Metrology specialist Wenzel presented its new GT series gear measuring machine live in public for the first time at last month’s EMO 2021 exhibition in Milan. The GT series is based on the company’s successful tradition in the development and production of specialised gear measuring equipment.

During the development process Wenzel says it improved many decisive details. For instance, the new GT series works with the company’s standard WPC control and comes with a completely new gear measuring software – WM Gear, which was developed by Wenzel and includes the universal WM Quartis measuring software. With the GT series, Wenzel says it is setting standards as gear measuring technology grows together with universal measuring technology: tactile and optical.

The GT series provides solutions for a wide range of measuring tasks involving small-modulus gears and rotationally symmetrical components. It can measure parts that extend from toothed workpieces and shafts used, for example, in commercial vehicles, railway transmissions, or construction and agricultural machinery, through to the measurement of marine gears.

For the easy clamping of shafts, the gear measuring device can be optionally equipped with a counter holder. Using the counter holder, it is possible to measure diameters of up to 1200 mm. For components where measurement does not require a counter holder, users of the machine can measure diameters of up to 1600 mm.

With the new GT series of gear measuring machines, Wenzel is thus supporting a wide variety of industries, providing solutions for the automotive and energy sectors, as well as materials handling, agriculture, the aerospace industry, and mechanical and plant engineering.

For further information
www.wenzel-group.com

New in-machine measurement technologies released by Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division increase the variety of probing and tool-setting options for manufacturers seeking efficiency gains in a various production environments. Hexagon’s multi-sensor machine tool measurement capabilities now include compact tactile radio probes and a flexible tool-setter that can be used interchangeably to identify and correct production problems early in the manufacturing process.

Hexagon’s new m&h R-400 multi-sensor radio probe system can be used to fulfil both in-machine workpiece measurement and tool-setting requirements. Operators can deploy the system for a variety of purposes in a range of environments, including machining set-ups, measurement of complex free-form geometries with tight tolerances, and the checking of machine kinematics.

The company says that the dual-purpose m&h R-400 probe system is the first tactile probe on the market to include a built-in display. The display provides status data at a glance, enables users to save or load settings, and makes it easy to switch between tactile-sensor and tool-setting functions.

Designed for shop-floor flexibility, the system can serve as a radio probe by equipping it with a probe shank, or as a radio tool setter by mounting it on a tool-setter base. In addition to offering flexible in-machine measurement functions, the probe can help cut costs by eliminating storage of replacement sensors, as only one device needs to be stored.

The system also features an illuminated ring that completely surrounds the probe body and lights up to indicate current performance conditions and activities, so that operators can easily see the status of the system. Providing notifications such as ‘system ready’, ‘battery low’, and ‘probing’, the indicator ring makes shop-floor activity more efficient by offering immediate access to information that benefits work flow.

For further information
www.HexagonMI.com/MTM

The quality team at DKW Engineering is using Bowers’ pistol grip bore gauges to ensure the quality of its machined components. As a subcontractor, DKW Engineering receives a constant influx of new jobs in addition to its more regular work. This demand means that the team faces new inspection challenges daily, depending on the type of work and the diversity of components that it manufactures.

Instead of buying new plug gauges to suit the demands of individual jobs, DKW Engineering decided to invest in a more flexible and cost-effective measurement solution in the bore gauges from Bowers Group. Used several times a day, the bore gauges are an integral part of the inspection process. Operatives on the shop floor also use the bore gauges to measure parts with particularly tight tolerances during the production process.

Vitalij Cernomorec, quality inspector at DKW Engineering, says: “We find the Bowers bore gauges much better than standard plug gauges; they’re far more versatile. As a subcontractor, the type and size of components vary, so it helps that we’re able to use the bore gauge to check a range of measurements, including series of step bores, all in one go. They’re quick and easy to use on the shop floor for in-process checks and we always trust the bore gauges; the accuracy is excellent.”

The digital pistol grip bore gauges offer an ergonomic design with a large, clear LCD display, IP67 electronics protection and proximity output featuring built-in Bluetooth, allowing bi-directional communication for flexible data acquisition and storage.

For further information
www.bowersgroup.co.uk

To ensure the consistent supply of first-class steel strip, the Port Talbot facility of Tata Steel performs regular quality control checks. In accordance with the plant’s quality policy and its pursuit of further efficiencies, a search was recently made for an automated surface finish testing system. The answer arrived in the form of a bespoke machine designed and installed by Mitutoyo Gauging Technology.

Tata Steel Port Talbot section manager metallurgical testing, John Lovegrove, says: “Although our previously used manual surface-finish testing method delivered accurate results, it was extremely laborious and, at times, we struggled to keep pace with the amount of tests required.

“Having decided that we needed to source a highly efficient, automated testing system, we approached three companies with a list of requirements,” he continues. “Not only did the staff of Mitutoyo Gauging Technology quickly understand our needs, they also suggested several other improvements to our wish list that would bring additional benefits. Furthermore, as the project evolved and we realised the potential of the new custom-built tester, we asked for a couple of extra design tweaks that the Mitutoyo staff incorporated.

“Now installed and fully operational, our bespoke Mitutoyo machine performs rapid, very accurate surface finish tests on both sides of our strip samples in a single-pass, slashing our inspection times.”

As surface finish testing is now a fully automated process, after loading a large batch of samples into the machine, the operator concerned is able to perform other duties while the new tester operates unattended.

“In addition to drastically reducing our surface finish testing times, as all relevant inspection data is now downloaded automatically, our new Mitutoyo system has removed the potential for errors when inputting inspection data,” says Lovegrove.

For further information
www.mitutoyo.co.uk

Nikon Metrology’s industrial microfocus X-ray CT inspection solutions are now enhanced with a new offset CT reconstruction algorithm to deliver high scan speed and image resolution.

When using X-ray CT (computed tomography) for the non-destructive quality control of larger components like aluminium castings or battery modules for electrical vehicles, the challenge is to shorten inspection cycle times without compromising resolution. One prerequisite for meeting this goal is high X-ray intensity, or flux.

In Nikon Metrology’s range of X-ray CT systems, a rotating target can already triple the flux for a given focal spot size and the flux can be further increased by motorised FID (focal spot to imager distance), which brings the detector closer to the source at the push of a button.

With the release of a new offset CT reconstruction algorithm in the latest version of the manufacturer’s Inspect-X software, not only is it possible to scan larger components, but it can also be performed at higher geometric magnification. The Offset.CT module is available on all Nikon Metrology X-ray CT systems from 180 through to 450 kV.

With this combination of the latest Rotating.Target 2.0, adjustable FID and Offset.CT, which Nikon says cannot be found in any competitive industrial CT system, cycle times are reduced and better resolution is achieved, even when processing large and complex components.

Bigger parts with complex geometry, such as castings and additively manufactured components, benefit in particular from industrial X-ray CT solutions from Nikon Metrology. The inspection of battery modules for electric vehicles, in which individual battery cells requiring high-resolution imaging are encapsulated in a larger protective unit, is a an especially good fit for this inspection technique.

For further information
www.nikonmetrology.com