Banishing inspection bottlenecks

Telford-based UK precision manufacturer MKS Telvac specialises in the production of high quality machined components and complex electromechanical assemblies for the exacting scientific, semiconductor and medical industries. The company offers clean assembly and vacuum and precision engineering facilities to a global customer base.

MKS' resources comprise fully functional machine shop facilities, including a range of modern CNC machines programmed via centrally networked CAD/CAM systems, clean-room and assembly facilities, plus a fully equipped Quality Control department. To complement the company's range of test and inspection equipment, MKS Telvac has recently invested in a high precision, Global Performance CMM from Hexagon Metrology UK.

Mathew Ensor, MKS Telvac's machine shop manager takes up the story: “In order to maximise throughput and productivity we recently purchased a new 5-axis machining centre. As part of the same investment programme, to enable our inspection department to keep pace with the higher production levels we considered the various advantages of employing a number of high accuracy CNC CMMs. Having had in-depth demonstrations from a variety of manufacturers, we eventually opted for a DEA Global Performance from Hexagon UK.

“Several factors influenced our purchasing decision, lot least the machine's use of PC-DMIS Pro software, which is powerful yet simple to use with a short learning curve,” he continues. “As the Global Performance is available in a wide range of sizes, we were able to order a machine that will not only handle our current components and assemblies, but will remain future proof in the event of larger parts ever being specified by our customers.”

Hexagon claims that the cost-effective DEA Global range brings affordability to multi-sensor technology and that the machines are an ideal tool for the user who needs to undertake a wide variety of metrology operations on a single, flexible and accurate CMM.

Based on a modular design, Global Performance models are available in a wide range of sizes from, 500mm - 1,200 mm (X), 500mm - 3,000 mm (Y) and 500mm - 1,000mm (Z), and can be configured according to individual measurements needs. The machines can be equipped with touch trigger probes for efficient single point measurements on prismatic elements, and analogue scanning probes that support high accuracy scanning operations on complex contoured parts.

PC-DMIS Pro software provides the user with an intuitive graphical user interface including a suite of wizards to help operators quickly learn and manipulate key inspection functions. The software's features include a full programming environment with high level programming functions, customisable menus and quick start routines for probe qualifications, part alignments and reporting functions. Mr Ensor continues: “Now installed in our air-conditioned Inspection Department, the new CMM has allowed us to further develop advanced inspection capabilities. We have received excellent levels of support, in terms of offline programming and help from Hexagon. The machine has removed any potential for part inspection bottlenecks as its CNC capability enables us to place a part on the machine's granite bed and quickly instigate an automatic part programme. Importantly, the Global Performance provides our operators with instant size verification of first-offs and is able to handle long and complex measuring routines completely unattended.”

Hexagon Metrology
www.hexagonmetrology.com