A UK manufacturer of bespoke bearings and one of the biggest stockholders and distributors of plain bearings and sintered parts in Europe, Abingdon-based Bowman International, has upgraded the process of inspecting its products with the purchase of a new Altera 10.7.5 CMM built by LK Metrology.

Standard, bought-in products at Bowman generally only need first article inspection before batch delivery to a customer, so the daily workload on the CMM is relatively light. Conversely, bespoke bearings produced in-house normally sees the company check five to ensure consistency. This single business area therefore consumes a significant proportion of CMM capacity. Sometimes, when carrying out capability studies, 25 to 50 components require measurement. In one exceptional case, a customer requested 100% inspection of 100 Oilite safety-critical, self-lubricating bronze bearings.

Unlike on the company’s previous CMM, which only deployed touch-trigger probes, a notable difference with the new LK inspection platform is its SP25M scanning probe in addition to a variety of conventional probes, all for deployment on a PH10M Plus motorised indexing head. To enable tactile scanning as well as data analysis and reporting, LK supplied its own CAMIO 2024 R1 multi-sensor software and three-axis scanning module interfaced to the company’s NMC300 controller.

Owen White, Bowman’s quality manager, says: “On one of our 20 mm diameter bearings, for example, we used to measure 12 points around the top and bottom of the ID. We now capture more than 100 points in a shorter time, which gives us a much better idea of not only the part’s accuracy but also the overall form of the bore.”

More information www.lkmetrology.com

The PMT Gamma series of portable measurement arms tackles the practical challenges faced by businesses across various industries. Designed for usability, efficiency and flexibility, the Gamma series builds on the success of the Alpha series, delivering enhanced functionality for complex measurement tasks. As the UK’s official supplier of PMT products, Manchester Metrology is proud to offer this new solution to businesses across the country.

The Gamma series arm features a dual-suspension support structure, offering enhanced stability and usability. Designed with the world’s first external decoupling and built-in balancing mechanism, the Gamma arm delivers optimal function, flexibility, reduced joint loads and extended standby time, reports Manchester Metrology. Its lightweight aerospace-grade carbon-fibre build makes it a reliable and portable choice for both on-site and in-house applications across various industries.

Available in three configurations – Gamma P (flagship), Gamma M (standard) and Gamma E (economic) – means options are available to meet various requirements and budgets

The force-isolation design refers to the mechanism that separates the hand grip from the scanning head on the Gamma arm, effectively decoupling holding pressure from the gravity of the scanning head. This approach ensures greater scanning accuracy and stability, especially for complex tasks.

The optional Gamma blue laser scanner enhances the series with its optimised optical design, ensuring more stable scanning precision. It enables accurate measurement in complex usage scenarios, addressing all required features and helping to overcome the bottlenecks that traditional contact probes face, such as measuring the dimensions of large, special-shaped workpieces, while maintaining optimal function.

Another option is the PMT Gamma eight-axis rotary worktable, a complete rotary axis that connects directly with the Gamma seven-axis arm. It provides a fully enclosed, high-accuracy add-on axis that saves time and effort during hardware set up.

More information www.manchester-metrology.co.uk

The Carfulan Group is exhibiting at Southern Manufacturing 2025, showcasing a suite of cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance manufacturing processes. The event, running on 4-6 February at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, is a major UK showcase for the latest in manufacturing solutions.

At the Carfulan Group stand, visitors will experience live demonstrations of machinery and software from the group’s portfolio of brands. These include multi-sensor measurement systems from OGP UK, tool presetting and inspection solutions from Zoller UK, and turned part and optical shop-floor inspection from ViciVision UK. The integration of these technologies provides manufacturers with a comprehensive toolkit to enhance productivity, quality and efficiency across all stages of production.

Rob Thompson, group sales director, says: “We’re excited to bring Carfulan Group’s diverse and innovative solutions to Southern Manufacturing 2025. Our focus is on helping manufacturers push the boundaries of what’s possible by embracing new advances. Whether you’re looking to improve quality control, reduce lead times or innovate with new technologies, we have the expertise and solutions to support your goals.”

The Carfulan Group’s team of experts will be available throughout the event to discuss specific challenges, provide insights into the company’s offerings and demonstrate how the latest technologies can deliver game-changing results for businesses of all sizes.

“Don’t miss your chance to explore the latest advancements in manufacturing technology,” says Thompson. “Visit our stand [L240] at Southern Manufacturing 2025 and discover how to unlock your production’s full potential.” 

More information www.carfulan.com

Bowers Group is launching a range of Moore & Wright handheld testing instruments. The release expands the company’s range of precision and workshop tools, better meeting the evolving needs of industries that rely on accurate measurement and inspection.

This latest collection, which includes a force gauge, surface roughness tester, Leeb hardness tester, ultrasonic thickness gauge, and coating thickness gauges for both ferrous and non-ferrous materials, addresses requirements for enhanced accuracy, efficiency and durability in an extended range of manufacturing processes.

Managing director Martin Hawkins says: “Our customers depend on us for precision and reliability, and this new collection strengthens our offering by extending those core values into more areas of quality inspection. These testing gauges not only enhance measurement accuracy but also make processes more efficient, allowing users to achieve optimal results with ease.”

The new handheld digital force gauge is for the precise measurement of tensile and compressive forces, complete with a high-resolution display and fast sampling speed, while the Leeb hardness tester offers rapid non-destructive testing of metal materials for both laboratory and shop-floor environments. The ultrasonic thickness gauge ensures accurate measurements through coatings on various materials and includes a purity test for processed parts. Two coating thickness gauges provide easy-to-use electronic gauging for taking accurate measurements of coatings on non-ferrous and ferrous materials. Additionally, a portable roughness tester allows for a highly accurate, compact solution for surface roughness analysis, with simple, user-friendly operation.

With a focus on ease-of-use and portability, users can tackle a wide range of measurement and inspection tasks with confidence, from quality control to in-process checks. The launch paves the way for multiple new additions to the ever-expanding Moore & Wright range, with many more new products coming on stream this year.

More information www.bit.ly/40sIUjR

A new innovation, EcoAir, is now available from British CMM manufacturer LK Metrology to lower the carbon footprint of its products. The company can incorporate the technology into new machines built at LK’s Derbyshire factory or retrofit EcoAir to existing CMMs. It is possible to upgrade any make of CMM providing it features an LK NMC300 controller, which is also available from the manufacturer as a retrofit.

Connected to the machine’s air filter set, the EcoAir automatic shut-off unit interrupts the supply of compressed air to the CMM’s air bearings when the machine is idle, reducing consumption by up to 95% and leading to substantial energy and cost savings. The period of inactivity that triggers shut-down is adjustable to as little as one minute. The CMM remains ready for action, however, and the flow of compressed air resumes automatically when the CMM resumes action, in either manual or CNC mode.

Such power-saving devices help manufacturers to meet regulatory requirements for energy efficiency and support corporate social responsibility initiatives, while reaping the financial benefits of reduced electricity consumption. Other ecological measures introduced over the years by LK include a reduced thickness of the air bearing film needed to maintain smooth, accurate movement of the machine elements over their guideways. This design not only cuts air consumption when the CMM is in use but also offers 3.5 times higher stiffness than standard air bearings due to their wrap-around design. The major benefit is improved accuracy of measurement thanks to higher resistance to dynamic forces, particularly when tactile scanning or using long probes.

More information www.lkmetrology.com