LK's Common Metrology Software Saves Time And Money At SG Equipment
Buying computer-controlled machines from different vendors normally results in a manufacturer being saddled with different software packages, making it difficult to link operations and share data, increasing the training burden and creating inefficiency. In the metrology field, LK is solving the problem by porting its industry-leading CAMIO Studio software, originally developed for its own co-ordinate measuring machines, to other manufacturers' equipment.
One company to take advantage is Hyde Group member, SG Equipment in Audenshaw, near Manchester, which designs and manufactures ground support and test equipment for military aircraft as well as service equipment used at civilian airports. To suit its particular inspection requirements, the company has purchased a two-machine metrology package from LK.
It comprises an LK 'Integra' bridge-type CMM with a 1,000 x 700 x 600 mm measuring envelope and, from third-party supplier, Faro Technologies, an 8 ft 'Platinum' portable-arm CMM for which LK has ported its CAMIO Studio software.
The firm previously used a medium-size, fixed-table CMM to inspect smaller, high precision parts. Larger items were measured using laser tracking capability bought in from another Hyde Group company at a cost of £75 per hour. A drawback of laser tracking, however, was the need for multiple, time consuming set-ups when scanning large fabrications, as if the tracker were positioned sufficiently far away to scan the whole component, accuracy would have been lost.
Commented Andrew Dobson, Managing Director of SG Equipment, "We looked initially at buying a 2,000 x 1,000 x 800 mm, fixed-table CMM from LK to accommodate most components, and considered investing also in a laser tracker, but neither solved the problem of how to measure small parts quickly and efficiently.
"Together with LK, we worked out that the optimum solution was to replace our old CMM with one of similar size and buy a portable arm as well. This would enable us to inspect everything in our own factory, as before, but using all our own metrology equipment and for considerably less investment than the cost of buying the larger, fixed-table CMM."
The approach fits neatly with a preference in the safety-conscious aerospace industry for all components to be inspected in-house at subcontractors' premises to customers' own specifications. What Mr Dobson wanted to avoid, however, was having to use two different software packages, one for controlling the LK machine and another for the Faro arm. LK had already developed its CAMIO Studio software to accommodate different tooling and routines specific to manual arms, so the package was ready for immediate use at the Audenshaw factory.
Having one software suite in the inspection department has many benefits for SG Equipment. Its engineers can be trained in half the time and are able to move seamlessly between the two systems, as the inspection methodology is common on both machines and the screen menus and icons are very similar. In addition, the customer sees one standard inspection report generated automatically within CAMIO Studio, irrespective of whether the measurements were made using the LK or Faro equipment.
Most of SG Equipment's customers insist that parts be checked against the original, usually CATIA CAD model. LK's CAMIO Studio software works directly with native CATIA files, without the need for error-prone translation, thus complying with the stipulation that inspection is correlated directly back to the original native CAD file as submitted. Unigraphics and IGES files are also routinely used with CAMIO Studio at Audenshaw.
"We are very happy with the turnkey system supplied by LK," continued Mr Dobson. "The fixed machine runs lights-out overnight, measuring one large component or up to 14 smaller parts in automatic cycle, maximising inspection productivity.
"The Faro arm costs 60 per cent less to operate than we were paying for laser tracking services – and is around six times quicker, cutting a four-hour inspection routine, for example, down to around 40 minutes."
He went on to explain that the manual arm, connected to a laptop PC, is normally used on a granite table in the metrology room to work alongside the fixed CMM, but that the arm and laptop can easily be carried to anywhere in the factory, allowing fabrications on the shop floor to be inspected in situ.
Components larger than the arm's measuring envelope can be measured by 'leapfrogging', which yields very high accuracy results despite the repeated repositioning. The arm is also very good at getting into awkward areas to measure internal features on a component. So versatile is the CAMIO-controlled Faro equipment that Mr Dobson says it is opening up many new business opportunities for SG Equipment.
SOURCE: LK Group