPE’S LARGEST CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO PORTABLE METROLOGY

New Event Structure Quality Presentations

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Europe’s premier technical conference & exhibition is back & has moved to a new venue! 2017 delegates will see an interactive, contemporary & tech-savvy event. Attendees will see a brand new, immersive seminar experience & an agenda that that gives them the freedom to explore all aspects of our two-day programme, Exhibition & Metrology Stadium!

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COMPUTERISED TOMOGRAPHY

Comparing methods for fiber orientation analysis (a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 1: (a) Slice through the synthetic volume, (b) 3D volume rendering of the synthetic volume, colorized according to the estimated major orientation (the red, green and blue axes indicate the color code), (c) image downsampled by a factor 4, (d) factor 8.

(d)

Rémi Blanc* and Peter Westenberger* look at different approaches to give an insight into fiber orientation

C References [1] Bigün et al. (1987). Proc. ICCV, pp. 433438. [2] Püspöki et al. (2016). Advances in Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology, vol. 219(3): 6993. [3] Roseman (2003). Ultramicroscopy, 94(34):225-236. [4] Weber et al. (2012). Journal of Structural Biology, 178(2):129-138. [5] Advani, Tucker (1987). Journal of Rheology, 31(8), 751. [6] Bezrukov et al. (2006). Particle & Particle Systems Characterization, 23(5), 388-398. *Rémi Blanc (remi. blanc@thermofisher. com) and Peter Westenberger (peter. westenberger@ thermofisher.com), are technical experts at Thermo Fisher Scientific

omputed Tomography (CT) is on its way to become the de facto standard in the field of materials science and material development especially when it comes to the analysis of fibrous materials. The current question is mostly about the compromise between image resolution and volume of data being analyzed, to extract accurate information allowing for the characterization of the fibrous material. Among those statistics, we focus here particularly on the distribution of fiber orientations within the material. We will highlight three different approaches that may operate at different resolutions to provide insights about the fiber orientations. The described procedures are then applied to a real dataset, as well as to an artificial dataset generated with user-defined properties, which provides us with a goldstandard reference against which the result methods can be evaluated. For both datasets, we further investigate the behavior of the proposed approaches with respect to the scanning resolution, and draw conclusions on their respective merits.

Estimation methods The first estimation method considered (FFT) is based on the principal component analysis of the Fourier Spectrum, inspired from [1]. The second approach (GRAD) relies on the analysis of the local gradients [2]. Both rely on the texture of the image to characterize the local orientation, and are expected to provide results even in the case of low resolution images where individual fibers cannot be distinguished. The third method (XFIBER) consists in extracting the centerline of each individual fiber using a template matching and centerline tracing algorithms described in [3,4], which gives immediate access to all statistics regarding orientations of the fibers, but also their length,

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diameter or even tortuosity. All three methods are implemented in Avizo 3D software for scientific and industrial data developed by Thermo Fisher Scientific (formerly FEI). All methods can generate a tensor representing the local distribution of orientations in each considered subvolume. The eigenvalue decomposition of the tensor provides insights about the major orientations, and the dispersion of orientations. In the XFIBER approach, the orientation tensor is clearly interpretable [5]. In contrast, the FFT and GRAD derive their tensors from image texture descriptors, making their interpretation less straightforward, and direct comparisons challenging. Therefore, we perform our comparisons based on the statistical relationship between the estimated tensors, and on the estimated major orientation.

Sources for data Generation of synthetic data: A synthetic distribution of non-overlapping fibers (straight cylinders) following a skin-core structure has been generated, using a force-biased algorithm inspired from [6]. A fiber volume fraction around 10% was obtained. The volume was discretized and turned into a grayscale image of 512x512x512 voxels, illustrated in Figure 1 including moderate gaussian noise and blurring, such that the average fiber diameter corresponds to 5 voxels. Glass fiber composite: We also consider an actual µCT acquisition of a Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP), shown in Figure 2, made of standard, 10µm diameter, short fibers. The considered volume of interest is roughly 2x2x2mm³, with 1.5µm voxel size, and the estimated volume fraction is around 17%.

QMT Autumn 2017

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COMPUTERISED TOMOGRAPHY (a)

(b)

(c)

(d) Figure 2: (a) Slice through the GFRP volume, (b) 3D volume rendering of the GFRP volume, colorized according to the estimated major orientation, (c) image downsampled by a factor 4, and (d) factor 8.

Results The volumes are subdivided in cubic regions following a regular lattice, to perform local orientation analyses. Both datasets follow a similar skin-core structure with orthogonal fiber orientations. The subdivision of both volumes is made such that most slabs contain homogeneous regions in terms of fiber orientation with one clear major orientation (either X or Z), while other slabs contain a mixture of fibers oriented mostly along X, and along Z. For both datasets, the local orientation was measured on the full resolution data, but also after downsampling by a factor 4, and 8, using Lanczos interpolation, to evaluate the robustness of the estimates with respect to imaging resolution. Synthetic data: Considering the whole volume, the different approaches show strong statistical relationships with the reference tensors (Figure 3). The coefficient of determination RÂ˛ appears to be very strong overall. This tendency is fairly well maintained when decreasing the image resolution, as shown in Figure 3(d). Interestingly, although the actual accuracy of the fiber detection of the XFIBER approach considerably drops at lower resolution, the results of the tracing still show high value in terms of orientation measurements. Examining the results slab by slab, It appears that

Figure 3: (a), (b), (c) Scatter plots of the true vs estimated tensor components, respectively (a) A11, (b) A33, and (c) A13. (d) Corresponding coefficients of determination for the tensor components, estimated using the different methods at different image resolution.

in homogeneous regions (all slabs except 3 and 6), the average angular error (angle between the true major orientation, and the estimated orientation) was very low for all 3 methods. On the other hand, in inhomogeneous regions (slabs 3 and 6), the estimation of the major orientation proved to be much more precise with the fiber tracing approach compared to texturebased methods. Further, as can be seen on Figure 4(b), the XFIBER estimation is significantly more robust to degraded resolution. Glass fiber composite: A similar experiment was carried out on the GFRP sample. Since no ground truth orientation measurements are available in this case, we use the results generated by the XFIBER method at full resolution as a reference. The results are presented in Figure 5. As with the synthetic dataset, the different methods appear to be very strongly correlated overall (Figure 5(b)), and the major orientation estimation remains within 5 degrees of error at full resolution, (12 degrees after downsampling by a factor 8), in homogeneous regions.However, when considering inhomogeneous slabs 4 and 7, the estimations from the different methods vary significantly, although the XFIBER approach provides estimated orientation that are relatively consistant across scales (<10Â° for the major and

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

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QMT Autumn 2017

COMPUTERISED TOMOGRAPHY (a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 4: (a) Representation of the subdivisions for local orientation analysis, and plot of the average angular error in the estimation of the major orientation using each 3 methods. The errors are averaged per slabs, a logarithmic scale is used for the angular error. (b) Average angular error for the major, and (c) second orientations within inhomogeneous slabs 3 and 6.

(b)

(a)

(d)

second orientation at resolution factor 4), the other methods show considerably more deviations (>20Â°).

Conclusions The results on both synthetic and real data suggest that the fiber local orientation tensor estimations are, overall, quite consistent for the different methods, and relatively robust to a decrease of the image resolution. Interestingly, even if in terms of detection performance, the fiber tracing accuracy drops significantly when the image resolution reaches the fiber diameter, the results it generates are still exploitable, and actually more accurate than texture-based approaches to characterize the orientations in the sample. The fiber architecture considered in this study allows us to analyse regions with a single

(c)

(e)

Figure 5: (a) Slab-averaged angular error of the major orientation using each 3 methods at the different resolutions. (b) Coefficients of determination for the tensor components (b) Average Angular Error for the estimation of the major orientation, within slabs with homogeneous orientations (all but slabs 4 and 7). (d) Average angular error for the major, and (e) second orientations within inhomogeneous slabs 4 and 7.

population of fibers, all more or less oriented along the same orientation; as well as regions featuring two populations of fibers with two orthogonal preferred orientations. When a single orientation is present, although the fiber tracing approach is slightly more precise especially at finer resolutions, all considered methods behave accurately. However, when a mixture of orientations are present, the texture-based approaches show significantly decreased performances, whereas the fiber tracing approach remains precise, even at relatively coarse image resolution. This is particularly interesting when considering fibrous materials exhibiting complex distributions of orientations, such as woven fibers, moulded composites, or more random distributions. www.amira-avizo.com

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PRODUCTS

Working with cobots At the EMO show, Alicona presented its new cobot system, combining collaborative robots with high resolution optical 3D measuring sensors. The latest introduction is the new Compact-Cobot. a universal solution to verify surface state and dimensional accuracy, even for large components.

simulation provides a preview of the measurement process to be carried out, supporting a safe and secure measurement planning. The virtual operation of the Alicona measurement system comprises the entire handling, from the positioning of a component through to the determination of the measurement area in 3D. The possibility to operate with a digital twin, allows manufacturers to integrate measurement technology at the design phase. www.alicona.conm

Latest handheld scanning technology

Alicona cobots combine collaborative robots and robust optical 3D measuring sensors, delivering traceable and repeatable measurements in high resolution. The measuring sensor is mounted onto a mobile robot platform and can be positioned as needed, even for on-machine measurement of components. This is made possible by intuitive hand guided controls for the teach-in of measurement routine, automatic measurement evaluation, and an enclosure-free safety concept. As a result, cobots are ideal for verifying surface state and dimensional accuracy of work pieces in existing production environments. Cobots require no prior metrology knowledge and make handling, programming, and executing measurement routines easy. Using connected automation software, measurements can be defined at several positions by an administrator, and the operator simply needs to press a button to start the programme. Control and measurement are fully automated, and upon completion the worker receives a measurement report with OK or not OK details. Surface state and dimensional accuracy is automatically verified, a measurement report provides ok/not ok details. In addition, an optional CADCAM connection allows the definition of measurements points, measurement directions etc. directly in the corresponding CAD file of the component, the “digital twin” of the respective work piece. A

Incorporating blue laser technology, an ultra-fast frame rate, specially developed optics and the ability to measure the most challenging materials, ModelMaker H120 is the next generation of portable laser scanner from Nikon Metrology. Nikon says it efficiently delivers detailed, accurate data either in the metrology lab or on the shop floor in a fraction of the time of competing technologies and offers high productivity for challenging applications. Having a field-of-view width up to 120 mm and a point resolution down to 35 μm, the system is said to be ideal for users requiring fast, detailed data collection over a large area. A frame rate of over 450Hz is available even when measuring difficult surfaces such as carbon fibre and gloss black as well as reflective or multi-coloured parts.

With 2,000 points per scan line and no reliance on point-to-point interpolation to artificially boost data density, it is possible to measure very small details on large surfaces even when cycle time is critical. ModelMaker H120 uses advanced Nikon optics and a blue, low speckle laser to generate high accuracy, low noise data, making it possible to

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clearly identify small scratches and abrasions on a surface. The fourth generation of the company’s Enhanced Sensor Performance (ESP4) dynamically adapts the laser source intensity not just for every scan line, but for every point in each scan line, enabling parts with significant colour changes or reflectivity to be measured from any angle. www.nikonmetrology.com

Focus on integrated measurement At the EMO machine tool exhibition in September Renishaw showed its metrology and additive manufacturing systems on two stands.

On its main stand the company focused on showing how companies can exploit the full benefits of Industry 4.0 by integrating its latest measurement technologies within a manufacturing process. Products highlighted in included a new contact scanning system for CNC machine tools, new software for the Equator flexible gauge which allows users to fully integrate the system with CNC machine tools, new on-machine and mobile apps that simplify the use of machine tool probing, an enhanced non-contact tool setter for machining centres, a new multiprobe optical interface system, a new surface finish probe for CMMs, and new software that enhances the functionality of Renishaw’s XM-60 multi-axis calibration system. Visitors also saw Renishaw’s new machining cell concept, which demonstrates how the ability to monitor key process inputs, analyse data and continuously improve manufacturing processes facilitates increased productivity and higher accuracy. Simply measuring the output of a manufacturing process using ‘tailgate’ inspection is not enough and, more often, too late to control all the variability in a

QMT Autumn 2017

PRODUCTS manufacturing process. It is critical that checks and measurements are also made before, during and immediately after machining to control both common-cause and special-cause variation. www.renishaw.com

are made from aluminum which is black anodized for durability. Customers can choose from two preconfigured systems or order pieces individually – new additions and a metric system will follow. www.fixture-up.com

Modular CMM inspection system

Fast scan system reseller

Phillips Precision has launched the latest addition to its LEAN Inspection Arsenal product line – a modular tower system for CMM inspection. The first in the line of modular fixture towers is a 2” interlocking system that can be built both vertically and horizontally. Cubes added horizontally, can be turned to any angle and locked securely. This building block design allows the height to be tailored exactly to the requirement and a staggered hole pattern adds flexibility for work holding.

Manchester Metrology is now an official reseller of the CyberOptics CyberGage 360 – an ultra-fast metrology-grade, one-button, automated 3D scanning and inspection system. The manufacturers say that it is as easy to use as a microwave oven, with no need for complicated programming and no need for part fixturing or alignment – with the full scan taking less than 3 minutes. It can therefore dramatically speeds in-process inspection and/or goodsin or goods out inspection. This can lower the cost of quality and speed up product time to market. Designed for use in general purpose metrology, the CyberGage®360 has a range of applications from medical to automotive to aerospace to consumer electronics, where high accuracy and high speed throughput are important. It generates an automated, highly precise, full 360⁰ volumetric scan with NIST traceable accuracy to 7 µm + L/10000 and has a system repeatability 0.005mm.

This adds even more versatility to the Inspection Arsenal work holding systems as users can build vertically and horizontally – with horizontal cubes secured at any angle. The system works with all existing ¼-20 work holding and maximizes the CMM work envelope without interfering with probe travel. Preconfigured systems include several interchangeable components: an adjustable base, 2x2” cubes, 4” blank spacer block, and 2” and 4” posts that connect the system and provide pivot points. Each cube has 10 (¼-20) holes per side for flexibility in holding positions and a 3/8-16 threaded centered hole that allows cubes to be added horizontally. Components are designed with male/female locating features and

The full volumetric part scan generated by Cybergage360 is automatically aligned to the CAD model by Polyworks software. A comprehensive inspection report including dimensions and GD&T is generated automatically using PMI (Production Manufacturing Information) if contained within the CAD part model.

Critical part inspection criteria are tracked automatically by trend analysis/ SPC. A 3D color deviation map is displayed indicating tolerance variation as compared to CAD. Red or blue indicate oversize/undersize condition. Inspection projects can be digitally shared throughout a manufacturing organization, suppliers and customers using the free Polyworks Inspection Viewer providing rapid access to critical geometric data. www.manchester-metrology.co.uk

Completing arm portfolio The new FARO QuantumM completes the next generation of the FaroArm portfolio, following the launch of the QuantumS arm in August. The QuantumM includes the same functionality with an accuracy specification that makes it a midmarket alternative for applications that do not require the highperformance specifications of the QuantumS. It is certified to ISO 10360 -12:2016 and tests to the International Electrical Commission (IEC 60068-2) standards for shock, vibration and temperature stress relief. It also includes the FAROBlu Laser Line Probe HD, the next generation of blue line laser technology that enables five times faster scanning than the previous generation, including complex surfaces comprised of dark and reflective materials. The unit is easy to maneuver as it is 20% lighter in the hand than its predecessors and immediately ready to use as it requires no warm up time. This ensures better productivity in the inspection, design and manufacturing process by enabling operators to work longer and more comfortably. The QuantumM enables continuous operation anywhere on the factory floor with industrial grade wireless connectivity and dual, hot swappable batteries to support continuous operation anywhere on the factory floor without the need for external power. www.faro.com

QMT Autumn 2017 www.qmtmag.com

GUEST COLUMNIST

Productive Metrology In a series of articles, guest columnist Ian Wilcox, discusses metrology and resultant measurements in relation to manufacturing engineering Yeah, we do that…… don’t we?

Ian Wilcox

Senior Lecturer in Metrology, Manager of the metrology learning and development team at Coventry University and part of the metrology for productivity group led by Trevor Toman 38

One of the most common question I am asked is ‘what is metrology’, the accepted concise definition is ‘the science of measurement’. If you want more detail than that, then it starts to fragment into a series of opinions and interpretations. To the typical scientist and evangelical metrologist, it would go on to promote standards and uncertainty, following the process of making sure you are planning, facilitating and checking to achieve the highest confidence in your measurement result that is feasibly possible. An alternate description given by some supply chain engineering companies would be that it is often a customer led unproductive activity, a necessary evil associated to perceived quality and supplier survival. In productive advanced manufacturing, an objective would be to utilise metrology tools to eke out every competitive advantage in an ever-competitive and fierce global marketplace. A realism is applied in that Metrology is something to embrace but find your own path through, applying the elements and levels you need into added value activities, eradicating any excess and non-added value activities wherever possible. I will use this regular guest spot so kindly given by QMT to help guide you through the world of metrology, showing you how it connects into productive manufacturing, empowering quality and lean activities, supporting waste reduction and efficiency. But also probe deeper and indicate often overlooked wastes that the poor application of metrology creates in a typical business and of course how to mitigate and manage them. It will not be all about ‘you should do more!’ but also address ‘can I do better for less’. It will be practical, in plain English as much as is possible and adhere to a recognition of typical manufacturing business constraints. As with a lot of knowledge it starts with a focus on the core things and the inevitable ‘hook name’ to hang that focus on. My own is a version of the three R’s. Everything flows from these three and I use them to ground and often balance my thinking wherever possible. 1. Ratio: Ultimately, costs etc aside, what a company wants is to have a valid functional part and then produce the same again and again. The laws of physics and human interaction make that impossible and so we compare them, to determine how close they are to the perfect part or design intent, alas not always the same thing. What variation would cause failures to design intent needs to be expressed as a value, so we need units of measurement that are set by international and national bodies, or even your customer. We then effectively ratio our ability to conform to them

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via traceable calibration and associated stated uncertainties. These ratios can also be our derived units, degrees for example often being another example of ratio, in this case the length of two sides of a right-angled triangle. Understanding your own key ratios is a business advantage. 2. Risk: To be competitive or to meet any specific business strategy you need to manage risks. From being cautious to taking chances, the determination of the associated risks and the subsequent decision making is crucial to a successful business strategy. We weigh up risk by accessing data, any analytical data will be because of measurement. It is therefore important that the risk associated to errors in any measurement process itself is considered. Within a practical confidence level this is the foundation to the wider business risk analysis process. Bad data in, bad decisions out. Managing risk effectively has a direct link to profitability and stability. 3.Resources: People, skills, equipment and processes. Do the resources exist to meet the need of your business strategy. As with the other two R’s this is not a black and white thing. For example, you fail a gauge capability study by an unacceptable margin because the equipment resolution is one decimal place short of what is needed, but its close. The next decimal place would cost you £1million in equipment, compared to the £20,000 of existing equipment costs. What’s the ratio and risk balance in sticking to what you have, customer consenting of course. I will leave this first article with a quote, some say it is from a certain Albert Einstein others from a William Bruce Cameron either way it’s appropriate ‘Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.’ The two lessons I draw from this quote are: 1. Think about what is important and practical, then efficiently collect and utilise its useful data. 2. We are not 100% sure who said this quote, so don’t assume the first answer is the only answer. n

QMT Autumn 2017

ANNOUNCING 3DMC 2017

THE 3D METROLOGY CONFERENCE 9 – 11 October 2017 TIVOLI Stadium Aachen, Germany www.3dmc.events

Planning for 3DMC 2017 is now well advanced. The organising committee have received many high-quality presentation abstracts and are putting have now put final agenda together. We have over 20 oral presentations coving a wide range of practical 3D metrology applications as well as some novel and interesting research topics. In addition to the oral presentations, we have several poster exhibits as well as an exhibition comprising over 15 exhibitors of metrology equipment, software and services. The event is aimed at end users of 3D metrology systems, equipment and software suppliers, service providers, researchers and procurement and quality managers who operate in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, power generation, marine, off-shore, built environment, cultural heritage and virtual reality. By bringing people together from these diverse fields, the conference aims to encourage attendees to share experiences and knowledge, values and requirements and develop the 3D metrology industry. The scope of the conference has been extended due to attendee demand, and now includes: • The technology and applications of portable coordinate metrology systems from mid to large scale • Fixed 3D metrology on the micro to mid scales • 3D metrology for advanced manufacturing • Automation and in-process metrology • Industrial requirements and the future technologies driving 3D metrology development • Augmented reality • Measurement uncertainty and traceability The organising committee look forward to seeing you in Aachen!

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XD Laser from API Precision Laser Measurement System

Fast, accurate compensation

The award-winning XD Laser is a multidimensional laser measurement system that simultaneously measures all 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) including linear, angular, straightness and roll errors for rapid machine tool error assessment.

6DoF Measurement XD Laser is the only assessment system that can measure all 6 error parameters simultaneously in a single set-up. Measurement Flexibility XD Laser evaluates velocity, acceleration, parallelism, squareness and flatness error of a machine. Compact Design XD Laser system contains minimal parts and compact sensors for ease of setup and maximization of the machine measurement volume. Software Includes XD Laser software for control, data acquisition and reporting. Linear and volumetric error compenation options are also available.