Industrial parts begin the manufacturing process as “workpieces” and, using various machine tools, for example cutting instruments like milling machines, they are made into the finished component. Every step of the process including the tools, the workpiece, and the product must meet exacting specifications.
Among the requirements necessary for these to be reached, an exceptional degree of accuracy is a prerequisite. This means the measurement of both the machine tools and workpieces involved in manufacturing processes is a critical step. With this in mind, let’s start with an overview of why that’s the case. What happens if high standards of accuracy aren’t maintained? After that, we’ll move on to a few specific examples of how it can be achieved.
Benefits of accurate workpiece measurement
Accurate workpiece measurement is important because it enables a manufacturer to avoid several issues that could compromise production outcomes, leading to issues ranging from wasted raw materials to unusable parts. Among these, demonstrating the importance of workpiece measurement, are:
- An inaccurate workpiece or tool will inevitably lead to defective parts that don’t meet specifications. Therefore, precise and accurate and measurements are essential to the maintenance of quality standards.
- Workpieces in manufacturing are subject to dimensional variations caused by factors like material properties, machining processes, tool wear, and the surrounding environment. Any or all of these can impact the accuracy of the end result.
- Particularly where tolerance is tight for a specific part, surface finish can have a critical effect. Rough or uneven surfaces can affect both accuracy and repeatability. Measurement is the antidote.
- In production processes, the clamping or fixturing of workpieces is common and if this is done inconsistently (for instance, via different clamping pressures) or the workpiece is misaligned, manufacturing errors will distort the workpiece.
- Over time the accuracy of the machine tools change, due to wear on parts and hard use. Regular calibration (essentially, a return to accuracy) is required to avoid this.
- Environmental factors – for example temperature variations, humidity, and vibrations in the manufacturing environment – negatively influence manufacturing outcomes. These need to be controlled or compensated for by ongoing measurement.
- Workpieces can, as you might imagine, have complex geometries, making them difficult to manufacture to standard. In such cases, specialized measurement equipment and techniques are generally required to ensure successful outcomes.
- In several industries, for example aerospace, automotive, and medical manufactured components have stringent regulations regarding part dimensions and quality. Ensuring compliance with these regulations is in large part dependent on workpiece measurement.
All the issues above (and others) require a combination of measurement technologies as well as robust quality control processes, skilled personnel, and continuous improvement efforts to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and reliability in workpiece measurement. How, then, in terms of measurement can this best be achieved?
Camera Based Tool Measurement
As the above issues indicate, reliable, ideally in-process measurements are what ensure manufacturing production accuracy, quality, and precision. The sort of measurement necessary here requires using techniques or equipment that enables the manufacturer to capture all the parameters needed to assure successful outcomes, using real-time processing and yielding immediately actionable results.
The surest route to success today is probably using a camera-based measurement system, since this can provide all the data necessary for determining the accuracy of machine tools used in the manufacturing process. With rapid scanning and real-time processing, the camera-based system can accurately capture any relevant parameters – radius, length, tool angles, cutter variation, deviations – and more. Really, it can capture whatever can be defined.
This is a fairly recent innovation. Historically, touch probes have been used to ensure measurement accuracy. However, these are less accurate than camera-based systems, are hard to position and easy to break.
Camera-based systems are delivering a significant step forward because the amount of data they can capture in a single scan is greater, giving the manufacturer both more and faster insights into the success of (or the presence of issues in) production processes.
Why does it matter: process and operational gains
The data captured by camera-based systems supports a wide range of operational performance improvement measures and KPIs. Predictive maintenance, supplier evaluation, comparison of different production units, tool effectiveness and other gains can quickly and easily be realized, meaning manufacturers benefit from:
- Consistent, reliable accuracy from inside your tools
- Make in-process corrections on the shop floor
- Continuous investment in image processing algorithms
All this means you can count on an unprecedented degree of measurement accuracy which leads to more successful manufacturing outcomes, reduced waste, and a more profitable bottom line.
How it works
How does a camera-based system work? In broad terms, a single image source replaces multiple laser probes. It secures a clear image of every cutter involved which means the manufacturer can quickly see and understand deformation, variation in cutter length, spindle runout, and other potential issues that could compromise end-product quality.
By combining digital cameras and parallel processing, such systems provide results far faster than legacy lasers, literally within seconds, so problems can be addressed, and adjustment required made immediately, limiting any potential negative consequences.
The CU2 Track Measurement Solution from Conoptica
The CU2 Track from Conoptica is the leading example of a camera-based measurement system which bears a closer look. It’s used to ensure that workpiece measurement requirements can confidently be met. Closer examination makes the benefits of deploying the CU2 Track clear:
A key step forward is that the CU2 Track is designed to be directly integrated into Wire EDM machines. As a result, it enables manufacturers to maintain production integrity – and provides the means to verify quality while there is still an opportunity for making enhancements – during the process, inside the machine.
This allows accurate measurement of workpieces in-situ and during the cutting process – allowing adjustments to be made according to the outcomes observed.
Users can compare production quality and features mid- and post-production to assure consistent delivery. Autonomous, free-form measurement means CU2 Track can follow edges for comparison with reference models and blueprints.
- Autonomous measurement cycles
- Manual measurement option
- Wire EDM process tuning and adjustment, in real-time
- Reports and data output for manufacturing records and process optimization
- Measure z-position, arc, edge, form deviation, free-form shapes, circles and more
- Network multiple devices to share information
Accurate workpiece measurement becomes easier
Designed for continuous operations and production environments, camera-based measurement systems and techniques are changing the manufacturing landscape (and overcoming the traditional problems) of workpiece measurement.
As we saw initially, machine tool and workpiece measurement are critical aspects of, and contributors to, successful production outcomes for the industrial parts manufacturer. Camera-based measurement technologies are now driving that industry forward towards a more productive future at pace.
About Conoptica
A leading source of high accuracy measurement systems is Conoptica, which offers a variety of measurement systems. They enable the accurate measurement of workpiece manufacturing tools, so that you can track consistency and take appropriate actions – avoiding excessive quality deterioration and enabling better management of your stocks.
Conoptica is the market leader for measurement equipment in the wire & cable industry and has been providing high tech camera-based measurement solutions since 1993. We make sure that the metal working industry has access to key quantitative data about their products and tools.