Manufacturing outlook improves

Manufacturing output volumes in the three months to March improved to broadly flat, which marked their highest balance since May 2019, according to the CBI’s latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey of 321 manufacturers. Manufacturers now expect output to pick up rapidly over the next three months, with expectations at their strongest since August 2017.

Total orders books improved to their highest balance since April 2019, surpassing their long-run average, while export order books strengthened to fall broadly in line with their long-run average. Manufacturers also anticipate output price growth will accelerate quickly in the next quarter, the strongest expectations since February 2019.

For further information www.cbi.org.uk

Investing to weather the storm

Despite the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and restrictions, Newbury-based precision subcontractor Cadmatic Engineering Services is demonstrating its resolve and ambition by investing in a new Doosan multi-tasking lathe from Mills CNC.

The 8” chuck Lynx 2100LMB is equipped with a 15 kW/4500 rpm main spindle, driven tooling capability (3.7 kW/6000 rpm), a tailstock and the latest Fanuc i series control with a 15” touchscreen. As part of the investment, the Lynx lathe also features a CNC bar puller.

Since its arrival in December 2020, the Lynx 2100LMB has been machining a range of press tool components, such as pins, pillars and shanks, for press tools used in the automotive industry. The Lynx is also machining a diverse range of press tool replacement parts, as well as associated jigs and fixtures and, increasingly, low-to-medium volume production of small, high-precision parts.

Says director and co-owner Mark Humphrey: “We needed to improve our turning capabilities but, rather than just acquire additional like-for-like capacity, we decided to invest in a compact, multi-tasking machine that, with its integrated driven tooling functionality, could machine precision parts in one hit – helping us reduce cycle times and lead times.

“I particularly like the Doosan machine’s fast turret indexing, which helps reduce cycle times, and the machine control’s 15” touchscreen, which doesn’t just look the part, but improves visibility and facilitates fast and more reliable data input,” he adds. “Mills were able to supply the Lynx lathe with a large Grippall CNC bar puller, which has enabled us to use the machine for bar work and run it unattended during the day shift.”

For further information
www.millscnc.co.uk

CMM offers more accuracy and speed

UK-based CMM manufacturer LK Metrology has designed a new, more efficient air bearing and carrier, which the company now fits as standard to its Altera-C range of ceramic-bridge, multi-sensor CMMs. By significantly augmenting the pre-load on the structure, stiffness has been uprated without making the guideway thicker, leading to more precise motion control.

According to LK, the results are higher measuring accuracy, whether a touch-trigger probe or scanning probe is used, coupled with the possibility to increase speed of operation and raise inspection efficiency. The Altera-C machines, which are available in three sizes with measuring volumes of 700 x 650 x 500 mm, 1000 x 650 x 500 mm and 1000 x 650 x 650 mm, carry a 10-year accuracy guarantee covering dimensional stability.

In terms of speed, all machines now accelerate at 1900 mm/s2, representing an increase of 15% for the two smaller models and 20% for the largest model. Velocity is up by 38% across the product range to 720 mm/s. As regards accuracy, the maximum permissible measuring error on all machines is now 1.7+L/333 µm when measurements are taken of a feature L mm in length (between 18°C and 22°C), irrespective of whether a TP200, SP25, TP20 or PH20 probe is used. This performance represents length measurement accuracy improvements of 22%, 22%, 32% and 43% for the four respective probes, while maximum permissible probing error is also better, as is repeatability of measurements (by 15%) when using a PH20.

Optimisation of the pre-loaded, wrap-around air bearing configuration was feasible due to the inherent rigidity of LK’s ceramic guideway, which allows it to maintain structural integrity under extreme conditions.

For further information
www.lkmetrology.com

Creaform extends HandyScan 3D

Creaform has added to its HandyScan 3D line-up with the Silver series. As a result, this portable metrology-grade 3D scanner, which already has 5000 users, will now be available at an accessible price for professionals looking to grow their business by acquiring state-of-the-art measurement solutions.

The Silver series captures accurate and repeatable 3D measurements of complex surfaces in any location. Creaform says that the Silver series offers a versatile professional 3D scanner, with all the features that made the HandyScan 3D scanners the reference in the industry.

Among the benefits are: the provision of reliable and maximised scan quality with an accuracy of up to 0.030 mm; the ability to capture the surfaces in the entire field of view with a scan area of 275 x 250 mm; and, with one device for all shapes and sizes, the mastering of various objects regardless of part size, complexity, material or colour.

The device is also plug and play. A simple user interface and real-time visualisation offers ease-of-use and a short learning curve, whatever the user’s experience or expertise, says Creaform.

On-the-go scanning is assured thanks to HandyScan’s portable and lightweight characteristics, while quick set-up means it can be up and running in less than 2 minutes, either in-house or on site.

“For professionals who need to adapt quickly to their customers’ needs and provide better answers to their enquiries, a reliable 3D scanning solution is indispensable,” explains Simon Côté, product manager at Creaform. “The possibilities presented by gathering such precise data can open doors to new projects and strengthen partnerships with existing clients.”

For further information
www.creaform3d.com

Streamlining reverse engineering

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has unveiled REcreate, a software solution designed ‘from the ground up’ to make it easier and faster to reverse engineer parts from metrology scan to CAD model.

Developed to remove complexity, REcreate provides a single working environment from scan to CAD model. Users can prepare CAD models and drawings from any point cloud data. The fully featured CAD tool suite is supported by analysis tools that enable manufacturing professionals to interrogate the 3D models and validate whether they are manufacturable before exporting as CAD or STL files for CAM or additive manufacturing processes.

While designed to be interoperable and slot into a customer’s existing processes, the solution offers additional benefits to those who use other Hexagon technologies in their workflow. Sites that deploy Hexagon’s portable arms for inspection can reduce training needs by allowing any operator to read inspection data directly from the device to reverse engineer using a single solution. REcreate is also rigorously tested with Hexagon’s production software tools for planning, optimisation and part programming processes.

Ken Woodbine, REcreate product manager, says: “We believe that by making reverse engineering software versatile and easy-to-use, REcreate gives design, production and inspection teams greater confidence in their reverse engineering processes. With the laser scanning technologies available today, there’s no reason why most use cases can’t be addressed by anyone who needs them, provided they have access to the data and tools required – be that ensuring a precise fit for replacement components, repairing legacy parts, or updating design files with adjusted geometries following prototype creation or production optimisations.”

For further information
www.hexagonmi.com/REcreate