Standards

Estes Design and Manufacturing of Indianapolis has received its AS9100D certification for its quality management system governing the design, manufacture and assembly of fabricated sheet metal products.

Michelli Weighing & Measurement, a provider of industrial and precision measurement equipment and services, acquiredthe assets of Perry Scale Company, a respected name in the industry since 1936.

General Carbide Corporation, in partnership with Westmoreland County Forum for Workforce Development; held an exclusive student tour at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

A Dormer Pramet pilot project for AI-based quality inspection has been successfully launched in the production unit in Šumperk, Czechia. The company said that the project has opened the door to achieving even higher quality in its Pramet inserts.

The American Ladder Institute is spreading the word about safe ladder practices and training opportunities. Here are safety tips to keep in mind.

Renishaw heads to Eastec to demonstrate its latest smart manufacturing innovation designed to optimize shop floor processes.

With a market full of PPE options, choosing the right safety gear isn’t always an easy task. Plus, finding safe, comfortable PPE that workers will want to wear is more important than ever as the Occupational Health & Safety Administration continues to increase fines.

March is Ladder Safety Month. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ladder deaths accounted for 161 on-the-job fatalities in 2020, the most recent year for which statistics are available.

Trenton, a manufacturer of machines and tractors used for agricultural applications, has invested in new inspection technologies to improve quality and its processes.

PG Inspection Technologies has acquired the assets of Laser Measuring Technologies, manufacturer of the Accu-Tool and Accu-Edge inspection systems.

​​​​​​​“Before purchasing a Vicivision, we had to use a variety of different machines,” explained a representative for Didimo Zanetti, a leader in the production of gears, as he opens the doors of the workshop and details how quality control worked before investing in an optical measuring machine.

For manufacturers looking to reduce setup times, increase machine usage time and improve the dimensional accuracy of the finished workpieces, touch probes can offer great advantages.

For manufacturers looking to reduce setup times, increase machine usage time and improve the dimensional accuracy of the finished workpieces, touch probes can offer great advantages.

At the U.S. transmission plant of a global automotive manufacturing group, component inspection times have been reduced by half or more by upgrading the company’s coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) to incorporate 5-axis scanning technology in addition to touch probing.

At the U.S. transmission plant of a global automotive manufacturing group, component inspection times have been reduced by half or more by upgrading the company’s coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) to incorporate 5-axis scanning technology in addition to touch probing.

When looking at the place of metrology in the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” it is interesting to ponder whether Industry 4.0 is being driven by developments in metrology or metrology developments are being driven by Industry 4.0.

Counterfeiting is a challenging problem for bearing manufacturers. Laser marking is one way to overcome this problem.

A safe landing – with measuring technology from BLUM.

To ensure the surfaces on the gears are optimized, it is essential to use metrology tools to analyze, understand, and characterize.

To ensure the surfaces on the gears are optimized, it is essential to use metrology tools to analyze, understand, and characterize.

To ensure the surfaces on the gears are optimized, it is essential to use metrology tools to analyze, understand, and characterize.

In the cutting tool and toolholder industry, one of the reasons for Big Kaiser's success is its adherence to quality control -- in part by using measurement technology from Kistler to benchmark cutting tools.

In the cutting tool and toolholder industry, one of the reasons for Big Kaiser's success is its adherence to quality control -- in part by using measurement technology from Kistler to benchmark cutting tools.

The ultimate accuracy and reliability of a machine tool depends in no small degree on the alignment checking during its assembly. Seeking an alternative to traditional error measurement techniques, Hurco Manufacturing Ltd. (Hurco) chose Renishaw’s XK10 alignment laser system to increase both precision and throughput of its machine tools..

Technoset UK specializes in manufacturing highly complex, precision machined components for the aerospace market. After investing in production equipment, the company recently invested in a Vicivision laser-scanning machine.

Technoset UK specializes in manufacturing highly complex, precision machined components for the aerospace market. After investing in production equipment, the company recently invested in a Vicivision laser-scanning machine.

The Star Cutter Co. in Farmington Hills, Michigan, has promoted Bradley Cooper to service manager at its Elk Rapids, Michigan, location.

Using a Vicivision optical measuring machine to verify quality during grinding and other operations, Italy-based Bavieri Alfeo Precision Mechanics can obtain accurate results in seconds .

Precision aerospace part manufacturer Alloy Specialties is one of the first adopters of a new robotic quality inspection technology, Tempo, from Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division.

Voestalpine Rotec GmbH, a global leader in the manufacture of precision steel pipes and tubes, integrated an automated Rösler drag finishing system, the R 4/700 SF, that doubled the usable life of stamping tools.

Nightforce Optics in Orofino, Idaho, manufacturers riflescopes and other high-precision optics. To achieve quality specifications, the company upgraded its technology with a new CMM that supports a probe.

Nightforce Optics in Orofino, Idaho, manufacturers riflescopes and other high-precision optics. To achieve quality specifications, the company upgraded its technology with a new CMM that supports a probe.

Eriez’ new white paper, “Six Ways to Attack Metal Contamination to Improve Product Purity and Avoid Recalls,” covers best practices processing plants should implement to achieve the highest product purity and avoid costly tramp metal damage.

MaTech managed production for years using a project management software and a variety of Excel spreadsheets and manual processes. The company upgraded to an integrated production management system. The ERP software is from Global Shop Solutions.

Marposs, a supplier of measurement, inspection and test technologies, has launched a real-time remote testing and acceptance service.

At Emuge-Franken, manufacturers of threading, gaging, clamping and milling technology, sensors and dynamometers from Kistler are used to aid in the development of new precision tools.

Grinding jobs requires strict tolerances. On grinding machines, the tolerances for the dimensions, form and position of finishing processes run tight, and in many cases, shops check these specifications against hard data. Studer machines can use cameras and laser systems to in-process measurements.

To contact or not to contact. That is the measurement question. Today,  as parts get smaller and more complex, metrology discussions center around contact or non-contact measurement especially as these smaller and more complex components can be damaged by contact with a probe. 

Chicago Jet Group retrofitting a Dassault Falcons plane turned to a leading metrology provider for help in recreating a replica of a cockpit panel to ensure it would fit snugly in the cockpit.. 

Chicago Jet Group retrofitting a Dassault Falcons plane turned to a leading metrology provider for help in recreating a replica of a cockpit panel to ensure it would fit snugly in the cockpit.. 

From September to November, optical measurement supplier Bruker Alicona is hosting a U.S. roadshow. In more than 20 cities, exclusive demos of their optical metrology equipment will be organized under consideration of COVID regulations.  

From September to November, optical measurement supplier Bruker Alicona is hosting a U.S. roadshow. In more than 20 cities, exclusive demos of their optical metrology equipment will be organized under consideration of COVID regulations.  

Michigan Metrology, experts in solving problems related to surface texture, wear, finish and friction, are now offering courses in surface texture analysis, friction and wear in online formats.

Vision Engineering Inc., a manufacturer of optical and digital inspection and non-contact measurement systems based in New Milford, Connecticut, in June launched a microscope trade-in program for North America. Set up for a trade-in on any microscope, the program in return offers participants a 25% discount on Mantis eyepiece-less microscopes until Aug. 31.

Woodward Inc., with over 50 years of heritage in the aerospace industry, develops and delivers motion control and integrated propulsion systems. Much of Woodward's success can be attributed to an approach of applying total system solutions in meeting the needs of customers and staying at the forefront of served industries.

(Southlake, Texas) -- Two recent personal protective equipment-related projects completed by NVision Inc. demonstrate the growing role that noncontact scanning/measurement technologies have in the race to create products and designs to minimize exposure to COVID-19.

Exact Metrology Inc., a comprehensive metrology service provider, is offering free training videos on the company’s YouTube channel.

Weatherford, Texas – The Coordinate Metrology Society in collaboration with the PrecisionPath Consortium today announced the official launch of their 3D measurement industry-at-large survey at https://uncc.surveyshare.com/s/AYAGK6A.

LK Metrology Inc. has undertaken a targeted CMM assistance program for medical equipment manufacturers that is fully functional and ready to support and enhance their manufacturing capabilities during the COVID-19 crisis.

Wheeling, Illinois – SMW Autoblok, which focuses on the design and manufacture of rotational chucks, stationary workholding, tooling and custom-engineered solutions for the machine tool industry, announced that Shaun Thomas rejoined the Wheeling, Illinois, company as technical operations senior manager.

Exsys Tool Inc., the exclusive importer of Eppinger toolholders, adapters and specialty products, celebrates its 25th anniversary this June. For a quarter-century, Exsys, San Antonio, Florida, has served as an industry-leading supplier of CNC tooling and tool holders, including innovative products like the Preci-Flex modular toolholding system and a wide range of high-precision live and fixed toolholders for turning centers.

Materialise Group spin-off RapidFit has deployed a horizontal-arm coordinate measuring machine manufactured by LK Metrology in Derbyshire, U.K., to check the accuracy of bespoke gaging and holding fixtures produced for the automotive industry.

Of unique importance today is the role of post-process metrology to validate the integrity of AM builds. One specific reason for this importance is that many parts produced by AM end up in safety critical applications where end-use functionality is of vital importance. The nature and relative roughness of AM surfaces, whether analyzing individual layers within a build, or the surface of a finished part render conventional metrology solutions somewhat impotent. In this article, I review developments from Zygo including work alongside Richard Leach that allow for hitherto unattainable metrology results, which are being used to enhance the use of AM as a production technology by making validation protocols more efficient.

The ability to “see through” a solid object was once thought to be a tool of the future, or a power belonging to Superman–but the technology is here today, and more widespread and accessible than you may have though

MC Machinery Systems Inc. announces that Mark Kauffman has joined the team as a regional sales representative for Southern California, Nevada and New Mexico. Kauffman will utilize his industry expertise to increase product sales and customer satisfaction.

The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS), Weatherford, Texas, announced the launch of the industry’s first Level-One and Level-Two Certifications for traditional coordinate measuring machine professionals. Applicants for the CMS Level-One Certification must submit an application, meet eligibility requirements, sign the CMS code of ethics, and pass a peer review. Candidates for the CMS Level-Two Certification must possess a Level-One Certification, have two years experience using a CMM (minimum 400 hours), and submit an application with two references who can confirm their hands-on expertise.

Markus Stolmar has been elected as the new president and CEO by the board of directors for United Grinding North America Inc., Miamisburg, Ohio.

Continental needed a high capacity system capable of rapid inspection cycles combined with fast surface scanning and accurate feature measurements, the aim being to gain more comprehensive insight into the company’s products. The range includes electronic and hydraulic brake and chassis control systems, wheel and engine speed sensors, airbag electronics and electronic air suspension systems.

Test Equipment Distributors LLC (TED) has appointed Jeff Sengenberger as sales representative for nondestructive testing (NDT) equipment and services. He is responsible for sales and technical support in the Midwest U.S., including Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.

NVision Inc., in cooperation with the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, is making it possible for those with vision-impairment to interactively engage with some of the great works by modern sculptors. NVision, a leader in 3D noncontact optical scanning/measurement for more than 29 years, recently scanned several sculptures by Auguste Rodin (perhaps best-known for his sculpture, The Thinker) and Julio González for the Nasher. The scanning data was used to 3D-print to-scale replicas of the sculptures for a tactile educational experience for the blind and visually impaired.

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) and the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center – Research & Development (OMIC R&D) have united to define a set of Metrology standards and to develop a metrology certification process. Metrology, the study of measurement, has far-reaching applications in the manufacturing industry. The ability to compare and verify a physical part against its CAD model is in high demand, and that demand is predicted to increase.

DAYTON, Ohio—Five-axis coordinate measuring machine OEM AIMS Metrology announced the hiring of Chris Brown as national sales manager.

G.H. Tool & Mold has expanded its capacity and capability by adding a second GOM ATOS Triple Scan high-resolution, 3D optical digitizer for automated measuring and inspection of its casting dies.

Contract inspection and reverse engineering capacity has doubled in terms of throughput, while the size of the component that can be measured has increased more than five-fold at Laser Scanning Ltd., based in Chapeltown, U.K., near Sheffield. It follows the installation of a second, larger coordinate measuring machine built by LK Metrology Ltd. at its Castle Donington, England, factory.

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) has launched a new credential to validate an instructor’s or evaluator’s parts inspection skills.

Swift work by NVision Inc. helped a major U.S. airline quickly repair a bird-damaged Boeing 737 wing and return the restored jet back to flight in just two days. The rapid turnaround helped the airline avoid the financial losses typically incurred by grounding aircraft.

The ability to “see through” a solid object was once thought to be a tool of the future, or a power belonging to Superman–but the technology is here today, and more widespread and accessible than you may have thought. Until recently, the technology of CT imaging was only available for use in medical settings. Over the last several years, it has found a new home in the world of manufacturing, and is opening up myriad opportunities never before available.

All machining operations have inherent variation caused by machine positioning errors, material variances, fixturing, tooling load and thermal changes. Many companies employ metrology at the end of machining to ensure that good parts go out the door, but it does little to improve manufacturing efficiency. Applying metrology before and during machining processes keeps operations in tight control, significantly improving process yield and final part quality at a much lower cost of production.

My latest trip took me to Las Vegas, where I attended HxGN LIVE 2019. Hosted by Sweden-headquartered Hexagon AB, the ninth biennial conference took place June 11-14 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center adjacent to The Venetian and The Palazzo resorts, and I participated in the Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence division’s media program.

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), in partnership with Festo Didactic, will establish industry-recognized skills standards and ultimately credentials for jobs related to Industry 4.0. In light of the significant trend in digitalization of manufacturing through technology advancements such as Industrial Internet of Things (IoT), training in these skills is vitally needed now. With NIMS’ emphasis on manufacturing skills training, credentialing and standards, plus Festo’s complete Industry 4.0 learning Factories, courseware and eLearning integration, the two organizations are poised to provide the training programs for Industry 4.0.

Industry 4.0 is making inroads into several industrial sectors, creating massive demand for measurement and inspection technologies offering superior reliability precision, and stability. There has been a quantum leap in growth of the global industrial landscape, resulting in higher demands for high-quality precision measuring tools for reduced turnaround time and costs. Rising end user focus on quality-orientated operations as a key to high competitiveness is fuelling investments in the precision measuring tools market. Sensing the importance of a synchronized production as an essential aspect in optimal productivity, operators of manufacturing industries are willing to spend on better-than-the-rest precision measuring tools more than ever before.

For the second time in its North American Headquarters, Zoller Inc. is hosting an Open House and Technology Days Event May 8-9.

As the aerospace industry in Canada and around the world continues to increase its use of automated composite manufacturing techniques to produce large aircraft components, the industry is eager to find solutions to manufacture reliable, safe, and cost effective composite structures. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and Fives are working together to improve the efficiency of manufacturing composite parts. They are developing an advanced profilometer that will provide faster and more accurate part inspection.

ST. LOUIS (November 7, 2018)- WB industries, a custom metal and structural fabrication, welding, and precision machining company, announces the addition of Ricky Goble as its Machining Supervisor.

umati (universal machine tool interface) moves one step ahead towards becoming a generally accepted standard. VDW, the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association and the OPC Foundation establish a so-called joint working group. Interested parties are cordially invited to participate with immediate effect.

PROVIDENCE, RI – September 6, 2018 –  Mahr Inc., a provider of dimensional metrology solutions, announced today a three-year extension of the company’s long-standing technology partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) to ensure the ultimate quality of designs for its racing teams through the use of metrology.

From a one-man engineering office to a technology and global market leader in just 50 years - a rare occurrence even in south-west Germany with all its "hidden champions." Blum-Novotest GmbH has achieved this not only through hard work but by being innovative, intelligent and diligent. To mark this event, the company held the BLUM TECH-TALK under the title "50 years of Innovation" in a special setting on 7 June 2018: Numerous guests from more than 20 countries heard keynote speeches from leading experts, saw interesting demonstrations in the BLUM Tech-Centre and witnessed the unveiling of a product that combines the experience gained from over 50 years in this field.

Rocklin Manufacturing, Sioux City, Iowa, has a long and storied history that began in 1934 during the height of The Depression. Just 8 years later, founder I.J. Rocklin moved the company to a uniquely constructed, two-story brick building built in 1912. Now, after a massive restoration effort that began in 2016, the company once again is calling this historic building home.

Measuring and gaging are two distinct forms of dimensional inspection. Measuring is a direct-reading process, in which the instrument incorporates a continuous scale of units, against which the part is compared directly. Examples of measuring instruments include steel rules, Vernier calipers and micrometers.

An interview with Nikon's Corporate Vice President Tadashi Nakayama provides insight into the strategy of the firm's Industrial Metrology Business Unit, of which he is deputy general manager. In particular, he explained the company’s strategic focus on Quality 4.0, where digital, automated and connected inspection enables complete process control from design through manufacture.

ZOLLER Inc. welcomed more than 150 visitors to its premier 2-day Open House & Innovations Days event, which took place on June 19th and June 20th at the company's new North American Headquarters and Industry 4.0 Tech Center, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Apart from offering customers, partners, suppliers and the press the opportunity to tour the new state-of-the-art building, the key focus over the 2 days was demonstrating ZOLLER’s ‘Smart Factory” Solutions. The solutions, including tool presetting and measuring, tool inspection, software and automation solutions, offer seamless connectivity at each stage of the production process. ZOLLER’s innovative, Industry 4.0 solutions allow significant time and cost savings for companies of all sizes in diverse industries.

Zoller Inc. hosted its open house and Innovation Days event June 19-20 at the tool presetting and measuring equipment manufacturer’s new facility in Ann Arbor, Mich.

It is certainly not news that, more and more, dedicated gages are being placed at the point of manufacture. Tight-tolerance measurements that were once performed in a semiclean room by a trained inspection technician are now being done right next to the machine, often by the machinist. But just because shop floor gaging has become commonplace, doesn't mean that just any gage can be taken onto the shop floor. To assure good gage performance, there are a number of specifications and care issues which need to be addressed.

When the topic of energy efficiency comes up, energy-efficient machine tools don’t immediately spring to mind. Yet machine tools contain motors and auxiliary components whose energy demand varies widely during machining operations. Happily, a new series of ISO standards can help measure energy supplied and improve machine design and performance.

Mahr Inc. has partnered with the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) engineering department to offer students the opportunity to work on real-world engineering and manufacturing problems. As part of the URI capstone project, students in their senior year are selected to take part in a year-long capstone project focused on automation of submicron precision finishing of ring gages.

When seeking straightness, as well as parallelism, perpendicular end cuts and other important geometric dimensioning and tolerancing features, the goals at Metal Cutting Corp. are cost-effectiveness and high-quality, tight-tolerance parts. To that end, the company finds that using qualitative test methods for straightness and other features consistently helps keep production costs under control while delivering the results that customers need.

If a spindle breaks down, what is your company’s plan of action? Is it the most practical and efficient way to deal with a down spindle? Spindles need maintenance at varying intervals based on the length and design of their operation. Normal use of any machine will cause wear and tear, the spindle being the component that receives the majority of the wear. It is necessary for spindles to run at the right speeds and feeds to minimize wear. Because of this, a good spindle program should consider the specific operational information of each individual spindle.

Last week's blog post on the successors of Rosie the Riveter inspired a reader to share her own experience as an early woman in manufacturing. Lois Anderson was tasked with walking into plants in Southwestern Michigan to convince dubious managers and workers to use new methods to improve their production quality and efficiency. In the end, she helped them excel.

Easy, accurate tracking of items through the manufacturing process is becoming more and more important in the quality-conscious 'Smart-Factory' era. RFID tagging has distinct advantages as a tracking method, but barcode scanning has its adherents too.

In the digitized manufacturing world being born, the product that a job-shop produces is less a piece of engineered metal and more a piece of intellectual property. So said Tom Kelly, the executive director and CEO of Detroit’s Automation Alley. That difference brings risks but also unprecedented opportunities for those who are ready.

I attended ‘Integr8,’ an Industrial Internet of Things conference hosted by Automation Alley at Detroit’s Renaissance Center last month. At numerous breakout sessions, a common question from participants was, “How do I get started with getting my shop floor connected?” This was an event full of experts enthused by the possibilities that IIoT hold for manufacturers, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear many of them reply, in effect: “With moderation.”

Frost & Sullivan's latest analysis, "Adoption of IIoT in the Global Test and Measurement Market, Forecast to 2022," finds that the value of the Industrial Internet of Things in test and measurement market is expected to reach $104.8 million by 2022 growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.7 percent from 2016. The research assesses market dynamics including trends, drivers, restraints, forecasts, mega trends and industry convergence implications, and opportunities in end-user verticals.

Kitagawa-NorthTech Inc., Schaumburg, Ill., which specializes in standard chucks, advanced chucks, custom-engineered workholding and steady rests, announced that Shawn Luschei has rejoined the company as senior manager of sales for North America.

Like most of us, Jay Hegemann deletes a lot of emails every day. Everything from miracle cures for baldness to special offers from credit card vendors go right into the trash. However, something about the email from Keyence’s sales engineer earlier this spring caught Hegemann’s eye and he decided to take another look. It’s a good thing, because the product advertised in that message has been a game changer for this small manufacturing firm.

User error is a more common cause of unplanned downtime in the manufacturing sector than almost any other sector, according to a new Vanson Bourne global study, sponsored by ServiceMax from GE Digital. Unplanned downtime triggered by user error is 23% compared to as low as 9% in other sectors. (And did that robot just snicker?)

A survey designed to assess manufacturers’ preparedness for Industry 4.0 changes polled 537 manufacturing executives across eight industry segments. The vast majority of manufacturers surveyed have recognized the need for industrial transformation, with most already taking action. Those that have done so say they are already seeing benefits as a result.

Most inspection-in-manufacturing features these days are about precision metrology equipment. This one is about people. More frequent rotation of (human) plant inspectors at medical device manufacturing facilities could benefit consumers and lead to fewer product recalls. That's the finding of a seven-year review of Food and Drug Administration inspections of and subsequent recalls at such facilities.

FANUC America has selected HEIDENHAIN’s tocuh probes for use and training on its popular ROBODRILLs in its recently expanded CNC machining laboratory in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Vision Engineering Ltd. announces the loss of founder Rob Freeman, MBE, who passed away on Aug.19, aged 84.

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence North America hosted an exclusive celebratory event and book signing Aug. 21 to recognize the nearly 185-years of Rhode Island’s rich industrial history. The event showcased Gerald Carbone's new book titled "Brown & Sharpe and the Measure of American Industry,honoring the legacy of Henry D. Sharpe Jr.