In control of surface quality

Metrology expert Bowers Group has supplied Moog Controls with an Accretech Surfcom roughness and contour detector to measure critical components involved in the manufacture of servo valves.

Based in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, Moog Controls manufactures its servo valves for all industrial applications, including the aerospace industry. Servo valves are electrohydraulic, continuously acting valves that transform a changing analogue or digital input signal into a stepless hydraulic output (flow or pressure).

Used in aircraft fuel control systems, motion control systems, and landing gear systems, the critical components manufactured by Moog Controls have tight tolerances and require the highest level of accuracy and quality. The surface finish of the component is imperative to the quality of the finished part, as surface imperfections typically lead to stress on the component. The accurate measurement of the surface finish is, therefore, vital.

In order to measure critical components involved in the manufacture of servo valves, Moog Controls had been using a 20-year-old Taylor Hobson Talysurf. Unfortunately, problems occurred when the Talysurf was being used to measure the surface finish of the component. Due to the small size of the parts, and the manual intervention required during the measurement process, the probes would regularly break. Replacing them was costing Moog approximately £12,000 per year.

Moog was therefore looking for options to improve on this technology and find a new measurement solution for the measurement of the radius of the flange and head part of the component, as well as the surface finish.

The company contacted Bowers Group, which supplied it with an Accretech Surfcom 2000SD3-13-N roughness and contour detector. The large measurement area and hybrid detector enables the accurate capture of contours and surface roughness in a single measurement. Measurements can be performed quickly, simply and accurately, without having to keep changing probes, making the Surfcom highly efficient in this application.

The Surfcom also has the advantage of being fully automatic and hands free; the CNC programme facilitates the measurement process and minimises operator intervention, reducing the capacity for errors.

In addition, Bowers Group supplied Moog Controls with a number of bespoke probes that were specially manufactured to meet its needs. Bespokely manufactured fixtures are used for each component, ensuring the accurate and repeatable profile measurement of each part.

Moog Controls typically manufactures the components in batches of 600/700, with first-offs and one component per shift measured to ensure quality. The Surfcom takes around 10 minutes to run each CNC programme, which is a similar length of time to the previous method carried out by the Talysurf.

However, the Surfcom can record multiple measurements in one run, making it much faster and significantly more cost-effective, especially when the cost of probe breakages is considered. The Surfcom also enables Moog Controls to print out results in one collaborated document, which is a great visual aid for determining whether measurements are within tolerance.

Gurpreet Singh Gill, CMM roaming inspector at Moog comments: “The Surfcom certainly meets our needs here at Moog. We are very pleased with the accuracy the machine provides, and the programme software works very well.

“We considered various metrology companies to meet our measurement requirements, but we chose Bowers Group for its excellent customer service and our previous good relationship with the sales team. If we have any questions, then help is only a phone call away.”

With a long history in the design and manufacture of aerospace servo valves, Moog Controls is a recognised leader in servo valve technology for all aerospace applications that require precision motion control. The company manufactures electrically operated servo valves that control the flow of hydraulic fluid to actuators on launch vehicles. Servo valves provide precise control of position, velocity, pressure and force with post movement damping characteristics.

Moog servo valves have a robust design heritage for performance in extreme environments, operated by transforming a changing analogue or digital input signal into a smooth set of movements in a hydraulic cylinder. The term servo valve describes a valve design with bushing spool assembly, characterised by high precision metering edges.

Bowers Group www.bowersgroup.co.uk

Company

Bowers Group

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