One aspect of the evolution of metrology in manufacturing can be shown with a clock and a pedometer. It wasn't too long ago that part inspection typically meant taking a finished part to a distant room where the measurement equipment resided, which took a lot of time.

Over the years, metrology equipment makers have worked to reduce that distance in space and time between measurement and production. Knowing that anytime a CNC machine spindle isn't turning means money lost, manufacturers have labored to allow necessary measurements to be made as close to the machine as possible. They've seen measurement equipment move from distant labs to nearer shop-floor-quality islands, then next to—and, finally, on or in—the machine making the part.

The Specto 3087 RC gage is for harsh-environment applications. Image courtesy of Heidenhain.

Integrating inspection with the parts-making process by integrating the respective equipment is a great time-saver, but it comes with a challenge: With chips flying and coolant spraying, the work envelope of a mill or lathe is not an ideal environment for the precision measuring equipment that was first developed for use in a controlled-environment laboratory.

Enter the Heidenhain Specto 3087 RC length gage, which increases productivity and efficiency, particularly in applications where, for reasons of time or accuracy, it isn't possible to clamp the workpiece on a separate device to inspect it.

Instead, the gage integrates a highly accurate measuring process directly into the production process. The gage reportedly is optimally designed for measurement applications in the harsh production-type environment common to metalcutting. It has a high level of ingress protection (IP67) that allows parts to be measured directly at the grinding, cutting or forming location instead of transferring them to quality islands or laboratories. Eliminating the need for a part to travel that distance saves time and money.

The Specto 3087 RC gage has a special housing for in-process measurements. In the plunger-rest position, it houses the plunger and a rubber bellows surrounding the plunger, as well as a splash guard cap to close the exit opening for the plunger in the housing. For a measurement, which is normally made when the coolant is switched off, only the plunger and its bellows extend from the housing.

The optical scanning provides position values with a maximum error of ±1μm over a 30mm (1.18") measuring range. Thanks to its stroke of 30mm and its high accuracy over its entire measuring range, it can measure diverse components from the same fixture. In addition, the optical scanning with the ball guide permits consistent repeatability when scanning oblique surfaces. Cycle time for measurements is less than 1.5 seconds.

For more information about Heidenhain Corp., Schaumburg, Ill., visit www.heidenhain.us or call (847) 490-1191.