What Is a CMM Machine: Components, Uses, and Benefits

What Is a CMM Machine? Components, Uses, and Benefits of CMM Measurement

Strong manufacturing depends on the precise measurement of parts and components. Every part needs to be identical to ensure correct functionality, but sometimes, irregularities in fabrication and production can lead to discrepancies in the dimensions of manufactured parts. Without accurate measurement, dimensional errors can result in products failing to operate properly.

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Using Transformation Matrices with Point Clouds

When working with large point clouds, particularly those from our FARO Focus S 350 long range scanner, it is often necessary to modify the existing point cloud to align or organize the data. For example, scans from the long range scanner are translated and rotated in all six degrees of freedom to align to one another and create a contiguous point cloud. To do this, a transformation matrix is applied to the data.

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Using a Hybrid Approach to Additive Manufacturing Metrology – CT – CMM

Modern Additive Manufacturing (AM) methods often employ subtractive machining to achieve precise dimensional and surface finish characteristics.  This is due to current AM limitations in build precision and surface quality.  These hybrid AM / subtractive components also demand a hybrid approach to measurement.  Internal features on AM parts are difficult or impossible to non-destructively measure using solely traditional metrology methods and so industrial computed tomography (CT) must also be employed.  CT scanning not only allows for precise measurements using metrology CT, but allows for detection of internal defects that are not otherwise able to be seen.  However, well machined portions are best served through other measurement methods due to precision requirements and data characteristics. This can necessitate a hybrid measurement approach.  However, traditional CT scanning and service providers are not trained as metrologists and do not follow particular standards related to metrology – especially ISO17025. Also complicating measurement is the design and datum reference frames used for additive parts that typically follow a traditional machined component print layout.  A layout method following best practices from the casting industry is suggested here. This article explores the methods (GD&T), issues, limitations and current solutions associated with good metrology practices for AM and hybrid AM components.

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How to Handle Quality and Inspection Requirements in Uncertain Times

COVID 19 has literally shut down a majority of the world’s production. As we have talked with our customers over this time, we have found that many have reduced their workforce or have implemented rolling furloughs. The problem is that once you let that skilled person go, they may actually find other work before you can hire them back. So, all of the training that was invested in them is gone. This seems especially true of Quality staff. During each normal business cycle and when things get tight, the quality staff is the first to be reduced. A new staff is then later brought on once the cycle has completed with the requisite experience or they are slowly trained up to a proficient level. This is logically the case as production requirements are lower during these cycles and removing production personnel would immediately and directly hamper the ability to generate revenue.

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Ensuring Accuracy of Gages and Fixtures Through Accredited Calibrations

If we lived in a perfect world the parts you manufacture and the gages used to check them would both be exactly to nominal specifications. At that point a gage would be obsolete and so too would be the metrologist, but we all know that this world is far from perfect and that the best we can ever do in the study of measurements is to provide our best estimate of where the actual value lies along with a provision of uncertainty of measurement that can be traced all the way back to the international system of units.

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First Article Inspection – A Comprehensive Guide on How to Perform an FAI

First Article Inspections (FAI) are used to ensure that parts off of new or modified tooling or processes conform to the part design requirements.  This even includes changing the location of manufacture! Yes – this can make a difference sometimes (usually due to different equipment, the same equipment setup slightly differently, environmental conditions, different manufacturing standards, etc).  This includes any time the Form, Fit, or Function could be impacted.

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What Data Collection or Scanning Equipment and Technology is Needed for My Project?

Augmenting Structured Light

Many measurement and reverse engineering requirements require more than simple caliper or micrometer measurements.  Whether you are conducting a First Article Inspection (FAI), troubleshooting a manufacturing issue or reverse engineering a legacy part for improvements, one or multiple of the modern data collection methods may work – but what is best and what are you compromising on by using any particular method?  Do you do this work yourself or hire out an experienced service provider?

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Common Contact Measurement Devices and Methods

Contact measurement devices constitute the majority of what is traditionally used for dimensional metrology.  These consist of devices that must be in physical contact with the object to be measured.  Below is a listing of general types of contact measurement devices.  This covers the vast majority of what is used today and is a good overview on what is possible and what to expect from data taken with these instruments.  We freely use these types of devices in our service business where it makes sense for any particular project due to quality, cost and timing.

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Common Non-Contact Measurement Devices and Methods

Non-contact or touchless dimensional measurement devices are the modern new comer to an array of contact devices that have been traditionally used.  Contact devices are discussed in this link on Common Contact Measurement Devices.  All of the non-contact devices generate a point cloud or voxel data set as their most raw form of data.  The exception is the optical comparator which has been around since the late 1920s.  It does not expressly produce digital data, but some of the variant equipment that evolved from this equipment does.

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How is the Accuracy of Industrial CT Scans Verified?

Industrial CT scanning continues to gain popularity for use in measurements.  The real question to be asked is:  Is the data extracted from CT scans accurate?  Since its inception, CT scanning has been used to visualize internal structures from people to industrial items.  It is unparalleled in its ability to see those things that are hidden inside an assembly.  It is also important for measuring the effects of an assembly in its assembled state.  Using CT data to provide accurate measurements has always been around but there was no universally agreed upon ways to ensure the validity of the measurements.

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