FEATURE ON METROLOGY

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

Speed and accuracy aids world record attempt

Having smashed the previous mark by 20 mph, Scunthorpe-based Becci Ellis set a world record of 264.1 mph on 17 August 2014 and became the world’s fastest woman on a conventional motorcycle over a standing-start mile. Achieving the female land-speed record also makes her the fourth fastest rider in the world, just 30 mph behind the overall world record set by late American rider Bill Warner.

Becci’s feat was performed at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire on a 1300 cc Suzuki Hayabusa that, when launched in 1999, won acclaim as the world’s fastest production motorcycle. In preparation for Becci’s record-breaking run, her Hayabusa was highly modified, enabling it to generate 650 bhp.
Not satisfied with being the current holder of the record, Becci is now busy preparing for a new attempt to set the benchmark even higher. In addition to multiple further modifications to the previously record-breaking Hayabusa, particular attention is now being paid to the aerodynamics of the bike.
Rather than use traditional wind tunnel testing methods to analyse and improve the bike’s aerodynamic performance, the team behind Becci’s latest record-breaking attempt are using advanced virtual simulation techniques.
To help gather the raw data needed to enable the best possible virtual simulation outcomes, the team enlisted the help of Manchester Metrology, a specialist in the field of laser scanning and data capture. Mindful of the need to acquire highly accurate data, the staff of Manchester Metrology used a Faro Edge ScanArm HD to undertake the critical scanning routines of the bike.
Philip Knowlson of Manchester Metrology says: “The Faro arm was ideal for this application as it has a scan rate of up to 560,000 points/second.”
For further information www.faro.com