Quality Manufacturing Today March/April 2016

QUALITY MANUFACTURING TODAY

www.qmtmag.com March/April 2016

Next-generation shopfloor CMM accelerates body-in-white inspection

NIKON METROLOGY I VISION BEYOND PRECISION

Avizo® Inspect

New software dedicated to industrial inspection and materials R&D With Avizo Inspect, reduce your design cycle, inspection times, and meet higher-level quality standards at a lower cost. · Dimensional metrology with advanced measurement · Extensive set of inspection workflows for detection and quantification · Easy creation and customization of inspection recipes · Automation of complex inspection scenarios · Reporting and traceability · Actual/nominal comparison by integrating CAD models · Reverse engineering workflow for additive manufacturing · Full in-line integration for streamlined inspection

Visit us at Control 2016 Hall 3, Stand 3221 Avizo-Inspect.com

CONTENTS

March/April 2016 News and comment

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Events 5 Next generation inspection

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Laser Radar for shop floor car body inspection

Smooth running

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Ensuring quality for NASA

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A Taiwanese manufacturing makes sure that alloy wheels are up to scratch

Front cover: Nikon Metrology Website: www.nikonmetrology.com Email: sales.uk.nm@nikon.com Telephone: +44 (0)1332 811 349

Machined and formed rocket body panels have to meet the tightest tolerances

NDT standards for additive manufacturing 16 MTC experts address the lack of standards for testing 3D printed parts

Editor Andy Sandford Email: editorial@qmtmag.com

Automated inspection at Airbus

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Director/Publisher Dawn Wisbey Email: dawn.wisbey@qmtmag.com Tel: +44 (0)20 8289 7011 Mob: +44 (0)7974 640371

Under the microscope

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A place in the sun

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Getting it right on composites

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Design and Production Manager Rob Tremain Email: studio@qmtmag.com IT Director Pat Coyne Email: pat.coyne@qmtmag.com Website: www.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.

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@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: Circle Services Ltd Š Cranbrook Media Ltd

ARGON has delivered a turnkey testing cell for jet engine pylons

QMT/Olympus technology grant winner looks to optimise flexible electronic interconnects

Making a better solar-powered car

Optical metrology improves the composite production process at every step

Scanning sits comfortably with Lear

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Lear Corporation ensures accuracy on foam car seats for Nissan

Vision cuts out bottlenecks

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Finishing the job

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Showcase for quality

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Advanced manufacturing celebration

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3D CNC vision speeds microwave circuit inspection

Practical metrology advice from NPL

Previewing the Control international trade fair in Stuttgartl

Focus on MACH 2016, the UK’s premier manufacturing technologies event

QMT March/April 2016 www.qmtmag.com

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NEWS

EDITOR’S COMMENT In with the new This issue of QMT includes previews of not one but two major advanced manufacturing events. The first up is MACH, the UK’s leading showcase for all kinds of production technology – which naturally includes a large contingent of top metrology suppliers. Barely two weeks later we have Control in Stuttgart, which has to be the world’s leading event for everything to do with quality, metrology and inspection.

QMT is a media partner for both of these events and we hope to see you there.

Looking at the offerings from leading metrology innovators the trend continues to be towards automated inspection, shop floor metrology and feeding that data back into integrated production systems.

These trends are highlighted by some of our feature articles. Our cover story, for example, looks at how automotive body-in-white inspection can be taken right onto the production line using laser radar, a technology more commonly used in aerospace. And in aerospace itself, we have a story on the automated inspection of engine pylons at Airbus.

I hope you enjoy your read of QMT. Andy Sandford Editor QMT

CONFERENCE Sign up for leading metrology event Registration is now open for the Coordinate Measurement Society Conference (CMSC), which takes place this year at from July 25-29, 2016 in Tennessee, USA – QMT is Global Media Partner for the event.

Organised by the Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS), the membership association for 3D measurement professionals, the CMSC is known worldwide for its expert-level, original slate of technical papers and presentations covering measurement and inspection trends, successful applications and innovations in the metrology

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field, R&D, and industry best practices.

All papers are peer reviewed by the CMS Executive Board, and the top selections are published in the prestigious Journal of the CMSC. The CMS will offer its Level-One and Level-Two Certification examinations during the event.

Also during the week, the PrecisionPath Consortium for Large-scale Manufacturing will conduct a day-long working meeting led by the CMS and UNC Charlotte. This industry-driven coalition is developing strategic roadmaps to solve universal technology challenges faced by manufacturers of large, high-precision parts and assemblies.

to provide the traceability link at the highest level in their countries.

Hexagon was selected by the Institute in the 1980s to undertake the design and manufacture of commercial copies of the NPL instrument as the company offered the right mix of necessary mechanical, electrical and optical skills. www.HexagonMI.com

TESTING Checking castings for leaks

The Coordinate Metrology Society delivers an extensive Measurement Zone and Education Zone in the Exhibition Hall. During the week, the CMS also presents metrology challenges, educational workshops, industry updates, a local tour and many networking opportunities.

The CMSC Exhibition Hall will feature the latest in metrology products and services including industrial photogrammetry, laser trackers, laser radars, articulating arms, laser scanners, laser projection systems, indoor GPS, theodolites, inspection software, and accessories. www.cmsc.org/register

TRACEABILITY Hexagon 10-year deal with NPL Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence has signed a new 10-year license agreement with the UK’s National Measurement Institute to produce gauge block interferometers.

It marks a long-established relationship between the leading measurement solutions provider and the NPL that now spans three decades during which time more than 30 of these special instruments have been sold around the world.

The latest interferometers have been delivered to customers in the Middle East, meaning 22 national metrology laboratories, half of the nation Member states of the Metre Convention, use the NPL-Hexagon equipment

www.qmtmag.com

Tec Systems has provided a suite of customised leak testing systems to a leading supplier of automotive engine components

In order to fulfil the customers’ requirements, Tec Systems provided a total of six automated leak testing machines, each designed to suit specific engine components.

The machines check for leaks by injecting air into the test object and monitoring for ‘pressure decay’ which would indicate a leak due to poor casting integrity.

Tec Systems has established a track record in automated leak testing, using third party leak testing equipment integrated into the production lines of many clients. In particular, Tec Systems has a strong relationship with Ateq, a well-known supplier of differential pressure decay leak testing equipment. www.t-e-c-systems.com

TRAINING Metrology apprentice standards The Metrology Industry, under the leadership of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has received approval from the UK government to de-

QMT March/April 2016

NEWS velop two trailblazer apprenticeship standards.

The trailblazer process is designed to make apprenticeship programmes more rigorous and responsive to the needs of employers. Trailblazers will allow industry to design and develop Apprenticeship Standards to meet the needs of their sector.

NPL undertook a survey in the autumn of 2014 to assess the need for Metrology apprenticeships within industry. The results of the survey confirmed the value and importance of Metrology skills to industry and provided primary evidence of Metrology skills gaps and skills shortages, which are having an impact within industry, affecting productivity, quality of output and technical development.

The Two standards which will be developed by the industry are Metrology Technician (Advanced Apprenticeship) and Senior Metrology Technician (Higher Apprenticeship).

The Metrology Trailblazer employer group consists of 30 employer representatives is chaired by Suzanne Wells, Operations Manager for NPL Training, www.npl.co.uk

NDT GE Technology Solutions Centre GE’s Inspection Technologies business has opened a Technology Solutions Centre in the UK to provide customers with a facility to test GE’s NDT on their own specific inspection problems. The new centre is located in Ratby, near Leicester, just 1.5 miles from the Groby manufacturing site of GE Measurement & Control.

The TSC in Ratby showcases GE’s radiographic X-ray solutions including advanced computed tomography (CT) equipment, the advanced computed radiography scanner CRxVision, portable digital detector arrays, and the x|cube compact 225 for radioscopic casting inspection. The new centre is permanently staffed by applications engineers, who are experts in the various inspection technologies and can provide advice and help in their application. www.gemeasurement.com

CASTINGS In-house testing deal Exova has agreed a new deal with specialist castings provider Grainger & Worrall to deliver a bespoke in-house testing capability.

The deal extends an existing relationship spanning more than 20 years and will see Exova create a dedi-

cated mechanical testing laboratory and machine shop within Grainger & Worrall’s manufacturing facility in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

Exova will conduct mechanical tensile testing on ferrous and non-ferrous cast materials and components in a temperature controlled environment. www.exova.com

INSPECTION Large volume tracker service Torus Measurement Systems has launched a subcontract laser tracker measurement service for large volume measurement and inspection.

EVENTS 11 – 15 April MACH 2016 Birmingham, UK

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www.machexhibition.com

26 – 29 April 2016 Control 2016 Stuttgart, Germany www.control-messe.de

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13 – 16 June 2016 HxGN LIVE Anaheim, California, USA

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25 – 26 July 2016 CMSC Nashville, Tennessee, USA

hxgnlive.com

•

www.cmsc.org

28 – 29 September 2016 TCT + Personalize Birmingham UK www.tctshow.com

•

A dedicated team provides onsite support using a Leica AT401 Laser Tracker with spatial analyser software for large volume inspection.

The service is available on an ad hoc basis for customers with an immediate inspection need as well as for long term projects. It covers measurement results within an 80m range or typical working radial volume of 160m. The Leica Laser Tracker used to carry out the service has no rotational limits, making it ideal for large scale volume measurement, and is suitable for many working environments due to the IP54 seal and certification. With no mains power required due to the cable-less design of the tracker, Torus’ service can go practically anywhere.

Typical applications could include precision measurement of turbine blades, automotive parts, bus chassis’, aerospace tooling, jigs and fixtures as well as aerospace assembly, ship building fabrication and assembly, and general precision engineering. www.torus-group.com

CERTIFICATION Latest QA standard for Bowers Bowers Group has achieved the latest ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Standard.

ISO 9001:2015 is the newest update to the quality management system standard, which provides an integrated approach to quality management and continual improvement, helping businesses to monitor and manage

2 – 3 November 2016 Advanced Engineering Birmingham UK www.easyfairs.com

•

• QMT is a media partner quality across all operations, as well as achieving consistent performance and service. There have been radical changes made since the last revision, and ISO 9001:2015 ensures that the latest quality standard continues to maintain its relevance in today’s market place.

Bowers has improved standards of performance and service at all levels in line with the reviewed certification.

This, says the company, in conjunction with its existing UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 ensures its customers can have confidence that the Bowers range of products is designed and manufactured to the highest standard.

Operations Director Graham Keefe said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the world’s most recognised quality management standard.

Here at Bowers Group, we have always placed quality at the heart of the business, achieving consistently high levels of performance and service. ISO 9001:2015 has allowed us to completely integrate and align quality management within our business strategies.” www.bowersgroup.co.uk

QMT March/April 2016 www.qmtmag.com

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COVER STORY

Next generation inspection

Laser Radar systems promise to deliver the nextgeneration of shop floor CMMs for automotive car body inspection

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t is increasingly important for automotive assembly plants to continuously monitor process quality throughout the production process. This need is driven by OEMs pushing the limits of design by using complex shapes, new materials, and cutting edge processes.

Locations of holes, slots, studs, and welding lines along with flush & gap of doors, hoods, deck lids, and other hangers need to be measured and monitored throughout the assembly process. These inspections ensure that vehicles are built within the ever more stringent tolerances set by automotive manufacturers.

Nikon Metrology – in close cooperation with key automotive OEM and integration

Traditional BIW inspection under pressure

In the recent past body-in-white measurements have been performed in two phases - on the production line with low accuracy sensors to monitor process and in a CMM room where a sample of parts are sent to be inspected offline by large horizontal arm CMMs for more accurate measurements and to correlate the data from the inline sensors.

Although CMMs can provide highly accurate absolute measurements, they tend to be slow and require an expensive, dedicated metrology room. Vehicles need to be removed from the production line and then taken to the metrology room, manually fixtured and aligned to the CMM. The CMM then starts its measurement process, which is

Features like holes, slots, pins, studs etc are inspected in an automated way at a scanning rate of 2.000pts/sec

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partners- has addressed these challenges by introducing an innovative approach to body-in-white (BIW) inspection based upon its non-contact Laser Radar system.

Unlike a horizontal-arm CMM, the Laser Radar high-speed measurements fit within short production cycle times. The new MV331/351 Laser Radar doubles surface scanning speed and drastically increases feature measurement performance. New usability features such as an integrated robot mount, removable air filters and positive air pressurization make the system even better suited for robotized inspection on the shop floor.

www.qmtmag.com

QMT March/April 2016

COVER STORY

In each robot position, the Laser Radar can inspect surfaces, edges and features in absolute coordinates

four or more robots with a sensor located on the end effector of each robot that is repositioned to measure each of the features that need to be inspected. Hundreds of locations need to be programmed making them time-consuming to set up and difficult to maintain and they still do not provide the required accuracy and correlation to a CMM.

Flexible inspection, absolute measurement also very time-consuming. Taking into account the setup and measurement time, at best two vehicles can be inspected per shift on a CMM, but often only one vehicle is measured.

This is a very small sample considering that over 1,000 vehicles of various styles can be built each day on a single production line.

This is certainly not a large enough sample to monitor the production process.

Inline systems typically measure every vehicle but can require over 100 individual fixed sensors to inspect the required features.

Although these sensors are very quick to measure they are demanding to install and maintain and do not provide measurements directly in the car’s coordinate system.

In addition, most assembly lines now are ‘flexible’, meaning that they can produce more than one type of vehicle. Fixed sensors cannot be used across different vehicles styles; every vehicle requires its own custom set of sensors making them even more expensive and onerous to maintain.

Recently inline inspection systems have been moving towards robotic-based solutions which are flexible, but rely on the robot’s positional precision which limits the overall accuracy. These systems typically have

Innovative inspection stations are being installed today, both lineside and in-line, by major automotive OEMs using Nikon Metrology’s Laser Radar. The Laser Radar has been used for many years in the aerospace and renewable energy sectors and is now providing an alternative to the shortcomings of traditional automotive metrology systems like CMMs and inline sensor systems. The new MV331/351 Laser Radar is further optimised for car body shopfloor inspection. The Laser Radar’s high speed vision scans at rates of 2.000 points per second – enables fast measurement of surfaces, sections and complex features.

The Laser Radar performs automated, highly accurate, contactless measurements in the car coordinate system by using a focused laser that is controlled by a precision azimuth and elevation system. The Laser Radar requires a fraction of the reflected signal to make accurate measurements, enabling it to inspect almost any material, color or surface texture, such as bare sheet metal, coated BIW or painted cars.

The measurement accuracy and repeatability of the Laser Radar is comparable to measurements taken with a traditional horizontal arm touch probe, while it is many

QMT March/April 2016 www.qmtmag.com

New usability features such as an integrated robot mount, removable air filters and faster measurement makes this system suitable for robotized inspection on the shop floor

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COVER STORY

times faster. Two Laser Radars working in parallel can measure 700 features on a BIW vehicle in less than one hour; this can take a full shift for traditional CMM. The configuration of a Laser Radar inspection station can vary based on the specific needs of the OEM but typically consists of one or more Laser Radars that are manipulated by 6-axis industrial robots. The industrial robots are used to automatically reposition the Laser Radar to enable it to inspect areas that are not visible from a single location.

After repositioning the robot, the Laser Radar automatically realigns to the part by measuring alignment points on the vehicle or tooling. Unlike other inline robotic measurement systems, this guarantees that all measurements are collected in the vehicle coordinate system and ensures feature accuracy is independent of the robots ability to accurately locate the Laser Radar.

Laser Radar has a spherical field-of-view, meaning it has visibility to large sections of the vehicle at any time and dozens of features on the vehicle can be measured from a single location. Just like a CMM, measurements are pre-programmed directly from the vehicle’s CAD model using the inspection software.

After the initial programming, data collection and reporting is fully automated. Specific inspection scripts can also be written for each vehicle style and model being built on the production line making the Laser Radar inspection station completely flexible for changes to inspection plans and even new vehicle styles. Changing the features to inspect or adding in new vehicle styles is completely software based and does not require any physical changes to the setup or

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new hardware.

The application software takes care of the interaction of the Laser Radar, robot, and data processing; inspections are completely automated and do not require manual intervention during runtime. This improves both speed and quality of the measurements compared to traditional methods.

What customers gain

With the need for shorter and more flexible production cycles, automotive manufacturers are continuously looking to cut time and costs whilst maintaining quality. For automotive inline inspection, the automated Laser Radar on a robot offers the right capabilities to meet the need for flexible and absolute measurements directly on the shop floor. For car manufacturers this results in: • Shorter startup of new production line or upon vehicle model changes: during the startup phase initial produced vehicles can be completely measured and compared to CAD. This provides better insight into product conformance and enable faster finetuning of the production process.

• Reduced scrap: By closely monitoring the production quality, the process can be adjusted when variances occur over time.

• Future proof data: Measurements in absolute coordinates fit in the digital manufacturing process or big data concept where all captured data is available as a reference, to monitor the production process, to speed up future product development or model changes, etc.

The new Laser Radar will be demonstrated both at MACH ((Hall 5, Stand 5930) and Control (Hall 7, booth 7412) www.nikon.com

QMT March/April 2016

NEW MEASURING SOLUTIONS FROM BOWERS GROUP ADVANCED BORE GAUGING WITH THE NEW BOWERS XT3 • Bluetooth Low Energy Data Transmission available • IP67 Electronics Protection • Bi-directional (Duplex) communication • Larger, clearer LCD display • New ergonomic design

Special heads available to suit specific customer requirements

TRIMOS V SERIES HEIGHT GAUGES

CV ROCKMATIC: A NEW GENERATION OF HARDNESS TESTING

• Extremely easy to use • Electronically adjustable measuring force • Manual or motor-driven displacement • Vast range of accessories

• Load cell, force feedback, closed loop system • Excellent accuracy • Unmatched GR & R results in its class • Fully automatic operation • Large workpiece accommodation

RONDCOM TOUCH WITH TABLET COMPACT ROUNDNESS MEASURING INSTRUMENT • Simple touch screen operation • High accuracy, precision air bearing turntable • Modern and practical – Wireless operation (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi): Measurement, Analysis and Printing without cables • Compact, patented design for the workbench • ACCTee measuring software with help functions for centering and levelling • Work pieces up to max. 15kg

S-SCAN 52 OPTICAL MEASURING MACHINE FOR TURNED PARTS • First horizontal machine specially designed for workshop measurement close to the machine tool • Measures parts in the same position as they are machined • Suitable for first-off parts, control in process (SPC), sampling or 100% inspection • Flexible and time saving

The Bowers Group of Companies

See Bowers Group at MACH 2016, Hall 5, Stand 5928

To order your copy of the NEW Bowers Product Catalogue 2016/17 email new@bowersgroup.co.uk today

Telephone: 08708 50 90 50 Fax: 08708 50 90 60 www.bowersgroup.co.uk new@bowersgroup.co.uk

AUTOMOTIVE

Smooth running

Dr Henry Shih, CEO of SAI

Taiwan-based SAI needs to meet the standards required by the world’s leading car makers

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uperAlloy Industrial Company (SAI) relies on the precision metrology of Renishaw machine tools to produce its lightweight forged wheels and car chassis components to the standards required by the world’s leading car manufacturers.

SAI’s relationship with Renishaw began with CMM measurement, says CEO Dr Henry Shih: “When we entered the European market in 2008, we realised that our high-end car manufacturer clients’ quality, dimensional stability and precision requirements for metal products were extremely high. While our equipment at the time was able to meet their volume requirements, we needed to enhance product quality and reduce the amount of rework and corrections during processing so as to achieve high quality levels.

“Through Renishaw, we discovered machine tool probe measurement solutions that could deliver in-process measurement control and real-time data feedback on our existing CNC machines, thereby providing effective precision manufacturing control.

This was a massive help in terms of increasing production efficiency and precision.”

“SAI is currently focused on supplying highquality forged metal products. SAI’s customers are all high-end automobile manufacturers that demand specialised technologies and services, including

some of the world’s top-tier car makers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW, Porsche, Ferrari, Ducati, Bentley, Audi, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, GM and Honda.

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QMT March/April 2016

OLP40 performing in-process control of wheel production modelling

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The production of aluminium forged rims The forged wheel production process is complex, particularly for low-volume, high-diversity production. SAI produces more than 200 types of wheel which requires the utmost production flexibility. Strict standards are applied to workpiece setting, reference measurements and key dimension detection during metal processing, as the precision requirements for machining wheel mounting surfaces exceed the requirements of even the aerospace industry. SAI currently has 600 CNC machine tools working on wheel rim production, including 150 Victor Taichung lathes and 450 YCM milling machines. All these machine tools are engaged in production on a three shift process five days per week. So how does SAI ensure that the precision and stability of 600 machine tools remains consistent?

In order to increase production precision and reduce scrap, SAI equipped the relevant lathes with Renishaw OLP40 touch probes, which use optical signal transmission and are adapted for turning processes. The CNC milling machines were equipped with RMP60 machine tool probes which use wireless radio transmission to measure workpiece position and reference height, as well as providing in-line key dimension detection, thereby increasing production performance.

Mr. Y. C. Kao, Senior Manager of SAI’s Wheel Production Department, explains: “The automated workpiece setup enabled by Renishaw machine tool probes allows us to ensure that the cutting dimensions remain stable and consistent when we are producing wheel rims, as well as effectively reducing human error. For example, the air valve

Process monitoring without the bottlenecks

See us Hall 5,

at: 730

stand 5

Reduce bottlenecks and scrap with quick and easy process monitoring using the Renishaw Equator™ Join hundreds of manufacturers worldwide who have increased flexibility and inspection capacity with the low cost Equator comparator.

• Low cost increase of inspection capacity • Flexibility to inspect multiple parts • Insensitivity to workshop temperature change

Process Monitor software for the Renishaw Equator allows users to view an instant status monitor bar chart of last measured features, historical results for the feature selected, and three status displays allowing management of re-mastering. The limit for re-mastering can be set on the basis of temperature drift, time since last master, or by number of parts measured.

• Easy integration into automated cells • Low cost of ownership - no periodic calibration or maintenance

For more information visit www.renishaw.com/equator

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

www.renishaw.com

AUTOMOTIVE

Above, production process for car chassis processing, top right, RMP60 performing in-line measurement for wheel rim production,right, High levels of precision are required on wheel mounting surfaces

hole cutting thickness Process Capability Index (CPK) rose from 0.71-1.13 to 1.35-1.43 when using Renishaw machine tool probes.�

3D appearance modelling for forged wheel Wheel styling design has moved from flatter surfaces towards more 3D effects in recent years, causing wheel rims to become ever larger, and placing increasingly stringent demands on processing precision. Until 2011, SAI’s acceptable tolerances for wheel rim production (with the flatter designs used at the time) were 0.05-0.10mm.

However, the tighter tolerance requirements of the current 3D designs has gradually increased cutting times and processing; wheel rim appearance processing takes as long as 180 to 240 minutes, with the result that any rework imposes considerable pressures in terms of both production time and cost.

OLP40 probes allow SAI to carry out in-process measurement control to achieve tolerance of less than .0.02 mm, and can replace human measurements and updates to workpiece coordinates. This greatly improves cutting and efficiency for surface precision processing after coating. Even more importantly, it reduces rework by 80%, as before the introduction of in-line measurement systems wheel production generally had to be processed twice to achieve the necessary precision. When combined with Renishaw software, the probes not only play a role in guidance during production, but also provide in-process control and real-time feedback, immediately updating and correcting data during metal cutting, and efficiently monitoring and controlling dimensions and deformations.

Renishaw machine tool probe systems have allowed SAI to increase production precision and product quality, while also reducing scrap from 2-3% to 0%, and improving production efficiency.

The automotive industry has already evolved from focusing on basic safety requirements and performance towards enhanced driving comfort, improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. The safety and stability of lighter vehicles moving at high speed is closely connected to the manufacturing of

the car chassis. The higher the precision of chassis produced with aluminium alloys, the safer and more stable the car is when travelling at speeds as high as 200 km/h, and the more comfortable the driving experience. The lighter the chassis, the lower the fuel consumption, and thus the easier it is for the vehicle to meet environmental requirements.

SAI has continually improved its forging and mechanical processing technology. The company moved into the processing and production of precision car chassis in 2011. SAI now has 38 Tongtai high end five-axis CNC machine tools, all of which are equipped with Renishaw OMP60 optical machine tool probes and NC4 non-contact laser tool setters.

Unlike wheel rim production, chassis production tends to involve high volume and lower diversity, but nevertheless still requires high-precision metal cutting and processing. Renishaw OMP60 optical machine tool touch probes use advanced modulated optical transmission to provide 360° signal transmission. The probe simplifies measurement and calibration processes, thereby achieving high-precision measurement for workpieces with complex profiles. The NC4 uses innovative laser technology to perform high-speed, high-precision measurement of cutting tools as small as 0.2 mm, and to perform tool breakage detection on cutting tools as small as 0.1 mm. Its non-contact method avoids the potential for causing wear or damage of cutting tools.

Production times for car chassis are relatively short, and can generally be kept within 20-25 minutes. Renishaw machine tool probe systems provide the operator with turnkey solutions for realtime positioning and measurement, and in-process control measurement, helping to further automate production processes. www.renishaw.com

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QMT March/April 2016

Precision car chassis processing

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Hall 5, Booth 5108

SPACE

Ensuring quality for NASA

NASA SLS scheduled to launch in 2018

AMRO Fabricating used Verisurf software to ensure the quality of rocket panels for NASA AMRO executive team with completed SLS grid panel in foreground. Left to right: John Hammond, VP Sales; Aguilina Hutton, President; Steve Riley, Vice President; Mike Riley SLS Program Director.

AMRO Fabricating Corporation (AMRO) is a leading manufacturer of precision machined and formed Isogrid and Orthogrid Skin Panels, Major Assembly Tooling, and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) for the Aerospace, Defense and Commercial Markets.

Founded in 1977, by Michael and Thora Riley, today AMRO continues to operate as a “family” business. You can learn more about AMRO at www.amrofab.com.

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n space flight the first eight minutes are critical; this is when the greatest opposing forces of thrust and gravity are impacting the launch vehicle. The new NASA Space Launch System (SLS) will weigh 2,500 tonnes at liftoff, or roughly the weight of eight fully loaded 747 jets. Everything comes down to weight and the integrity of design and fabrication to insure success - lighter the launch vehicle greater the payload.

No one knows this better than AMRO Fabricating in El Monte, California. It has been manufacturing precision machined and roll-formed Isogrid and Orthogrid rocket body panels since 1986. “We have evolved and perfected our fabricating processes over the years, with the greatest challenge always being weight,” said Steven Riley, Vice President of AMRO. “If a single rib is out of tolerance by as little as .002”(0.05mm) it will translate to hundreds of pounds of added weight across the launch vehicle.

At the same time being under size will compromise the integrity of the panel.” To put things into perspective, if you were to scale down the SLS to the size of an aluminum drinks can, the walls of the SLS would be ten times thinner than that of the can.

Quality inspection of every process Every step in the manufacturing process of rocket body panels at AMRO is guided, inspected and reported using metrology software, laser trackers, portable CMMs, ultrasonic gauges and precision check fixtures. By the time a completed panel is crated for shipment it has been probed, scanned and inspected more than 20 times. Each panel is 12’ x 24’ x 4” thick ( 3.66m by 7.32m by 0.1m) ; hogged out Isogrid and Orthogrid geometry provide light weight structural integrity. Following completion of the manufacturing process, the finished formed panels are assembled into rings; eight panels are used to create one ring measuring 27.5’ (8.38m) in diameter and standing 24’ (7.32m)

tall. Five of these assemblies are stacked to create one SLS core stage. Once fully assembled the height of the SLS will reach 371’ (113m) in its crew configuration.

CNC machining – Aluminum plate material, milled to size, is hogged out to an Isogrid and Orthogrid structure using one of AMRO’s gantry CNC machining centers; precision holes are drilled for fastening points and other features. While still on the machine bed the part is deburred and spot checked using ultrasonic thickness gauges. Design and machining considerations to take into account the final machined part will be formed into a curved structure.

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QMT March/April 2016

SPACE Final QC check fixture used in combination with Verisurf software and laser trackers to inspect and document each grid panel prior to crating and shipping. Verisurf Software automatically generates an AS9102 Inspection Report for each completed and inspected part.

Flat part inspection – The finish machined part is moved to a special vacuum table where it is subject to a defined inspection routine. Using Verisurf model-based definition inspection software, a laser tracker and Leica T-Probe all geometry, wall thicknesses, floor radius locations, hole positions and diameters are confirmed within tolerances based on GD&T datum callouts in the CAD model.

The Leica T-Probe is an armless wireless ‘walk-around’ device that allows the laser tracker to remain in one position while probing hidden hard-to-reach surfaces such as behind grid walls. Verisurf software provides a 3D on-screen virtual view of the part and relative position of the probe during the inspection process. Real-time graphical inspection data is displayed showing the operator each inspection target as being in tolerance, out of tolerance low, or out of tolerance high. Following inspection, the software generates an AS9102 Inspection Report for the part.

Forming or rolling the part – AMRO has developed a reputation as a leader in metal forming.

Using one of five high capacity break presses

finish machined parts are formed, or rolled into specified curved profiles. The process relieves and distributes part stress inherent in the manufacturing of aluminum. This process is time consuming, but you cannot simply use a form press to effectively shape large aluminum profiles; the stress has to go somewhere and if it is not managed you end up with a warped part. Through years of experience and expertise AMRO has perfected its forming techniques. Because forming is a manual process, the part must now be confirmed it is to spec and adjusted as necessary.

Precision check fixtures – Precision check fixtures are used to insure the finished curved profile of the part is accurate and overall dimensions are within tolerance. Measurement software is once again used to guide the assembly and inspection of these fixtures. Using Verisurf Reverse and model-based definition AMRO is able to create precision build tools to match the surface profiles of the panels and support their manufacturing process. Part are placed in check fixtures and adjusted until a perfect fit is accomplished. Parts are then heat aged to stabilize the material following the forming process.

Final trim and QC – Following forming the part is placed in a trim fixture designed to precision trim the outside dimensions to tolerance. In each case metrology software and portable CMMs are used to create the fixture tools.

AMRO Quality Engineer, Rodrigo Delgadillo inspecting flat machined grid panel prior to forming using Verisurf inspection software and Leica laser tracker with wireless T-Probe, inset, Leica wireless T-Probe interacts directly with the laser tracker allowing it to remain in a fix position. The wireless TProbe allows the laser tracker to accurately measure behind grid walls and other hard to reach surfaces

Once of five high capacity press brakes used to form the grid panels to their finished profile

Final Inspection Finish parts undergo a final QC inspection using Verisurf software and a laser tracker. All dimensions, hole locations and diameters, radiuses and surface profiles are inspected and a final AS9102 Inspection Report is generated.

“At AMRO the use of Verisurf measurement and inspection software has helped increase quality and efficiency. As a model-based enterprise we are able to maintain a digital work-flow and excellent documentation for every part we manufacture,” concluded Mr Riley. www.verisurf.com

QMT March/April 2016 www.qmtmag.com

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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

NDT standards for additive manufacturing Experts at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry are addressing the lack of standards for testing 3D printed parts

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Additive manufacture gives designers and engineers an extraordinary degree of freedom, allowing complex shapes and components to be produced in a single operation. However, it is that geometric complexity which makes NDT difficult.

The problem is compounded by the surface finish; additive processes for metal components cannot currently achieve the same finish as conventional machining. This means that inspection methods such as conventional contact ultrasonic testing, which require a smooth surface for efficient coupling, are ineffective.

This is a global issue, and international organisations have been working to develop NDT standards. The MTC team is feeding its work and findings into the development efforts of ISO/TC 261 - ASTM F42 JG59 and ASTM E07 WK47031 through BSI links. The outcome will be a best practice guide under the JG59 effort, bringing together existing standards with new methodologies for detecting additive manufacturing defects.

The MTC team started by classifying additive manufacturing defects, then grouped the defects based on whether they would be detected by dimensional inspection (e.g. distortion), materials characterisation (e.g. undesirable microstructure) or non-destructive testing. The team reviewed existing NDT standards for casting and welding, which are related processes with some defects similar to those observed in additive manufacturing. Some defects unique to additive manufacturing have been identified, and it is for these that new NDT methods are required.

The work is being led by Dr Ben Dutton who is a senior research engineer in the Metrology and NDT group at the Manufacturing Technology Centre. The participants include Rolls-Royce, BAE, GKN Aerospace, Alstom Power, 3TRPD, ARCAM,

CDS, Renishaw, TWI, the University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham.

Dr Dutton says new standards and more advanced NDT methods will be required. This may include phased array ultrasonic testing, thermography or X-ray computed tomography.

Dr Dutton said, “X-ray computed tomography is emerging as the most promising inspection technology but it has its limitations. It is currently used predominantly during process development rather than manufacture. Affordable, rate capable test procedures for manufacture are needed.

“An ideal solution might be to inspect products during the manufacturing process and to take a snapshot of every layer. Some machines already have the capability to do this, but the next step would be to develop systems which automatically spot defects, raise the alarm and ultimately adapt or correct the process.”

He added, “As for conventional manufacturing routes, the timing or sequence of inspections has an impact. To overcome the issue of surface roughness, inspection could be carried out after a finishing process, although it is preferable to avoid wasted effort by identifying scrap before carrying out additional manufacturing steps.

“Whilst the manufacturing processes and related testing is immature, companies should use only experienced inspectors, and when in doubt use double testing – where the product is inspected twice by different inspectors. Ultimately, manufacturers need to consider how critical the part is in safety terms and the requirements for inspection when making the decision to use additive manufacturing.”

The team at the MTC is now moving towards detailed testing of potential advanced NDT methods on defects unique to additive manufacturing, establishing limitations and new standards.

The results will be contained in a new additive manufacturing guide, covering all current applicable standards and new ones as they are developed. www.the-mtc.org

www.qmtmag.com

QMT March/April 2016

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AEROSPACE

ARGON was chosen

by Airbus to develop a turnkey inspection cell for jet engine pylons The Airbus A380

When a new pylon is transported in the cell, the operator simply presses the Start button to kick off the automated inspection cycle.

Automated inspection at Airbus ARGON has been selected by Airbus to realise a turnkey automated inspection cell for A330 & A380 jet engine pylons in the Saint-Eloi Satellite site in France. This new inspection cell complements an existing Saint-Eloi cell, which already runs on ARGON-developed automated inspection cycles.

Furthermore, ARGON is also integrating metrology solutions enabling measurement assisted pylon assembly.

Geometric inspection of jet engine pylons ensures high production quality of these critical aircraft subassemblies. The pylons transfer heavy loads from the engines to the wings. As the shape of the pylons is crucial to wing aerodynamics, they influence the lift and drag forces of the aircraft considerably.

Turnkey inspection cell for jet engine pylons

Jet engine pylons transfer heavy loads from the engines to the wings. Pylon geometry is crucial to wing aerodynamics, influencing aircraft lift and drag forces

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The turnkey automated inspection cell for jet engine pylons is a project for which full responsibility has been awarded to ARGON in terms of development, installation, service, maintenance and warranty. At the core of the new inspection cell is a dual horizontal arm CMM from Hexagon. The tactile inspection system will automatically measure both sides of a pylon embodiment simultaneously, speeding up the process altogether.

The turnkey inspection cell will be used for measuring A330 and A380 jet engine pylons, and serves as backup means for A350 pylon types.

The CMM in the climate-controlled cell is mounted on a passively damped concrete foundation

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with integrated pylon lifting and stabilising system.

ARGON will integrate the CMM by adding an intuitive graphic user interface on top of providing the measurement programs within the Metrologic software platform.

Ensuring maximum operational reliability is key, because the inspection cell is the only inspection location within the production facility. The dual arm CMM is a smart choice because if one arm fails, the other is used to measure the entire pylon. And in the rare case of two defective arms at the same time, ARGON has put in place a manual backup measurement approach. This strategy with two backup modes ensures that nominal inspection can be resumed in less than 24 hours.

A dual horizontal arm CMM will automatically measure both sides of a pylon embodiment simultaneously, speeding up the process.

The turnkey inspection cell, for which ARGON takes full responsibility, allows jet engine pylons to measured fully automatically.

As easy as using a coffee machine Geert Creemers, ARGON CEO, commented: “We

QMT March/April 2016

AEROSPACE inspection equipment, software and integration.

Also on the operational side, ARGON specialists will be around when needed to ensure smooth automated pylon inspection at any time. Expressed in metrics, it means that ARGON guarantees Net Equipment Effectiveness higher than 90%.”

A dual horizontal arm CMM will automatically measure both sides of a pylon embodiment simultaneously, speeding up the process

Supporting pylon inspection since 2014

The turnkey inspection cell, for which ARGON has full responsibility, allows jet engine pylons to measured fully automatically.

are proud to integrate pylon measurements into the production process at Airbus, and make inspection as easy as operating a coffee machine. This can be achieved through integrated and automated measurement, which supports Airbus in further stepping up production rates. Our specialist knowhow and solution-oriented focus are appreciated

by Airbus, since ARGON is also integrating in-line measurements at multiple stations along several pylon assembly lines.”

In the new inspection cell, any operator will be able to start the fully automated inspection cycle without metrology know-how. The inspection process includes automated tactile pylon alignment without tooling, reducing operator overhead.

During inspection, the operator can easily follow up on graphic screen displays revealing cell status info and inspection progress and outcome. For each measured pylon, an inspection report is generated, printed, and digitally made available to Airbus.

Full inspection cell responsibility Airbus has awarded ARGON full responsibility with respect to the turnkey automated inspection cell. A team of ARGON engineers is responsible for project and supplier management, including inspection cell infrastructure with full integration of hardware, software and data management. In addition, they will provide cell supervision for a number of years to ensure maximum inspection quality and efficiency – covering warranty, backup management, service and maintenance.

Jef Cambré, ARGON Project Leader: “As Airbus was impressed with ARGON’s work in another ongoing pylon inspection project, the aviation giant has awarded ARGON increased responsibility.

This time ARGON helped decide on the entire inspection cell that is being built in a new production site near Toulouse Airport, including

Since early 2014, ARGON has been developing measurement programs using Spatial Analyzer to automate pylon inspection in the Airbus St.-Eloi factory near Toulouse. The Cell for Automated Measurement of Pylons (CAMP) is equipped to measure Airbus A320 and A350 jet engine pylons.

Previously, it took 1.5 hours for one person to measure a single pylon. Now the automated inspection process only takes between 30-45 minutes, depending on the pylon type. With ARGON measurement automation, Airbus turns around pylon inspection 2 times faster. When a new pylon is transported in the cell, the operator simply presses the Start button to kick off the automated inspection cycle. Clear and straightforward; ARGON made it as easy as operating a coffee machine.

A Hexagon laser tracker automatically traces the initial pylon positioning. Then the tracker assists a KUKA robot in automatically measuring 100-200 tactile inspection points, depending on the pylon type. On average, measuring accuracy increased 30%, and the automated process eliminates human error 100%. The process supports pointspecific tolerancing, and automatically generates a measurement report in Airbus template format.

ARGON has also delivered two more inspection programs to support the A320Neo-PW and A350900 pylon types.

Measurement assisted pylon assembly Besides inspecting completed pylons, ARGON integrates in-line measurements at several stations along the pylon assembly lines. The semi-automatic measurements assist production staff with specific assembly tasks and providing instant progress and quality control feedback. The user interface contains a 3D live view with CAD and instructional overlays to guide them through the sequence of individual measurements. ARGON simplifies the process for the assembly workers. They do not require metrology skills, especially since colour flags indicate measurement validity and outcome in every step they take.

Currently, ARGON is implementing measurement assistance on the A320Neo and A350 pylon assembly lines. The solutions better guide the assembly staff and, based on the inspection outcome, the failed pylon subassemblies can be detected and removed earlier on in the process.

Inspection innovation increases productivity Process innovation through measurement integration makes a real difference. ARGON speeds up quality control, and simplifies the process by requiring fewer operators and adaptors. This increases inspection productivity and cuts related operational costs considerably, allowing Airbus to further step up production rates. www.argon-ms.com

QMT March/April 2016 www.qmtmag.com

Since early 2014, ARGON has been developing measurement programs using Spatial Analyzer to automate pylon inspection in the Airbus St.Eloi factory near Toulouse

ARGON Measuring Solutions is a 3D metrology solutions company whose engineers assist companies worldwide with resolving dimensional challenges related to their own products and processes.

It offers a broad range of measuring and inspection services and solutions, covering 3D scanning and tactile measurement equipment, software, and integration. The focus is on further advancing automated inspection and making inspection as easy as operating a coffee machine. Process innovation through measurement integration increases inspection throughput, reduces operator overhead, and provides more detailed graphic insight into potential causes in case of issues. Founded by Geert Creemers in 2004, ARGON has offices in 3 locations in the Benelux and Germany.

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TECHNOLOGY GRANT

Under the microscope

Dr Dario Gastaldi’s group at the Politecnico di Milano (Milan, Italy) observes in situ testing of flexible electronic samples using the LEXT OLS4100

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QMT/Olympus Technology Grant winner, Dr Dario Gastaldi, used in situ mechanical testing in conjunction with an Olympus LEXT OLS4100 microscope to investigate and optimise flexible electronic interconnects While electronic sensor technology is well established for rigid devices, innovative devices such as flexible phones and wearable technology must also overcome the challenge of maintaining electrical integrity during flexing and stretching. In the design of new devices, one approach to flexibility is to overlay rigid electronic components on a deformable substrate, linking these via conducting interconnects.

Understanding how mechanical behaviour evolves with strain is driving the development of this new technology, and a novel research approach is in situ testing, applying exact amounts of strain to a sample. When coupled with high-resolution imaging, this provides an accurate and detailed picture of how the device responds to strain, guiding the optimisation of both the device materials and the fabrication process.

Traditionally Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has been used, but light microscopy has now advanced to a stage where its capabilities are comparable to SEM. For example, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) has the added advantages of speed, ease of use and the ability to gather quantitative information. With its nondestructive 3D confocal laser scanning capabilities, the Olympus LEXT OLS4100 has proved its worth in advancing research into flexible electronics.

In order for a flexible electronic device to function, the electronic components and deformable substrate must be connected.

Through developing an in situ micro-tensile testing device coupled to high-resolution

imaging, Dr Gastaldi’s group at the Politecnico di Milano is working to understand and guide the two main features that have been found to affect adhesion between the interconnect and polymer substrate: geometric parameters and the fabrication process itself.

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QMT March/April 2016

Optimising interconnect geometry

The differing interconnect geometries are defined by width, radius and length, and testing a variety of samples under mechanical strain provides insights into their differing mechanical behaviour.

SEM was previously employed with the in situ mechanical testing device, and although this technique has a resolution greater than CLSM, it fails to allow precise quantification of out-of-plane deformation. “This is exactly what we need, as we were not satisfied with a qualitative view,” says Dr Gastaldi.

The key parameter was found to be the length of the strut (or ‘amplitude’), and the LEXT OLS4100 also allowed the study of kinematics (geometry of motion) during mechanical testing to support this finding.

Stretching causes compaction in the transverse direction, thus compacting the strut and leading to delamination due to buckling.

Shorter struts exhibit less rotation (A versus B), as kinematic rotation can occur if metal delaminates from the substrate. Shorter struts are not prone to promote the buckling effect, and such a mechanical structure tends to accommodate much higher deformation.

Quantitative modelling

Quantitative measurement is vital for the

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TECHNOLOGY GRANT

A

development of numerical modelling and therefore the design cycle.

This consists of taking a structural design, testing it, designing a numerical model and simulating the same tests and finally feeding the numerical model into the design process. This last step uses the numerical model to guide material selection based on mechanical properties or the geometrical design.

Dr Gastaldi says: “The height map function of the LEXT is the key to these measurements and the quality of measuring a 3D structure with such accuracy exceeded expectations.

Now we have the LEXT, we have not performed any SEM acquisition with our in situ mechanical testing device.”

B

C

Crack formation in plasma treated PDMS. During 20% strain, the LEXT OLS4100 was used to visualise the PDMS layer following plasma treatment, prior to metallisation. 3D analysis demonstrates extensive surface cracking in the interconnect (A). Cracks increase from 20% to 100% strain (B, C).

Crack evolution

Intensity images taken with the LEXT during the application of strain. Comparing two distinct geometries of interconnect and their behavior under strain (A, B). Quantitative information on out-ofplane movement provides insights into behaviour not available with SEM.

A 22

At specific strain values, the LEXT can also be applied to look at the cracking deformation of the interconnect in more detail. This cracking forms very close to the most delaminated areas, as metal alone is not able to sustain the same loading conditions as when adhered to the substrate, and starts to crack. This leads to a rise in electrical resistance, and the device fails.

Dr Gastaldi explains: “With the LEXT, we can now observe this phenomenon alongside the mechanical test. With SEM, however, we are not able to follow crack evolution, only broad measurements derived from the blurring during buckling, which is nothing comparable to the quantification of the LEXT.” CLSM was also found to be quicker compared to SEM

B www.qmtmag.com

especially in terms of sample preparation. Dr Gastaldi completed experiments in half a day that would have taken a week or longer with SEM.

Optimising adhesion

The manufacturing process dictates the level of adhesion between the metallic interconnection and the polymer substrate. With this adhesion being central to functionality, optimum manufacturing guarantees maximum performance in terms of withstanding deformation.

For example, in gold on Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer samples, plasma treatment of the polymer surface is a standard technique employed to increase adhesion. “The plasma treatment permanently modifies the polymer, so the question we want to ask is this – is the modified polymer compatible with deformation?” One side effect of the treatment is an increase in brittleness of the polymer, and Dr Gastaldi’s group has found this promotes superficial cracks and reduces the deformation that PDMS can sustain. However, the treatment protocol can be controlled through parameters such as energy and duration, and in situ mechanical testing with CLSM allows comparison between samples subjected to varying treatments.

As such, it is possible to identify the optimal plasma process, guaranteeing good adhesion without crack formation under a certain level of strain.

Moreover, Dr Gastaldi’s work also found these cracks are present prior to the metallisation process, confirming the brittleness derives from the plasma treatment alone. “With the LEXT, we have observed the cracks increase with strain, so we are now able to communicate this to our partners working on the manufacturing technique. We have evidence to show that certain plasma treatments limit the mechanical strength of the device, and the metallisation process is not the problem.”

Conclusion

The work of Dr Gastaldi’s group focuses on optimising the interconnect geometry and manufacturing process for flexible electronic devices. In situ mechanical testing provides insightful data of device behaviour under strain. Combined with the quantitative information from the Olympus LEXT OLS4100, this approach has opened new avenues for modelling deformation and optimising interconnect design.

He concludes: “For those working with different types of mechanical testing, 3D profilometry is a really new, exciting aspect to this research. The LEXT provides us with a step forward, and now the question is how far can we go with this technique, and how can we couple the quantitative imaging capabilities of the LEXT with other techniques to drive the development of flexible electronics?” www.olympus-ims.com

QMT March/April 2016

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• • •

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COMPOSITES

A place in the sun

Solar challenge champions used portable digital measurement to build a better car

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Teams from all over the globe compete in the Australian World Solar Challenge, including the World Champion Dutch Nuon Solar team with its Nuna8 solar car.

It takes a lot of precision work be able to travel 3000 km on solar energy and when the team came to defend its title in 2015, it knew it needed to build an even better car that was more efficient, safer and more reliable.

To help achieve this it used a Prodim Proliner 10 IS non-laser based tracker in its production process. The result – the team were once again crowned world champions in last year’s race.

Before it could get that far, the team wanted to overcome some process problems – particularly in the measurement of moulds. It took a lot of time and they were not sure how accurate their measurements were.

They used the Proliner IS during the build process of the Nuna8 to measure plugs and moulds accurately to the micrometer, so all the parts of the solar car fit seamlessly and the aerodynamics of the car was optimal for the race.

“Thanks to the easy to work with Proliner IS, we have been able to build the Nuna8 with

high precision and a strong aerodynamic profile” stated Joris van den Berg, Aerodynamics & Production Nuon Solar Team.

The process starts with measuring the moulds and car parts in 3D with the Proliner IS. This is necessary to compare their measurements with the design work and the production drawing. Moulds can sag under their own weight, making it possible that the produced parts differ from the design. By overlaying the measurements made by the Proliner on top of the production drawing in CAD, small production errors and flaws could easily be discovered and the difference accurately indicated.

With this information the team could adjust the produced parts to give them the desired shape, so that the construction of the car went without a hitch.

The top part of the car is measured in 3D with a projection to 2D. In this way small imperfections in flatness and balance on the right and left side can be detected, measured and checked. Before assembling the car, the mounting holes and points are measured and checked to ensure the construction will fit properly. The Nuon Solar Team can also fine-tune the top of the solar car based on the Proliner IS data, so that the car exactly gets the aerodynamic profile as originally designed.

The Proliner IS can be efficiently used in production processes as a quality control device to check the parts produced items quickly, easily and accurately. It is used at various stages in the production process and can directly check dimensions. All the measurements taken can be exported as a DXF file and directly used in a CAD program. www.prodim-systems.com

www.qmtmag.com

QMT March/April 2016

COMPOSITES

Getting it right on composites Optical metrology improves the composite production process at every step says Creaform’s Daniel Brown

There are many opportunities for inspection at intermediate stages

Composite materials are becoming increasingly popular in the aerospace and automotive industries due to their lightweight properties. Developing new composite material products quickly and efficiently is, therefore, the main objective of the manufacturing companies working in these industries. Several problems can, however, impact the production of composite material pieces that, once completed, will not meet the customer’s requirements. Portable metrology solutions—and, more specifically, optical portable CMMs—help resolve the problems and challenges of composite material manufacturing.

effect, which clogs the manufacturing process. In addition, since the manufacturing of composites comprises many steps, it is not easy to locate where specific issues occur. Therefore, it means coming back and making changes until the composite material part meets the customer’s requirements, specifications, and tolerances. This can result in major difficulties to pass the first article inspection (FAI) or the production part approval process (PPAP) due to measuring equipment incapability and errors that are time consuming, cause unexpected costs, induce delays, and affect customer satisfaction.

The challenges

Metrology is the best way to ensure the quality of composite materials. Among the most common metrology instruments is the CMM. Traditional CMMs, which are fixed to the ground, require bringing the measured piece to the measuring tool.

In an industrial environment, where the composite material parts are often large and cannot be moved easily, this measurement system is definitely not the fastest (in terms of programming and operating times), nor the most convenient (in terms of level of accuracy that is overkill for tolerances typically required in the industry). Therefore, metrology equipment that enables quality inspection directly on the shop floor is preferable.

Portable CMMs, such as articulated arms, laser trackers, and optical CMMs, allow this type of 3D measurement. Because of their ease of implementation and their speed, portable CMMs enable more measurements at more intermediate stages for a better quality inspection.

All these measurement opportunities, however, must be performed on the shop floor. And, shop floor measurements are often synonymous with

The automotive and aerospace industries are facing increasing pressure to meet higher fuel efficiency and better environmental performance; thus, the demand for composite materials is growing. The production of composites, however, is a complex process that requires many distinct steps.

Each step can present issues with shrinkage, part thickness, distortion, and tooling quality, which increase the pressure placed on quality control teams and their coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). Indeed, an extensive use of CMMs regularly provokes a lot of back and forth at the beginning of the production, causing a bottleneck

Contact plus non-contact measurement can improve the ease and speed of probing

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The solutions

QMT March/April 2016

COMPOSITES

environmental instability and by the complexity to create a rigid measurement setup, which practically eliminates the possibility to use arm CMMs and laser trackers. If a measured piece moves, vibrates, or oscillates during the measurement, then 3D inspection and quality testing will not be valid.

Optical portable CMMs can solve the specific challenges of composite material manufacturing.

In fact, it is the only category of 3D measurement systems that can answer the specific needs of quality inspection in a real industrial environment.

In addition to being portable, optical metrology provides measurement accuracy that is insensitive to the instabilities of the environment. Therefore, the measurement setup does not have to be rigid and the measurement volume can be wider than with standard portable CMMs and even be extended during the measurement.

Contact plus non-contact A portable CMM can easily integrate both probing (contact measurements) and 3D scanning (non-contact measurements). Thus, benefits can be found from the ease and speed of probing when only specific measurements—fixture adjustments, critical features inspection, etc.—are needed and, at the same time, from the amount of data that can generate a 3D scanner when a complete part inspection—FAI, PPAP, distortion analysis, etc.—is required.

Dynamic referencing Vibrations are common on a production floor.

They can come from nearby road and rail traffic, production and handling equipment, or operator manipulations. Since quality control equipment is accurate at the micron scale, these vibrations will impact the measurement system unless an optical CMM is used. The optical technology, made of an optical tracker and reflectors, delivers dynamic referencing by optically tracking the measured part and the measuring device at the same time. Optical reflectors are used to create a reference system that is locked to the part itself, so the object can move during the probing and scanning sessions.

Thus, the measuring system provides that same level of accuracy regardless of the environmental instabilities, user experience level, and setup rigidity.

Extendable measurement volume While traditional CMMs have a measurement area mechanically limited to their work table, articulated arms have definite measurement volume limited to the maximum attainable point. Optical portable CMMs, however, provide an extendable measurement volume that does not require additional alignments or manipulations. As long as

Dynamic referencing compensates for vibration on the shop floor

Optical portable CMMs provide an extendable measurement volume that does not require additional alignments or manipulations

the optical tracker sees its targets, the measurement system can be moved. In a context where composite material often means large parts that must often be moved around, having a flexible measurement volume that can be easily and dynamically extended without loss in accuracy or conventional leapfrogs is an important feature for the operators.

Finally, a wireless measuring probe that can be freely manipulated by the operators, without any physical attachment to a poly-articulated arm, tripod or fixture is another feature facilitating the quality control at each step of the production process.

The results Optical metrology, therefore, is intended to simplify the measurement and quality inspection of composite material parts. At each stage of the production process, this portable technology enables more reliable and efficient measurements, and better quality controls. Since it enables measuring the parts directly on the production floor without a limited measurement volume, less alignments and manipulations are required leading to less error accumulation, less pressure on quality control operators, fewer bottlenecks at the CMM, and therefore, more efficient production processes.

Optical metrology gives to the manufacturers the possibility to supply more complete and documented inspection reports that facilitate and accelerate the customer’s verification and approbation. Moreover, using optical portable CMMs avoids workload bottlenecks on traditional measuring equipment as fixed CMMs can be allocated to specific highly accurate measurements.

Because optical portable CMMs address the specific needs of composite material manufacturing, they improve the production process at every step and enable the development of better composite material products, more efficiently, and more quickly. www.creaform3d.com

QMT March/April 2016 www.qmtmag.com

Article author Daniel Brown is a product manager at Creaform

27

AUTOMOTIVE

Scanning sits comfortably with Lear A supplier to Nissan Motors is using Faro technology to ensure accuracy on foam car seats

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Originally established to supply the nearby Nissan Motor Manufacturing Manufacturing plant with seating systems on a Just-in-Time basis, the success of Lear Corporation’s Sunderland factory recently prompted a further multi-million-pound investment.

To enable the busy facility to keep-pace with growing demand, the Corporation has extended its Sunderland plant by a further 3,500sqm and installed additional state-of-the-art production and testing equipment. The new extension has increased Lear Sunderland’s capacity by over 300,000 car seats per year, taking the plant’s total capacity to more than 600,000 per annum.

Jim Handy, Senior Quality Engineer at the plant, said: “To enable the Sunderland facility to uphold Lear Corporation’s reputation for the quality of its car seat foam products, stringent quality checks are regularly undertaken. As the correct dimension of car seats has an influence on their comfort, safety, durability and aesthetics, a wide range of measurements related to ‘significant characteristics’ are made on foam component in our Quality Department.

“Given the deformable nature of our foam products we have found the advanced non-contact scanning functions of the FARO Edge Scan- Arm HD to be ideal for our accurate measuring routines. The easy to use FARO product exerts no pressure on our components and quickly provides the precise results we are looking for.

“Following a FARO measuring routine, we use the accurate data obtained for examining significant characteristics and for inspecting sections through the component. In addition, we use the data for making precise CAD variance comparisons.

“A typical measuring routine would consist of a fixture that precisely represents the surface of a foam injection tool used in production, being accurately scanned with the Laser Line Probe of the FARO Edge ScanArm HD. The captured data is then stored as a datum.

“The foam seat component under inspection is then placed on the same fixture and aligned to duplicate its position at the time of manufacture. A second scanning routine is then made and saved as an accurate point cloud.

“The original fixture datum point cloud is imported, along with the point cloud of the foam seat component, FARO’s software then registers the two files together. The relevant CAD model is then imported and displayed as a reference file and the component’s scanned point cloud file is then set as a test file.

“Comparison can then be carried out by keying in a value for the position where a Significant Characteristics needs to be checked; the achieved result is displayed, showing the nominal CAD value, the actual significant characteristic’s value, and any deviations.

“Given the speed at which we produce foam components and their demanding dimensional specifications, not only are the highly precise results delivered by the ScanArm HD extremely important to us, the FARO products speed of operation is also vital. The rapid feedback we obtain from the system, related to foam components’ significant characteristics drifting from nominal conditions, allows prompt interventions to be made and allows us to adhere to a zero defect condition.” www.faro.com

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QMT March/April 2016

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3D SCANNING FOR THE SHOP FLOOR AND ASSEMBLY LINE

16th International Conference & Exhibition

FARO @ MACH 2016 11-15th Apr, 2016 Birmingham stand 5910

Monday 30th May to Friday 3rd June 2016

University of Nottingham Nottingham, UK Topics • Precision Mechatronic Systems and Control • Precision Cutting Processes • Other Precision Machining, Additive & Replication Processes • Metrology • Important & Novel Advances in Precision Engineering and Nano Technologies • Precision Engineering for Aerospace • Applications of Precision Engineering in Biomedical Sciences

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

▪ Dramatically reduce inspection cycle times using multiple imager arrays ▪ Increase productivity by automating measurement workflows ▪ Real-time 3D data for statistical process control (SPC) ▪ Measurement accuracy ensured by self-monitoring ▪ Easy to configure and integrate ▪ Easy set-up and transport

THE BRAND NEW FARO® COBALT ARRAY 3D IMAGER The FARO Cobalt Array 3D Imager is a metrology-grade, non-contact scanner which utilizes blue light technology to capture millions of high resolution 3D coordinate measurements in seconds.

The Cobalt multi-imager array configurations enable industrial manufacturers to significantly improve productivity and operations.

Cobalt’s versatility supports a variety of deployment options. It delivers fast and consistent measurements for inspection and reverse engineering applications on parts, assemblies and tools. www.faro.com/cobalt

info@euspen.eu www.euspen.eu

media partner

NON-CONTACT SYSTEMS

Vision cuts out bottlenecks

A leading microwave circuit manufacturer uses a 3D CNC vision system to speed inspection

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eledyne Labtech’s circuits can be found in many demanding applications including defence electronics, air traffic control systems, global telecommunications and satellite communications systems.

Its special expertise is in the manufacturing of complex microwave PCBs, from double-sided PTFE, Mixed Dielectric Multilayer PCBs, through to complex metal-cored PCBs. The company also offers plated through holes (PTH), blind and buried vias, laser cut cavities, embedded resistors and connectors.

The sheer complexity and exacting dimensional tolerances of these intricate circuits, together with the inherent material instability of the PTFE laminates in particular, necessitates the use of thorough in-process quality checks throughout each stage of manufacture. On completion, each of the company’s PCBs undergoes meticulous, high-precision final inspection. As rising production levels and ever tighter customer demanded tolerances recently began to place a strain on the company’s existing inspection equipment, a search was made for a fast throughput, high-accuracy, noncontact measuring system that would remove the possibility of inspection bottlenecks.

Dick Heinrich, Site Director, Teledyne Labtech Ltd. explained. “As rising global demand for our microwave circuit solutions had started to place a strain on our final inspection department, it became clear that we needed to source a highly accurate, non-contact measuring technology that could keep pace with our increased output.

“Given the technical developments in the field of non-contact metrology, we compiled a list of system requirements that would not only solve our inspection capacity problem, but also further enhance our capability. Having approached our existing vision measuring systems supplier with a challenging system specification, the company was

unable to meet our demanding requirements.”

Following capability trials, decision was made to invest in a Quick Vision non-contact system from Mitutoyo.

This is a non-contact dimension measurement system that uses a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera to take images that are magnified by a highquality optical lens. The edges of the workpiece under inspection are then detected by the use of advanced image processing technology.

Commenting on the trials at Mitutoyo’s technical centre, Mr Heinrich said: “Not only were we very impressed with the ease and speed of generating programs related to the PCBs that we had brought along, the speed of the resulting inspection routines that took place in fully-automatic CNC modes and the precision of the machine’s results, convinced us that we had found the ideal answer to our needs.

“We currently use the system on a day-shift basis; however at peak times, such as monthend, we extend its hours of operation. Since its installation, in addition to delivering the required levels of accuracy and consistency, the machine has considerably improved our inspection throughput speed. We expect our inspection times to reduce further as we gain experience and continue to develop new, more efficient programs. To this end, we are beginning to investigate the possibility of loading multiple circuits onto the machine’s bed.

“Our operators particularly appreciate the Quick Vision’s useful backlighting feature, that allows us to accurately measure track features immediately above the substrate (heel of a track), and its ability to automatically record inspection data. We intend to use the inspection data to provide a useful feedback loop to the corresponding manufacturing process steps to adjust specific settings that would allow yield improvements of the process.” www.mitutoyo.co.uk

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QMT March/April 2016

Providing world-class metrology products, services and solutions With over 80 years’ experience and representation in over 100 countries, Mitutoyo are recognised as the world’s foremost manufacturer of precision measuring equipment and a provider of related services.

Visit us online at www.mitutoyo.co.uk

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DIMENSIONAL METROLOGY CITY & GUILDS AWARD (Level 2) Mitutoyo alongside City & Guilds exclusively offer the first National Qualification in Dimensional Metrology Find out more, or book your place at www.mitutoyo.co.uk/education

TRAINING

Keith Bevan is Delivery Manager for Training at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL)

Finishing the job

In the final article in our series on practical metrology by NPL’s Keith Bevan, he reminds us of the need to finish the job properly Once that you have performed the measurement, and collected and communicated the data, you may feel that the task is complete. However, in order to ensure that the next measurement task is not delayed, you need to ensure that you leave the measuring instruments so that they are fit for purpose for their next operation.

There are three key points to consider: cleaning, storage and record keeping.

Cleaning

I previously mentioned the need to clean instruments when preparing to take a measurement, but apparatus should also be cleaned at the end of a measurement task. Some tools are more susceptible to contamination than others, so keeping them clean is critical. For example, it is essential to keep the jaws and toothed rack of dial callipers clean as any contamination can cause the pinion gear to jump and lead to the pointer not returning to zero. At the very least, use a lint free cloth to wipe instruments free of dirt and fingerprints.

Storage

Data from a Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) Measurement study showed that more than a quarter of delegates questioned believed it was not important to check a measurement device for damage and place it in its storage location. Such misconceptions can be a serious detriment to other measurement professionals who need to use the instrument.

Depending on the instrument used, there can be quite specific requirements. For example, we recommend observing the following precautions when storing callipers.

• Choose a space where the callipers will not be subject to dust, high humidity or extreme temperature fluctuations. The storage area should not be damp and it is worth taking

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the extra precaution of placing a bag of silica gel in the tool drawer to extract any unwanted moisture.

• Place the instrument in a way such that the main scale beam will not bend and to provide adequate protection from damage to the Vernier scale.

• Leave the measuring faces so that they are not in contact. We recommend a gap of about 2 mm.

• Do not clamp the slider.

• Store the calliper in a case or plastic bag.

• With large size callipers, which are not frequently used, apply a rust preventative to the sliding and measuring faces and separate the two jaws. Avoid rust preventatives that leave a coating on the material being protected as this can affect the calibration of dial type callipers.

• If the callipers are rarely used, ensure you check the storage condition and movement of callipers on a monthly basis.

• Prevent vapours from chemicals such as acids from permeating the storage area.

• Keep a record of callipers that are stored.

Maintain detailed information on all callipers in use on the shopfloor.

Records

Keeping thorough records helps to give extra confidence in the quality of the measurements, and data from these records is necessary for estimating the uncertainty of measurement. Whether you are part of the quality, inspection or calibration process, it is important to record details of calibration, use, and any issues surrounding the instrument.

This ensures that other measurement professionals have information on past uses should any problems with either a product or the measuring tool arise, giving a means of tracing its usage back to try to solve the issue. www.npl.co.uk

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World-class quality assurance

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Forward-looking technologies and innovations

30th Control – International trade fair for quality assurance

. Material testing . Analysis apparatus Optoelectronics . Quality assurance systems

Measuring technology

26. – 29. APRIL 2016 . STUTTGART www.control-messe.de

CONTROL

Showcase for quality The Control international trade fair for quality assurance will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2016 at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre from the 26 to 29 of April Control is a technology and trend barometer for innovation in quality assurance and metrology and will feature nearly 1000 exhibitors from 32 countries, Control showcases hardware and software technologies, components, modules, subsystems and complete solutions from around the world and across all industry sectors.

Covering exhibits ranging from conventional mechatronic measuring instruments and 3D metrology, microscopy and endoscopy to image processing and vision systems, manual handling of test objects and individual components or robotaided series inspection – the Control international trade fair claims to be the world’s only trade fair to exhibit the complete spectrum of methods for streamlined, economic manufacturing and assembly of all types of high quality products.

QMT is a Control’s media partner and you can pick up copies of the magazine in the exhibition foyer or on stands 7000 and 7610 in Hall 7. www.control-messe.com

Aberlink Xtreme debut Aberlink will have a novel design of CMM making a Control Exhibition debut on stand 7207.

Designed using a non-Cartesian structure and utilising linear motors and mechanical bearings, as its name implies, the Xtreme CMM provides a robust solution for providing precision inspection results.

The CMM’s configuration ensures that it maintains its accuracy at very fast measurement rates and does not suffer from the accumulative inaccuracies that can occur in conventional 3-axis Cartesian designs.

The Xtreme’s cost-effective price gives potential users the ability to replace a single quality department CMM with several Xtreme CMMs located were they are needed. To prove the

multiple capabilities, speed and the accuracy of the new Xtreme, several models will be demonstrated at Control measuring a wide range of parts from different manufacturing industries.

Also making a Control debut is the new Zenith 3 CMM. The award winning Zenith too CMM has recently undergone several improvements and design innovations based on Aberlink’s larger Azimuth CMM range. The advanced new Zenith 3 boasts improved accuracy and faster travel. www.aberlink.co.uk

Inspection and research software FEI Visualization Sciences Group will unveil Avizo Inspect, a software application dedicated to industrial inspection and materials research & development on Stand 3413.

During the past years, FEI has been developing, in collaboration with major industrial partners in the aerospace, automotive, and consumer goods industries, a unique software solution for industrial inspection and materials R&D. Based on FEI’s flagship Avizo® application, Avizo Inspect integrates over 10 years of expertise in 3D visualization, image processing, and analysis, as well as industrial expertise in inspection workflows and materials research from industrial and academic partner.

Avizo Inspect will streamline the process of industrial inspection and materials design, offline, near-line, and in-line, including dimensional metrology with advanced measurement. It incorporates an extensive set of inspection workflows, so-called ‘recipes’ for quantification of indications, porosity, inclusions, and defects; fibre characterization of parts and materials; ability to do actual/nominal comparison by integrating CAD models; and reverse engineering workflows for

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additive manufacturing.

Avizo Inspect has been designed as an open framework, where recipes can be created, customized, or tuned in order to be able to achieve the most accurate measurements depending on part or material properties and acquisition system.

Users will be able to create their own recipes and integrate their own know-how and IP into the Avizo Inspect open framework. FEI also provides dedicated expertise and professional services for collaborative development of advanced customized environments. Processes can be fully automated by reapplying recipes to a set of parts or materials. www.fei.com

Browser-based calibration management Indysoft Europe, exhibiting on Stand 5609, will be demonstrating Version 10 of IndySoft Calibration Management, Commercial Lab Management, and Tooling Management which are all true browser applications, with absolutely no plug-ins required.

Indysoft says Version 10 delivers one of the richest GUI experiences in a browser-based calibration system, with reports, events, layouts, etc, all retained and functioning 99% the same as the previous version 9 counterparts.

Version 10 of the Calibration, Commercial Lab, and Tooling software line-up is available for distribution as a web-tier app. The web tier product and server are installed on one or more servers then remotely access through the technician’s web browser using nothing more than a modern HTML5 compliant web browser. There are no plug-ins to install. All that is required is a web browser.

The web tier technology in version 10 provides a rich Windows-like experience with the convenience

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of browser-based deployment. Because the technology is using a web browser, there are some variations in how the software works when compared to the full windows client. Following is an overview of the technologies supported and how the web tier handles common windows tasks.

IndySoft Calibration Management is a complete calibration management software package. With an emphasis on security and flexibility, IndySoft offers both large scale commercial lab facilities and smaller operations a customisable system ready to meet their needs with recognition of compliance to AS9100, QS9000, TS16949, ISO9000, FDA 21CFR Part 11 and ISO17025 – to name just a few. www.indysoft.co.uk

Automation and productivity At Control 2016, Nikon Metrology (Stand 7412) will introduce a new MV331/351 Laser Radar for automated, large scale and automated inspection in automotive and aerospace applications.

The new Laser Radar mounted on a robot provides a unique alternative to the shortcomings of the traditional car body inspection methods. The Laser Radar measures almost any surface, including highly reflective bare body panels as well as shiny painted surfaces. This robust measurement ability means the LR can be used for both body-in white (BIW) and Flush-and-Gap inspections on finished cars Nikon will also demonstrate the extended range of ceramic multi-sensor ALTERA CMMs with the InSight L100 productivity scanner and a robotized sample loading system.

Thanks to the use of advanced ceramic components and optimized designs, the extended ALTERA series offers high performance, vast reliability and low service costs. Combined with

QMT March/April 2016

CONTROL CAMIO and a wide range of tactile and optical sensors, this range of highly accurate CMMs truly supports multi-sensor measuring applications.

Another robotized application combining productivity and insight is the fully automated CT inspection station. Recent advances in highflux X-ray sources coupled with automated CT inspection and robot-based loading systems enable 100% quality control of production samples with low cycle times.

Finally, Nikon will introduce the HN-C3030 noncontact 3D metrology system for fast and accurate gear inspection. www.nikonmetrology.com

New generation laser sensors Perceptron will be exhibiting a variety of new sensors imbedded into dimensional metrology systems including its new PhotoTrack RoboGauge on stands 3522 and 3523.

Perceptron’s nextgeneration Helix sensor, the Helix Nx is a dual laser sensor designed to provide more productive and accurate measurements. A recent study on an automotive door application showed a 60% inspection cycle time improvement and reduced robot index positions from 70 to just 15.

The positioning accuracy of the RoboGauge has been considerably enhanced with the addition of PhotoTrack where the actual position of the robot is fed back to the metrology software through the integration of external tracking, negating traditional servo feedback. www.perceptron.com

RPI rebrands for Control RPI UK, which develops and manufactures precision positioning devices for high accuracy rotary and angular inspection systems, is rebranding in time for Control, the international trade fair for quality assurance. The company will be launching a new logo and corporate design, along with new branding for each of its products on stand 7425.

RPI, which has special expertise in rotational innovation, is relaunching an improved product range. This includes the Labstandard (previously the DP-Series) – sub arc second angular accuracy and precision geometry for inspection and calibration labs, both horizontal and vertical axis and the Labstandard Duo (previously the ‘RU-Series’) – two axis, sub arc second angular accuracy for precision inspection. www.rpiuk.com

Compact 3D surface profiler On Stand 1911 Sensofar Metrology will show the S lynx, a new high-resolution non-contact 3D surface profiler in a more compact format. The system draws on over 14 years of experience in designing optical metrology systems for both R&D and industry which, says Sensofar, allows it to pack the performance of a high-end 3D surface profiler into a smaller platform.

Despite the compact format, the S lynx still

utilizes Sensofar’s key 3-in-1 technology approach, namely the integration of confocal, interferometry and focus variation techniques into the same sensor head. This approach gives surface measurement versatility over differing textures, structures, roughness, and waviness, all across varying surface scales.

The S lynx comes equipped with a white LED light source, a high-resolution camera and an encoded nosepiece for interchangeable objectives.

There are no moving parts in the sensor head, thus improving stability, repeatability and providing a very long lifetime with no maintenance.

Typical applications for the S lynx include automotive, consumer electronics, energy, LCD, materials science, microelectronics, micromanufacturing (EDM, milling or laser), micropaleontology, semiconductors, tooling and watch manufacturing. www.sensofar.com

Integrating inspection Third Dimension’s focus at Control will be on how to effectively integrate inspection into the manufacturing process and how GapGun has the ability to facilitate this.

Third Dimension’s GapGun measurement systems not only scan a surface profile to record its shape, analysing the information to identify dimensions such as gap, flush, angle, etc, it compares these against tolerance bands. The measured data is then recorded for statistical process control and traceability purposes.

Currently being rolled out in a number of customer production sites is GapGun Link, an integrated software system. This enables third party applications to create and download check plans and upload and extract results without the need for operators to use GapGun specific SPC3D software. Manufacturers can generate management information reports instantaneously so that action can be taken quickly, minimising errors and downtime on the production line. www.third.com

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MACH

Advanced manufacturing celebration MACH 2016, the UK’s premier manufacturing technologies event, take place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 11 – 15 April Stand space at the show was sold out well in advance and a total of 600 exhibitors will fill Halls 4 and 5 at the NEC. MACH is unique in the UK as it showcases live working machinery and brings together leading manufacturers across a range of technologies including; milling, turning, metrology, additive manufacturing and tooling.

A free seminar programme runs in two dedicated theatres and will feature talks by Airbus, MessierDowty, McLaren, Cranfield University and HS2.

As well as showcasing new technologies and the latest products, MACH will welcome the next generation of talent to the exhibition. A dedicated Learning and Development Zone, sponsored by Sandvik Coromant, will act as a base for student visitors as well as housing some key exhibits and a showcase of MTA Members’ apprentices and graduates at work.

QMT is MACH’s media partner, come and see us on Stand 5871. www.machexhibition.com

Optical 3D metrology On Stand 5919 Alicona will show its high resolution optical 3D metrology sensor head, combined with a six-axis, automatic or manual robot, provides users a with a flexible measurement solution for quality assurance applications.

The 3D measurement sensor is ideal for production or defect inspection applications: it is resistant to vibration, ambient light and temperature variation in addition to being quick and easily integrated in existing systems.

With two different application possibilities, the 3D sensor can be easily optimised for inclusion in the process line. One option allows for the sensor to be mounted on a robot enabling it to approach various work pieces.

Another option is manually moving the sensor head to the feature to be measured.

This fully integrated 3D metrology in production saves

time and allows quality assurance to be included as an integral part of the manufacturing process. Using this technology, users are provided with important real-time information on the state the manufacturing process in addition to the product.

This is made possible through the rapid display of reliable measurement data, especially in industrial manufacturing. In just one measurement cycle, it is possible to measure and analyse at various positions.

A traffic light system immediately reports whether or not work pieces are within geometrical tolerances, enabling the early recognition of defective processes. In addition, a simple teaching functionality allows simple configuration of customized measuring sequences.

The measurement process can be successfully implemented into different industries for inline measurement of critical surfaces.

For example, in the tool industry the robot is used for verification of all cutting edges in only one measurement cycle. Numerous edge parameters including: radius, angle, form deviation, flash or diameter are measurable. www.alicona.com

Roughness gauge On Stand 5750, Blum Novotest will show its TC63-RG and TC64-RG DIGILOG surface finish gauges.

The new gauges are able to evaluate the surface roughness of the part whilst it remains clamped in the machine tool.

This enables early detection of poor surface quality.

Reject parts are reduced by enabling immediate re-working whilst the part is still clamped in the machining or turning centre. This improves productivity, process reliability and it eliminates downstream testing processes.

The two systems have been developed to optimise the process for the end user. For example, the TC64-RG operates like a standard probing system whereby the measuring stylus is moved along

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uniform surfaces. This is ideal for monitoring the surfaces of parts machined on a 3-axis machine tool. In comparison, the TC63-RG system is completely modular and can be adapted and applied to 5-axis machine tools that are producing parts with complex features that may be difficult to reach with a standard probing system. www.blum-novotest.com

Biggest ever catalogue As well as launching its biggest catalogue to date at the event, Bowers Group will be exhibiting a range of metrology products on stand number 5928. Visitors to the show are invited to bring their own material or components to be tested on the day by experts from Bowers, who will be providing working demonstrations of the latest measurement technology.

Visitors will have the opportunity to find out more about the range of precision measurement equipment available from Bowers Group, including a selection of products from Baty, Trimos, Sylvac, Gagemaker, Innovatest, Wyler and Accretech. There will also be an on stand promotion, with further details to be released nearer the event.

On display at Bowers Group’s stand will be a range of Sylvac products including the new Scan Vision System, a range of Bluetooth data transmission hand tools which includes calipers, micrometers, and digital indicators, along with the new UL4 ultra-light digital caliper and UNICAL2 ultra-light digital universal beam gauge.

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A wide variety of optical products will be exhibited, including the new Sylvac Scan 52 machine, the Baty R400 FT2-E touch screen profile projector, and the new Bowers XT3 and XT3-BT bore gauge range. The Sylvac Hi-Cal 450 height gauge, the new Trimos V Series height gauges and a variety of Sylvac hand tools with Bluetooth displays will also be exhibited.

Also on show will be the Innovatest bench and portable hardness testers, along with the Accretech Rondcom Touch roundness checker and Handysurf portable surface roughness instruments, and a variety of Moore & Wright hand tools. In addition, the stand will have a selection of Wyler Levelling instruments, Gagemaker thread measuring devices, and a Trimos Labconcept Horizontal calibration machine. www.bowersgroup.co.uk

Smart 3D imaging for automation FARO UK will have the advanced new highlyadaptable Cobalt Array making its debut at MACH on Stand 5910.

The FARO Cobalt 3D Imager is a metrologygrade, non-contact scanner which utilises blue light technology to capture millions of high resolution 3D coordinate measurements in seconds.

An unlimited number of 3D imagers can be placed in array configurations virtually anywhere in a manufacturing process – all scanning simultaneously and controlled by a single computer – to significantly improve productivity and operations.

Suitable for integration within the production environment, Cobalt can also be installed in more conventional ways, such as in conjunction with a

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rotary table, robot, or industrial inspection cell.

Combining blue light projection, stereo cameras and powerful on-board processing, Cobalt captures and processes millions of 3D data points in seconds.

With high resolution, automatic exposure and high dynamic range, Cobalt can handle complex parts with fine details, varying colors, textures and reflectivity. It then delivers fast and consistent measurements, independent of an operator, for tasks such as quality inspection and reverse engineering applications on parts, assemblies, and tools.

Coupled with FARO’s CAM2® Measure 10 software, an unlimited number of Cobalt sensors can simultaneously capture large surface areas or complex assemblies. The configurable field of view, intelligent on-board point cloud processing and resolution can adapt to multiple measurement needs.

FARO says that for dedicated inspections of large products or assemblies, a fixed multiple imager array of Cobalt sensors will be faster, more easily integrated, more affordable, more accurate and easier to maintain than purchasing a robot-based imager or laser line system. www.faro.com

Series arm offers around 20% better scanning accuracy and 15% better touch-probe measurement accuracy than the existing 75 Series of ROMER Absolute Arm. Available in five sizes from 2.5 m to 4.5 m measuring volumes, the 77 Series features enhanced technology to offer best possible accuracy while retaining the arm’s user-friendly nature. www.hexagonmi.com

Multi-sensor machines OGP UK will be displaying a range of machines including the Vantage 300 high-accuracy, highthroughput, multi-sensor measuring machine. The Vantage 300 uses interferometric laser scanning technology for improved optical performance and has integral tools that allow manufacturers to control dimensional production processes in one advanced high speed operation.

The Vantage 300 frees up valuable floor space and reduces purchase costs thanks to its multiple sensors that can do the job that previously required 4 or 5 separate devices.

The CNC 500 and the Flash 200 will also be on

Robotic inspection cell A fully-automated robotic inspection cell featuring a range of equipment for large volume measurement applications will be one of the highlights on Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence’s stand 5710.

Also on show will be the Leica T-Scan 5 and the new Leica Absolute LAS-20-8 portable 3D laser scanner, which is designed to make gathering complex point-cloud data easier and quicker.

The measurement solutions provider will also be promoting its new GLOBAL EVO coordinate measuring machine, which features next generation technologies such as Compass, a combined hardware/firmware vibration reduction function, and Fly2 Mode which reduces program execution times by automatically generating and implementing the most efficient path between points.

Designed in collaboration with Pininfarina, the GLOBAL EVO improves speed without compromising on performance, making it ideal for accurate tactile scanning and high throughput.

Other products at the show include the new ROMER Absolute Series 77 portable measuring arm which boasts better scanning and touch probe measurement accuracy, GLOBAL PIONEER entrylevel CMM and OPTIV 443 multi-sensor vision machine.

Intended to provide absolute accuracy in highend 3D measurement applications, the new 77

display which allow for automatic, multi sensor measurement in the most hostile of environments, designed to withstand the rigours of the production environment. Multi sensor deployment mechanisms allow for unmanned inspection and high component throughput. SmartScope CNC provides accurate, fast, reliable and automatic shop floor quality control.

Combining high resolution digital metrology with specially designed optics and lighting, the SNAP DM350 allows users to produce high accuracy images in shop floor conditions. The SNAP DM350 offers a large measuring range covering a variety of large volume parts with the added convenience of large field of view technology.

Also making an appearance

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MACH at the exhibition will be the Vici Vision MTL1.

The MTL1 is designed for use on the shop floor to enable rapid feedback of part dimensions to the manufacturing process. With a wide measuring area of 300 x 60mm, the MTL1 is a practical and compact optical measuring machine for turned parts. www.ogpuk.com

Vision measurement probe Making its UK trade show debut on the Renishaw stand (5730) is the RenAM 500M non-contact vision measurement probe system (RVP) for use with the REVO-2 5-axis measurement system on co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs). RVP increases the multi-sensor capability of REVO2 by adding non-contact inspection to the existing touch-trigger, highspeed tactile scanning and surface finish measurement capability of the system.

For certain applications, noncontact inspection provides clear advantages over traditional tactile probing techniques. Thin sheet metal parts, components with large numbers of holes (as small as 0.5 mm), and parts which are not suited to tactile measurement can now be fully inspected with the RVP system. This new innovation also gives exceptional improvements in throughput and CMM capability by utilising the 5-axis motion and infinite positioning provided by the REVO head.

At MACH 2016 Renishaw will also, for the first time in the UK, demonstrate its new INTUO™ gauging software which is now offered with the unique Equator system to simplify and automate the gauging of a wide variety of parts. The software removes dependence on skilled operators and presents a cost-effective alternative to multiple manual devices such as vernier or digital callipers, micrometres and plug gauges.

Renishaw will also be exhibiting its SPRINT system for high-speed, high-accuracy scanning on CNC machine tools. SPRINT records a constant stream of accurate 3D points across the part surface, and analyses this data in real time on the CNC machine tool controller, to provide gamechanging opportunities for automated in-process control.

Renishaw will also be demonstrating its new linear diagonal measurement kit for its XL-80 laser measurement system. www.renishaw.com

Productivity developments On Stand 4951 Zeiss will be focusing on its developments in products and applications, showcasing how these can assist in achieving customer satisfaction and maximised productivity.

From electron microscopy through to multi-sensor CMMs, Zeiss aims to provide customers with the right solution for their problem, through their fullyequipped portfolio of systems.

A new feature on the stand this year will be the introduction of an automated production-ready

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system. This is designed to demonstrate how Zeiss instruments such as the Duramax can offer a complete solution, capable of seamlessly integrating with automation systems and thus dramatically improving workflow. www.zeiss.com

Tool pre-setting Zoller UK will feature its latest tool pre-setters on Stand 5764. The company says it produces the world’s most precise tool pre-setting, measurement and management systems to offer both small and large businesses cost-effective solutions for efficient processes, as well as measurement solutions for new tools, materials and processing technologies to streamline their advanced manufacturing techniques.

The range on show at MACH will include the Venturion, which offers enhanced structural integrity to accommodate tooling weights up to 60kg, together with the capability to meet all tool setting and inspection requirements, and providing repeatable accuracy of 0,002mm thanks to the A.C.E. (Auto Clamping Element) spindle and CNC Auto Focus.

Also on show will be the Smile, Zoller’s general purpose pre-setter with guaranteed accuracy and repeatability. The easy-to-operate pre-setter offers auto focus capabilities, and allows for seamless transfer of data to machine tools thanks to control specific output, which cuts out operator intervention.

Zoller will also be showcasing the Genius universal measuring machine for metal cutting tools. The Genius enables users to check tools quickly, simply and extremely precisely and then document the results in great detail directly to the grinding machines at the push of a button. The Genius saves valuable time during work preparation and programming, which prevents troublesome reworks, ensuring quality results every time. www.zoller-uk.com

QMT March/April 2016

See us at Stand 5949

THE ONE STOP METROLOGY SHOP FARO ARM, GAGE, LLP AND LASER TRACKER HIRE

PROBES, PROBE KITS & ACCESSORIES

Training on all Faro software, Delcam, Aberlink, Geomagic, onsite inspection services using arms and laser trackers www.manchester-metrology.co.uk Manchester Metrology Ltd Unit 12,Greenside Trading Centre, Greenside Lane, Droylsden, Manchester. M43 7AJ Tel:-01616378744 Fax:-01614250944

Verisurf 速Software