Inspection & Quality

It's not the most glamorous piece of equipment by any means, but the ball bar is a diagnostic tool used, in some form, to benchmark the performance of virtually every machine tool sold, according to Harold Schoch, vice president of technology and sales for Konecranes, Erlanger, Ky.

RVP, Renishaw's new vision measurement probe for use with the REVO 5-axis measurement system on coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), increases the multiple-sensor capability of REVO by adding noncontact inspection to the exisiting touch-trigger, high-speed tactile scanning and surface finish measurement capability of the system.

Machine failure is costly. Beyond the immediate machine repair and replacement expenses lie lost profits resulting from manufacturing downtime. The good news is, by using PCE Instruments' borescopes for machine condition monitoring, manufacturers can identify changes indicative of a machine fault and take corrective action prior to critical machine failure.

Baumer presents an innovative and compact sensor for measurement of demanding surfaces. The new multiple-spot MESAX laser distance sensor is immediately ready-to-use and provides accurate and repeatable measurement results, without elaborate conversion or external software.

Mitutoyo America Corp. introduces the 519 series of high-accuracy Mu-Checker probes and displays. These electronic gaging systems are suitable for a range of applications from the inspection room to production-line integration.

»titan«, the new high-end universal genius from Zoller Inc., allows fully automated measurements including cutting edge preparation using one system.

With its broad range of measurement accessories, the new Multimar 25 EWR Digital Universal Caliper from Mahr Federal is a versatile and configurable caliper for ID and OD measurement requirements. Available in four capacities with outside measuring ranges up to 1,250 mm (50 in.), the 25 EWR is an ideal tool for measuring outside and inside dimensions, narrow collars, external and internal tapers, dovetails, grooves, distances between hole centers, for centering shoulders and scribing workpieces.

A portable, battery-powered, NTEP-approved bench scale with a removable display for easy viewing when setting up for high-volume UPS box shipping applications is available from Alliance Scale Inc. The Alliance/CAS PB series portable bench scale is lightweight and has a carrying handle with a display that is removable for easy viewing and can be supplied with an optional wall-mount bracket.

The Ion 4.3 Inspection Magnifier, which can provide quality control inspectors a crystal clear image on its screen, is announced by Titan Tool Supply Inc. Because it was designed to replicate the look and feel of an optical magnifier, the Ion is said to be suitable for quick and immediate use, fast to start, comfortable to hold and highly intuitive to use.

END USER: Kluba Machine LLC, (636) 390-4088. SOLUTION PROVIDER: CNC Software Inc., (800) 228-2877, www.mastercam.com. CHALLENGE: Improve cycle times and spindle uptime while maintaining part quality. SOLUTION: CAD/CAM software.

Around for more than 100 years, air gaging is a mature technology that still has a place in modern shops.

SIC Marking says its scribing technology guarantees a high-quality mark and is ideal for requirements that include Optical Character Recognition (OCR) or aesthetics concerns, such as logos and symbols. SIC Marking's product range runs from standard machines to custom engineered solutions. All systems are created with careful attention to bring functional design, quality, innovation and performance to manufacturing lines.