Gauging plastic perfection

Based in Cradley Heath in the West Midlands, Sentinel Plastics is an engineering company specialising in CNC machining and fabrication of all types of industrial plastics. Manufactured to customer specification, Sentinel carries out CNC machining comprising: routing, milling, turning and bending, producing varied components for diverse uses such as power control units within wind turbines.

The Trimos V4 manual height gauge has a measuring range of up to 700m. Ideal for use in the workshop, it is a robust, accurate and reliable height gauge. The functions on the display unit are directly accessible and depicted with easy to understand symbols, making the device easy and quick to use even by operators with no previous training.

Software enables personnel to transfer data from the height gauge directly to inspection reports, ensuring accurate recording of all measurements at inspection stations throughout the business. First Article Inspection Reports can be easily generated, and handwritten recorded measurements can be bypassed completely, saving time and allowing operators to devote more time to the inspection process.

The Trimos V4 height gauge enables Sentinel Plastics to quickly and accurately measure complex machined components, meeting a variety of measurement needs and improving its in-process inspection procedures. Bowers Group also supplied the company with an XT3 Holematic pistol grip bore gauge set for measuring internal diameters, and two Sylvac Hi-Cal 450 digital motorised height gauges for use on the shopfloor.

Sentinel Plastics’ quality manager Mark Rose comments: “Following a generous grant from Wolverhampton University, we were able to buy the height gauges and bore gauges, which have been a significant step up in measurement capability for the business.

“Our inspection stations are now fully equipped, allowing us to take accurate measurements on the shopfloor. The hand held bore gauges mean that operatives can take them directly to the machine and measure in situ, ensuring accuracy and saving time.”

He adds: “The Trimos height gauge is user friendly, highly accurate and repeatable. Operator influence is removed, improving consistency and the automatic data transfer and reporting software is an invaluable tool for us; our previous methods were industry standard, but old fashioned.

Founded in 1989, Sentinel Plastics has developed significantly in recent years by manufacturing components for the renewables industry, with customers including world leading power generation company GE Power. The company also manufactures components for the oil and gas industry which requires assurances of tight tolerances.

Mr Rose affirmed: “The service we have received from Bowers Group has been excellent. We visited the Bowers stand at the MACH exhibition and received several recommendations from existing customers who recommended their machines. We were guided exceptionally well by the Bowers sales team, who provided us with plenty of help and advice. After discussing our needs with particular products in mind, we were advised to pick alternative devices that were far more suitable for us and still came in within our budget.”

BOWERS GROUP www.bowersgroup.co.uk

SENTINEL PLASTICS www.sentinelplastics.co.uk