TOP 10 CMM BENEFITS

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4.................................................................................................IS IT 5 AXIS?

6........................................................................................IS IT ACCURATE?

7.........................................................................CAN IT TRIPLE OUTPUT?

8..............................................................................CAN IT SAVE MONEY?

9...............................................................................................IS IT LINEAR?

10................................................................CAN IT PROCESS BIG DATA?

11............................................................................................IS IT MOBILE?

12....................................IS YOUR CMM “SMART FACTORY” READY?

13.........................................DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT SOFTWARE?

15...........................ARE YOU PARTNERED WITH THE RIGHT OEM?

CONTENTS

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It’s easy to rattle off the supply chain benefits you can get with a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). After all, improving the bottom line without sacrificing part quality is the Holy Grail for most manufacturers. But the impact a CMM has on quality, capacity and, ultimately, profit is directly tied to your equipment’s capabilities.

In other words, how your CMM is built dictates whether or not it delivers the advantages you are looking for or becomes a bottleneck in your supply chain. Ten tips can help you understand the difference.

INTRODUCTION

A conventional CMM performs the movements needed to gather data from a part’s surface. The disadvantage? Acceleration triggers inertial deflections in the machine’s structure, which generate errors. Renishaw’s 5-axis probing system eliminates that problem by using an articulating head that moves in two rotary axes as it measures. This frees the CMM to move at a constant velocity in one direction. The head’s infinite positioning and synchronized motion means a 5-axis CMM like the LM or HB can access a diverse number of part features with a single stylus

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IS IT 5-AXIS?

The LM – fitted with a Renishaw 5-axis REVO 2 – the LM is built with a granite work plate

and aluminum mobile bridge for higher rigidity and lower inertia. The margin of error is

reduced even further because the LM’s steel optical scales float in an aluminum carrier. The

REVO 2 is the only scanning system for CMMs that simultaneously controls the motion of

three machines and two head axes while collecting work piece data with 2D and 3D tactile

probes, a surface roughness measurement probe or non-contact vision probe.

The HB – fitted with a Renishaw 5-axis

PH20 – has a polymer cast base that

includes vibration resistance and thermal

stability. The mobile HB paired with the

PH20 performs three times faster than

conventional probe heads.

• Easy access to a wider range of part

features

• Agility, cost and time savings

• Reliability

• Repeatability

• Optimized tip path

THE LM

THE HBTHE BENEFITS

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The structure and servo system stiffness of conventional machines limits higher speeds, making data unreliable. Five-axis technology’s articulating head and two rotary axes break that speed barrier. We mentioned that a 5-axis-equipped CMM is able to move at constant velocity in one direction. To take it a step further, the 5-axis head is lighter and more dynamic than the CMM. That means it has a better bandwidth and can quickly follow part geometry changes without errors.

Flexible tip sensing contributes to the system’s accuracy.

IS IT ACCURATE?

• Faster surface speeds

• Shorter measurement cycles

THE BENEFITS

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Let us show you instead of tell you. Consider a bladed disc. This aerospace part presents major access challenges and has typically required numerous head indexes to measure its features. Renishaw’s 5-axis products significantly reduce cycle times by continuously scanning blade sections and surfaces as well as root profiles.

For example, suppose you need measurements for nine sectional scans, eight longitudinal scans and two root profile scans per blade. Three-axis scanning at 10 mm per second for one blade takes 46 minutes. Twenty-two blades take 22 hours and 14 minutes. Renishaw’s REVO-2 5-axis measuring head measures at 200 mm per second. One blade takes 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Twenty-nine blades takes 2 hours and 10 ½ minutes. The take away? You just increased your throughput by 922 percent.

• Meet shrinking customer timeframes

• Increase capacity

• Greater supply chain efficiencies

THE BENEFITS

CAN IT TRIPLE OUTPUT?

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See for yourself with our virtual calculator. The calculator is easy and quick to use. In the time it takes to plug in basic data (i.e. current inspection method, average number of inspections per hour and average inspection time [in minutes]) you can test your production parameters against the REVO-equipped LM. The screen can be refreshed for multiple uses with different data combinations.

As an example, a company that performs 60 inspections an hour and spends 1 minute per inspection without using a CMM could net an annual savings of $99,330 by switching to the REVO 2. To take the example a step further, a company using a manual CMM to perform 20 inspections an hour at 5 minutes per inspection, would save $155,550 with REVO 2.

To use the AIMS calculator click below!

CALCULATE YOUR SAVINGS

CAN IT SAVE MONEY?

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Unlike DC servo motors or a belt and pulley design, the linear motor-driven LM has no moving parts. It works off permanent magnets that don’t wear out. Electronic signals are sent to the motor, using the natural force of the magnet to generate a small magnetic field that interacts with the magnets. The result is precise positioning and reliability along with little to no maintenance.

A granite work plate and an aluminum mobile bridge are materials that offer higher rigidity and lower inertia. Use of aluminum for components like the Z-axis ram, give a manufacturer the flexibility to use a variety of motorized probe heads.

IS IT LINEAR?

• Zero maintenance

• Precision positioning

THE BENEFITS

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Fabricators need the ability to gather real time data on the fly to make better business decisions. The mobile HB can monitor process flow in real time because the 5-axis PH20 can quickly collect high density points for feature size, location and form for accurate and actionable data. The hard bearing CMM doesn’t require air, so it can be moved to different locations on the shop floor to gather data at the point of use. And make no mistake, data is only going to get bigger.

Tighter tolerances and growing demand for critical dimensions mean companies need to collect more data points throughout the manufacturing stream. A Renishaw open architecture controller drives the HB, while Renishaw Modus software makes it possible for the CMM to “talk” to other machines and to a company’s ERP network.

CAN IT PROCESSBIG DATA?

• Faster surface speeds

• Shorter measurement cycles

THE BENEFITS

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The HB was developed to meet the need for versatile, cost-effective CMMs capable of processing big data and performing complex part inspection in a smart factory environment. A unique undercarriage equipped with one steer and two stationary wheels allows two operators to easily move the HB anywhere on the shop floor while its 110/220 volt outlet eliminates the need for shop air. Paired with a Renishaw PH20 5-axis touch-trigger indexing head and probe, the rigidity of the HB’s polymer cast, vibration-resistant base anchors the probe head.

The matchup puts a powerful inspection and intelligence-gathering tool into the hands of manufacturers. Why? Because the PH20’s unique ‘head touches’ allow measurement points to be taken by moving only the head for rapid throughput and greater accuracy. The speed and efficiency of the PH20 also reduces complex part inspection time from days to minutes when compared to conventional surface profiling methods like a sine bar and optical comparator.

IS IT MOBILE?

• Reduce scrap

• Maintain high part yield

• Increase capacity

THE BENEFITS

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Let’s face it. Time is a precious commodity for customers these days. Automation and the need to do more with less are just a couple of strategies for coping with the smart factory environment. In an Industry 4.0 (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) landscape, the combination of AIMS’ HB equipped with Renishaw’s 5-axis PH20 can collect variable data from final product dimensions and send that data to an in-house ERP/SPC system. The measurement

data can be evaluated for trends and assignable variations and issue alerts to supervisors and engineering personnel when necessary.

Using CMMs to collect real time data is a key element when it comes to reducing waste, downtime and cycle times. The CMM can also be connected to other CNC machines to collect data such as machine status, preventive maintenance and process capability.

IS YOUR CMM “SMARTFACTORY” READY?

• Collect points faster

• Shorten inspection times

• Improve accuracy and repeatability

THE BENEFITS

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We support our CMMs with QC-CALC and MODUS software. Renishaw’s MODUS supports our line of 5- axis Revolution Series CMMs and 5-axis. The configurable user interface allows native DMIS programs to be developed offline. An operator can draw geometry and embed dimensions and tolerance data from CAD, feature construction and part alignment. MODUS supports I++DME compliant metrology controllers – including Renishaw’s UCC range of universal CMM controllers, CAD-driven offline programming with on-screen probe path verification. The CMM environment, fixture and the location of the part on the machine can be defined for simulation and crash detection of 5-axis measurement programs.

DO YOU HAVE THERIGHT SOFTWARE?

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QC-CALC Real Time collects and displays measurement results from all CMMs, Video CMMs, and hand gauges without operator intervention. An operator can create reports and export data to spreadsheets, databases, and to QC-CALC SPC or other SPC programs. The program provides one interface for all machines and one interface for all outputs. QC-CALC Office Buddy integrates with Minitab, JMP and MS Excel to run reports using the CMM data collected by QC-CALC Real-Time. QC- Sort can quickly identify bad parts on a multiple-part inspection fixture.

• Interfaces with other software programs

like ERP for streamlined dataflow

• Collect big data in real time

• Supports higher throughput

THE BENEFITS

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When it comes to metrology, you need a team with decades of combined engineering, programming and service experience. Our team also has in-depth field knowledge about a wide range of industries. We design, build and assemble our shop floor and laboratory CMMs right here in the U.S.

We engineer our machines around Renishaw 5-axis technology. And we calibrate and program our equipment. In fact, our calibration and programming continues to grow because companies are asking us to take on their part programming tasks indefinitely and become an extension of their quality control program.

These things give us a bird’s eye view of what the machine and the programmer need to accomplish for manufacturers in a very competitive marketplace. That makes us unique. Collectively, we represent hundreds of years of experience. Our team is comprised of engineers with experience in a diverse number of industries, which gives us the tools to more effectively interpret drawings and handle a wide array of specifications.

ARE YOU PARTNERED WITH THE RIGHT OEM?

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CONCLUSION

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You can’t improve what you can’t measure. If you would like to speak with a CMM expert, reach out to AIMS Metrology at:

(937) 320-4930

www.aimsmetrology.com.

AIMS Metrology2580 Kohnle Dr. | Miamisburg, OH 45342

937.320.4930 | ddelph@aimsmetrology.com

When it comes to metrology, you need a team with decades of combined engineering, field, programming, and service experieince. AIMS Metrology is that company.

We design, build and assemble our shop floor and laboratory CMMs right here in the U.S. We engineer our machines around Renishaw 5-axis technology. And, we support our CMMs with QC-CALC and MODUS software. We’re equipped to guide our customers because there are very few market brands that members of our team haven’t sourced, serviced or programmed at one time or another.

The intelligence we’ve gained from years of hands-on experience qualifies us to help guide our customers’ choices today. Let us provide you with a turnkey solution that eliminates the guesswork for both the software and the hardware.