Inspection & Quality

The L.S. Starrett Co. has introduced a series of Motorized Digital Test Frames for performing a range of basic, high volume in-situ lean manufacturing force testing applications including tension, compression, flexural cyclic, shear and friction. The Starrett FMM Digital Force Testers are part of the new Starrett L1 Line of entry level computer-based force measurement solutions.

Mahr Inc. announced that it has expanded its OPTIMAR 100, which is for testing dial and digital indicators, test indicators and dial comparators, with image processing for the automated testing of measuring equipment. A new upgrade kit now makes working with the measuring instrument safer and faster: a camera automatically records the indicated values of the test indicators and forwards them to a software for processing. The automated procedure saves time and replaces the exhausting and error-prone reading by the operator.

Marposs Corp. has announced the availability of its new Brankamp CMS-02 stand-alone system for collision monitoring and crash damage mitigation in machine tools. The system employs a ceramic strain sensor to detect irregularities in the production process by measuring elastic deformation in the range of 0.1 microns, and both slow and dynamically increasing forces which have damage potential. It then reacts extremely fast--in the range of 1 millisecond--by sending a stop signal to E-STOP helping to alleviate or even eliminate machine crashes that can result in high repair costs and long downtimes.

The L.S. Starrett Co. has introduced two new Bluetooth-enabled series of electronic digital bore gages with a range of accuracy and convenience features for increasing measurement throughput when inspecting internal hole dimensions. The 781BXT AccuBore electronic bore gages are a trigger-operated gaging system, and the 770BXT electronic bore gages, operated via thimble rotation, feature IP67 protection against dirt and coolant, making them ideal in harsh machining environments.

Vision Engineering Inc. announces the EVO Cam ll, a digital microscope designed with new features to improve image quality and enhance user productivity.

Phillips Precision's Products Div. announces its new Radial Loc-N-Load Plate as part of the Inspection Arsenal LEAN, Quick-Swap inspection fixture system. The Radial Loc-N-Load plate is 8 inches in diameter, 1/2"-thick black hard anodized aluminum with ¼-20 threaded holes. Because not every part is square we decided to use a radial hole pattern rather than a grid pattern in ½" offsets starting from the center hole. The smaller bolt circles have 30° spacing and the larger ones are 15°.

Mitutoyo America Corp. announces the release of MiCAT Planner v1.5 for the company's coordinate measuring machines. In as little as one click, MiCAT Planner automates the generation of measurement programs based on CAD models containing geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) information, as well as dimensional measuring equipment (DME). When no GD&T information exists, it can easily be added.

Renishaw announces the SFP2 – a new, improved surface finish measurement probe – for use with its REVO 5-axis measurement system on CMMs. The SFP2 probe increases the surface finish measurement ability of the REVO system, which offers a multisensor capability providing touch-trigger, high-speed tactile scanning and noncontact vision measurement on a single CMM.

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.

The biggest benefit a digital vision system provides is the machine's ability to automatically measure parts, whereas the human operator influences a manual analog measurement device, such as an optical comparator.

Tapmatic's Scribewriter Force II allows end users to utilize a single setup and mark a part with any logo or text as it is being made. This eliminates the need for separate stand-alone marking machines.

HEIDENHAIN announces the addition of the AMO LMF 9310 multisection linear encoder to its line of robust linear encoders. This TTL encoder is specifically designed for applications over 10' on manually operated machines and is compatible with HEIDENHAIN's ACU-RITE brand of digital readouts.