FEATURE ON METROLOGY

Programming tool unveiled

Industrial robot specialist, TM Robotics, is introducing the new TSAssist software, a programming tool from Toshiba Machine. The software offers assistance to all phases of automation, including planning, design and improvement, and arrives at a time when more businesses are turning to high-performance 3D simulation for manufacturing.

TSAssist is a step up from the company’s standard TSPC programming software, bringing more features and capabilities in the midst of Industry 4.0. As more businesses are investing in automation, there are increasing options for third-party control and monitoring software. However, working across multiple software platforms can bring issues in calibration.
“Everything is in one place with TSAssist,” explains Nigel Smith, founder and CEO of TM Robotics. “Interference checking, cycle-time measurement and 3D CAD manipulation are integrated together in calibration, bringing a high level of accuracy. In 3D editor mode, you can input positioning data just by dragging the mouse, with no need for complex position calculations. This saves businesses huge amounts of time that can be better spent on training and product improvement.”
TSAssist is a hub of 3D simulation; from simple outline simulation to intricate multi-angle simulation, the options are endless, says the company. The user can save the 3D simulation to a video file, before archiving it into a folder. Similarly, TSAssist offers easy calibration between the robot and a vision system to enable automated bulk picking. The software is compatible with any of TM Robotic’s SCARA, Cartesian and six-axis robots.
For further information www.tmrobotics.co.uk

MetraScan 3D R-Series solution updated

Creaform, a specialist in portable 3D measurement solutions and engineering services, has launched the R-Series Productivity Station and R-Series Autocalibration Kit. Both are key upgrades to the company’s robotic metrology dimensional measurement solution, which is designed to offer an alternative to traditional shop-floor CMMs.

The MetraScan 3D R-Series solution enables manufacturing companies to combine both optical measurements and industrial automation, to ensure reliability and increase inspection cycles. According to the company, the solution provides actionable results with a smaller footprint, facilitating integration into any factory.
“The major mechanical and software upgrades to the R-Series product line allow operators to run data acquisition, while simultaneously analysing previously acquired data to maximise throughput,” says Jérôme-Alexandre Lavoie, product manager at Creaform. “Self-calibration limits the need for human involvement, ensuring higher throughput and 24/7 operation.”
MetraScan 3D R-Series products include an automatic field calibration procedure, so there is no accuracy drift over time, thus allowing continuous operation. The system uses industrial components that include an industrial-grade tool changer, computers and touch screens. Creaform says the device carries NEMA 12 certification and is accurate up to 0.030 mm, with a resolution of up to 0.050 mm.
“Automated quality control has been one of our driving forces since 2013; Creaform is now fully braced to support a large range of customer needs in terms of industrial automated quality control,” says Marco St-Pierre, division vice-president technology and innovation at Creaform.
The R-Series solution will make its first appearance at the Control exhibition in Stuttgart, Germany on 24-27 April.
For further information www.creaform3d.com

Microscope offers adaptive multi-lighting

The new Keyence VHX-6000 series digital microscope integrates next-generation adaptive multi-lighting, advanced auto-focussing and high-definition imaging in an all-in-one system. Keyence’s VHX-6000 features the company’s VH-ZST lens with its 20x to 2000x magnification range.

With no need for time-consuming object repositioning, the direction and level of light is optimised as users simply move a digital flashlight icon around the screen for optimum illumination. All the data can be saved with the image; this function can even be applied after the image has been captured and saved to any compatible PC running VHX-6000 software. As a result, users have the ability to re-interpret images at any time, and importantly, at any location.
Adaptive multi-lighting is complemented by the VHX-6000´s real time depth composition technology, which harnesses the microscope´s high frame rate camera and graphics engine to scan through the focal range of a sample and build a fully-focused image in seconds. This one-touch process is easily repeated over the complete sample area utilising the motorised stage. Furthermore, a simultaneous 3D image may also be captured, allowing even greater inspection flexibility. These two major features combine with HDR (high dynamic range) imaging to provide optimally illuminated high-definition images with far more visual information than convention focussing systems, says Keyence.
Large area image observation at high magnification is now made possible with an image stitching algorithm that can synchronise positional information from the motorised XY stage to automatically move and stitch together adjacent images measuring up to 20,000 × 20,000 pixels.
For further information www.keyence.co.uk

Blum hails change in measurement attitudes

A global measurement specialist is celebrating after enjoying its best ever appearance at last month’s Southern Manufacturing exhibition in Farnborough. Blum-Novotest says it took 12 strong enquiries on its stand after displaying the company’s new Digilog touch-probe systems. Managing director David Mold says that the firm witnessed a big turning point at the show, with potential customers exploring how they could validate parts while still on the machine: “This is exactly what our technology gives them, ensuring that every part they machine is a good part. In the past, we’ve had to convince visitors of the benefits of on-machine verification. This is no longer the case, which is helping us plan for our record year. In fact, with what we’ve got in the pipeline, I’m pretty certain we’ll secure 20% growth in 2018.

“The 12 leads we took at the show were all enquiries from companies with a real application and interest in how our technology can improve the way they manufacture,” he adds. “It summed up what was an excellent show and one that captured the current positivity surrounding UK industry.”
Blum-Novotest employs 534 people and turns over £77m across its 16 subsidiaries. The company says that it delivers solutions to some of the world’s largest aerospace primes, car manufacturers and a host of CNC machine tool suppliers, including the Engineering Technology Group, Whitehouse Machine Tools and YMT.
For further information www.blum-novotest.com

CMM passes medical at Meridian

Littlehampton-based Meridian Medical Ltd specialises in sterile and non-sterile medical device design, development and manufacture. Products are inspected to ensure quality and compliance to national and international standards. The company’s QA department, which remains completely independent of its production and design departments, sets standard QA/QC procedures relating to all company activities, including purchasing, production, assembly, packing and shipment. Meridian Medical’s highly developed quality culture can be illustrated by the recent purchase of an Axiom Too CMM from Aberlink.

Managing director James Fenton says: “Now fully operational, not only has our Aberlink CMM removed the potential for hold-ups in our QA department, but the machine’s CNC nature and its ability to perform rapid, automated inspection routines, means that it will be able to handle all anticipated future demands.”
Meridian Medical supplies disposable medical devices together with comprehensive sterilisation services and logistics. The company is registered to ISO9001, ISO13485 and FDA 21CFR 820, which ensure that quality and reliability are designed and built into every device produced.
Although Meridian has a range of specialised test and measurement equipment, increased volumes passing through its busy QA department prompted the company to search for a suitably accurate, universal dimensional measuring device that offered both ease of use and speed of operation.
“Our Axiom Too is now busy measuring first-off and last-off medical device components, along with undertaking work such as inspecting a given percentage of each manufactured batch, as dictated by our customers,” says Fenton. “As traceability is vital within the medical industry, it helps that the CMM is able to generate detailed reports relating to the critical dimensions of each inspected component.”
For further information www.aberlink.com