To achieve the required high ingress protection rating of IP67 against dust and water, it is essential that subcontractors deliver magnesium and plastic moulded housing components of very high quality. To verify this, the firm has purchased an entry-level Alto coordinate measuring machine with CMM-Manager software from Nikon Metrology.
A variety of manufacturing processes is used by its subcontractors including machining, injection moulding and thixomoulding (semi-solid metal casting). Margus Leppsalu, technical manager at Flir Estonia explained that particularly in thixomoulding, magnesium components often have burrs and rough patches that are not acceptable in the finished article.
The fit of these items is vital for attaining the required IP class rating. The accuracy of holes and slots that form seals in the outer casing of the infrared cameras are the main features that concern Flir’s technical department, as their roundness and alignment are essential to assure top quality assembly for marine applications. The manufacturer therefore wanted a fast and accurate first article inspection system to check if the measurement reports from suppliers were correct.
However, the company had not previously used a CMM, so an affordable, entry-level system was required to suit all levels of experience within the company, as well as training and support on how to use the machine.
Flir evaluated its options, consulting a number of metrology equipment providers, but finally opted for Nikon Metrology which it found had the best solution available. The easy to use Nikon Alto aluminium bridge coordinate measuring machine and CMM-Manager were selected and, after a few hours’ training, all users understood the system and were ready to start using it.
Previously, Flir used callipers and other basic measurement methods at its factory in Estonia, but they offered only low-level accuracy. Another issue with manual tools was being unable to access and measure deep pockets and cavities in some components. The problem has been solved by the introduction of a narrow probe for use on the compact, half-gantry, manual CMM.
Mr Leppsalu comments: “We are impressed with the Alto machine’s speed and accuracy. Whilst the system was originally installed for first article inspection, it also has benefits for troubleshooting in the technical department. The low-maintenance system has been smoothly incorporated into our day-to-day activities and serves as a multipurpose consultation tool, contributing to improved quality control.
“Creating templates with pre-defined measuring sequences and filled-in tolerances is of great help and straightforward report creation makes raising queries with suppliers much easier.”
NIKON METROLOGY www.nikonmetrology.com
