Product category:
Form/co-ordinate, optical and vision instrumentation
News Release from: Nikon UK | Subject: Nexiv non-contact video metrology system
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 21 December 2000
Contact-free metrology for superabrasive
maker
Nikon's advanced Nexiv non-contact, video metrology system is a jewel in the diamond-studded world of Gloucester based superabrasives manufacturer, Saint-Gobain Van Moppes
Where companies employ advanced manufacturing technology at super tolerances, you can be virtually certain that Gloucester based superabrasives manufacturer, Saint-Gobain Van Moppes, will be at the thick of the action The majority of high tolerance mechanical engineering and ultra-accurate component profiling is finished using precision grinding systems
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 23 Nov 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Much of this extreme-limit engineering technology has been developed by abrasive engineering specialists, Saint-Gobain Van Moppes.
Their ability to design tooling that will machine components to tolerances of 1 micron, has made the company's products and technology a 'must have' on the shopping lists of OEMs serving the Aerospace industry, Automotive and other precision engineering sectors throughout the world.
Their diamond coated Rotary Truers create the accurate grinding profiles essential for the extreme tolerances demanded by 21st century, space-age engineers.
Saint-Gobain Van Moppes' Senior Engineer, Lee Mason, talked about some of the issues facing the company and revealed just how such fine tolerances are measured and repeated.
"A diamond truer is the foundation of creating an accurate grinding profile to create a component and when we are talking about micron tolerances the measurement technology used to check accuracy of the forms and moulds that create diamond Truers needs to be very special indeed." Lee revealed, "5 years ago, tolerances of ñ5mæ were considered acceptable and a skilled engineer's eye could ascertain such accuracy with the help of shadowgraph technology and contact measurement systems.
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The MM400/800 series of manual metrology microscopes offers through-the-lens laser autofocus (TTL Laser AF), automatic edge detection and white LED illumination.
Measuring system provides rapid QC checks
Nikon Instruments' iNexiv VMA-2520 is ideal for rapid QC checks and demanding RandD work on mechanical, pressed metal, plastic moulded parts, as well as medical devices and electronic components.
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A new concept combines the versatility of a stereo microscope with the resolution of a compound microscope.
Today the demands from industry are totally different.
We need to be able to measure and repeat at micron levels with confidence and speed as well as extreme accuracy." We needed to measure moulds internally to ensure complete accuracy.
This could only be achieved using contact-free technology.
Lee continued, "last year, we looked at some new measurement technology from Nikon - the Nexiv - a contact-free metrology system with micron accuracy and very high repeatability.
Initially we were sceptical that a video-based non-contact system could be so accurate.
With Nikon's help we arranged for tests to be carried out using live samples alongside another manufacturer's Video measuring system, which at the time was considered to be the state of the art.
The NEXIV provided a wide range of measurements in the X, Y and Z-axes (using its TTL laser technology) with unerring accuracy and even revealed some problems with what we thought to be the ultimate system.
There was no doubt that we needed to invest in NEXIV and in Dec 1999 we took the plunge to be the first NEXIV user in the UK's engineering sector.
Since that day we have not looked back.
We have played an active role in helping Nikon in their development programme of adapting and creating new software and hardware modifications which are more in line with the needs of engineering than the semi-conductor industry, where NEXIV is already widely employed.
In return Nikon helped us with very competitive pricing and intensive sales and engineering support, making sure the unit was absolutely right for our needs.
The unit was delivered complete with all the necessary software modules that we were ever likely to need, which was unusual when compared with some competitive offerings.
Today we simply could not manage to achieve our extreme levels of accuracy without NEXIV technology.
The unit is continually helping us achieve cost savings through the reduction in time it takes to carry out measurement tasks." Lee then summarised his thoughts on NEXIV, "all in all this machine has completely surpassed any expectations we had for it." Matthew Hill is Technical Marketing Manager at Saint-Gobain Van Moppes.
He worked very closely with the team of engineers that finally selected the NEXIV system but his interest is very much from the sales perspective.
"NEXIV has proven to be a decisive factor in the selection of our company when it comes to winning contracts.
Our ability to guarantee micron accuracy has impacted on sales and helped create exciting new business opportunities for the company.
Matthew revealed, "The beauty of the NIKON NEXIV is that it gives me flexibility in the way in which I can measure.
All my customers tend to measure components in a different way.
What I can do with the NEXIV is to tailor the way in which measurements are taken to suit each customer's preference.
When measurements are in terms of fractions of microns, it becomes very important that we both use the same approach.
Another benefit is the consistency of accuracy offered by the Nikon unit even if different operators are involved.
NEXIV is now a point of focus in our factory when I show customers round.
They see the Nikon unit and at first they don't believe that non-contact measurement can be so accurate, then after a short demonstration they are suitably amazed.
Today the NEXIV has become a selling tool in our portfolio of excellence and has given us a significant advantage." Matthew continued, "it isn't just the ultra-accurate measurement for production where the NEXIV is a valuable tool, it's also applicable in the reverse engineering situation where we need to create CAD/CAM files direct from a model or existing component.
The NEXIV helps us produce the drawings and specifications in a fraction of the time normally taken for the task which in the past could have involved studying up to 30 drawings to define a sophisticated component such as a turbine blade." The result is a considerable cost saving for our customers and us.
In conclusion Matthew Hill said, "I believe NEXIV to be a significant tool in our sales armoury. Request a free brochure from Nikon UK ...
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