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Geometric has released CAMWorks 2010, the latest version of its solids-based CNC programming solution.

This computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) software is suitable for automotive port finishing, impellers, turbine blades, cutting tools, five-axis trimming and undercut machining.

Various improvements have been made to enable users to program parts faster and more easily.

For turning, the ability to define variable allowances along the feature provides more control while reducing the time and complexity of programming.

For turning and mill/turn machining involving irregular casting stock shapes, an STL file can now be used to represent the stock.

While creating a more realistic simulation, this also simplifies the stock definition and results in a more efficient and predictable tool path.

CAMWorks 2010 includes many improvements to multi-axis machining; these improvements enable tool-path generation on increasingly complex part models, according to the company.

New controls have been added to simplify the processing of impellers and blisks.

Safely entering and retracting from the part has become more flexible and easier than previous versions.

Visualisation enhancements have been made to feature, tooling and stock display.

These changes offer a more realistic representation of the machining environment to simplify programming and improve productivity.

The computation for machining time has been modified and updated to provide a more accurate estimate.

This information can be used for costing and process planning purposes.

Support for SQL Server Express has also been added to improve performance in large-scale deployments of CAMWorks.

CAMWorks is a Solidworks-certified Gold CAM product that provides machining capabilities integrated in Solidworks.

According to the company, CAMWorks can run within Solidworks or as part of a cost-effective computer-aided-design (CAD)/CAM package that includes CAMWorks Solids and an integrated solid modeller.

CAMWorks 2010 supports Solidworks 2009 and 2010 running under 32- and 64-bit XP, Vista and Windows 7.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/gev/gev124.html

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There are many CNC routers that are available and more seem to be produced every day but none have the features of machines offered at a price of $16,995 for a 4ft x 8ft travel model says the maker.

There are many CNC routers that are available and more seem to be produced every day but none off the features of the new Techno LC Series at a price of $16,995 for a 4ft x 8ft travel model.

A new brochure from Techno introduces the three new models of the LC Series CNC routers produced by Techno.

All three models feature a welded and ground steel frame for rigidity under the heaviest cuts.

The design also includes THK rails and bearings as well as ball screws to ensure minimal maintenance and high positioning accuracy and repeatability as well as machine longevity.

The new CNC routers also feature closed loop servomotors for high speed and accuracy without the possibility of losing position as happens with stepper motors.

And the unit is shipped fully assembled and tested, ready to run.

The LC Class of CNC Routers is ideal for the production routing of plastics, wood, aluminum, composites, etc, either in nested base form or individual component processing.

Beyond the heavy-duty frame and design, the new LC Class comes standard with Techno’s easy to use Windows PC based interface.

This interface accepts industry standard GCODE produced by virtually every CAD/CAM and sign making software system.

Most major functions are just one-click away with the new Techno CNC Windows Interface, including: a built-in GCODE editor and toolpath preview, production logging and reporting, infinite look-ahead and continuous 3D motion and free lifetime software updates via the Internet to name a few.

The standard routers are provided with heavy-duty aluminum “T” slot table surfaces and have vacuum tables available as options as well.

A unique feature of the Techno LC Routers is that they offer both T-slots and vacuum hold down on the same machine to provide exceptional hold down flexibility.

Information on the new models and the available options is provided in the brochure, identified as H869.

This brochure provides detailed specs for this series which is available in 3-standard sizes from 30in x 24in, 50in x 59in and 59in x 96in.

For additional technical information, please contact Roy Valentine, CNC Sales Manager.

http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/toi/toi103.html

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Mills CNC has introduced the 360 Training Academy in recognition of the need for precision manufacturers to change existing manufacturing methods and business practices.
Jeff Hart, 360 Training Academy manager, said the academy was established and precision manufacturers looking to improve performance should consider CNC programmer training as a strategic and cost-effective way forward.
‘Through investing in high-quality training, manufacturers can get the most from their CNC machine tools by sharpening up the knowledge and skills of CNC machine tool programmers and operators, allowing commercial and bottom line benefits to be realised,’ he added.
Hart said that these benefits include: job set-up completed more quickly and more efficiently; time and resources spent checking and re-checking work is reduced, and the likelihood of having to re-work or scrap jobs is eliminated; machine tool utilisation is improved and production bottlenecks are avoided by being able to exploit the full functionality of machine tools; and higher-value contracts can be won more easily as manufacturers can demonstrate that they have the right people, with the right skills, to deliver on time and on budget.
The 360 Training Academy is part of Mills CNC, a UK machine tool supplier and exclusive distributor of Doosan CNC machine tools in the UK and Ireland.
All CNC programmer training courses have been designed and are delivered by industry experts.
The courses are practical and hands on - the emphasis being on ‘learning by doing’.
Courses take place at Mills CNC’s facility in Leamington, which allows course attendees direct access to the very latest Doosan CNC machine tools and the ability to try out their newly learned skills in real time and in a real manufacturing environment.
Fanuc programmer courses cover everything from two-axis lathes right through to multi-axis turning centres - and milling machines through to mill-turn centres - with specialist and advanced Custom Macro A and Macro B courses also available.
Heidenhain programmer courses cover all aspects of three-, four- and five-axis milling.
All 360 Training Academy CNC programmer courses are supported by course manuals (supplied to course attendees) and, following successful completion, all attendees receive a 360 Training Certificate that details the course they have attended and the skills they have acquired.
‘Although the 360 Training Academy is located at Mills CNC - you don’t have to be a Doosan machine tool user or existing Mills customer to attend these courses,’ said Hart.
‘Since the academy was launched in September 2009, more than 40 per cent of course attendees have been users of other CNC machine tools,’ he added.

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CMMs Offering compatibility with leading CMM software packages such as Aberlink 3D, Axel, PowerInspect, Virtual DMIS, Camio and Capps, Deva CMM products are available in retrofit package.

CMMs Offering compatibility with leading CMM software packages such as Aberlink 3D, Axel, PowerInspect, Virtual DMIS, Camio and Capps, Deva CMM products are available in retrofit package.

Deva Electronic Controls offer a highly successful range of CMM products for the manufacture and retrofit of both manual and automatic coordinate measuring machines.

Now on offer is an economical retrofit package offering standard Deva CMM products with the added benefit of a financial saving.

A manual machine retrofit package can include a Deva 001 3-axis PCI Encoder Interface card, 3 x Deva 018 Sine Wave Interpolators and 3 x Deva 023 Reader Head Pre Amp for an inclusive price of GBP 694.

For automatic machines, the Deva 004 3-axis PCI CMM Controller, 3 x Deva 018 Sine Wave Interpolator and 3 x Deva 023 Reader Head Pre Amp is on offer at an inclusive price of GBP 1440.

Offering compatibility with leading CMM software packages such as Aberlink 3D, Axel, PowerInspect, Virtual DMIS, Camio and Capps, the Deva CMM products offer competitive quality and value for money.

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Renishaw is focusing on measurement time and throughput issues at Control 2006, with a range of revolutionary new five-axis scanning systems for co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs).

Renishaw is focusing on measurement time and throughput issues at Control 2006, with a range of revolutionary new five-axis scanning systems for co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs).

Control is the world’s leading exhibition for quality assurance technologies, and takes place in Sinsheim, Germany from 9th to 12th May, with Renishaw exhibiting in Hall 6, stand 6302.

The most significant advance in CMM technology for 20 years, Renscan5 is a new enabling technology that will allow highly accurate, ultra high speed five-axis scanning measurement on CMMs.

This new technology allows the development of a range of breakthrough five-axis scanning products that will measure at speeds of up to 500 mm/second, and virtually eliminates the measurement errors normally associated with existing three-axis scanning systems.

The first product to take advantage of the new Renscan5 technology is REVO, a revolutionary measuring head and probe system that will maximise inspection throughput, whilst maintaining a high-level of system accuracy.

REVO uses synchronised motion when scanning to quickly follow changes in part geometry, without introducing its own dynamic errors.

This allows the CMM to move at a constant velocity along a constant vector whilst measurements are being taken, removing the inertial errors that result from acceleration of the machine during conventional 3-axis scanning.

Also being shown is Renishaw’s new Gyro dynamic measuring head for DCC co-ordinate measuring machines, offering a compact and versatile measurement solution adaptable to suit multiple applications, whether for touch trigger probing or full five-axis scanning measurement.

Available early in 2007, Gyro is an infinitely positioning dynamic measuring head designed for efficient accessibility to part features.

Rapid orientation of the stylus results in significantly lower inspection cycle times, thus maximising throughput.

Users can easily access features to be measured, and optimise system performance by ensuring the probe is aligned at the optimum angle for accurate measurement.

Gyro is available in three levels of functionality, providing a measurement solution for today, with the ability to upgrade to solve the inspection problems of tomorrow.

Gyro with touch-trigger probe functionality is a touch-trigger only product designed to optimise feature accessibility, and greatly enhance the way single measurement points are taken.

In many cases, features can be measured using only the motion of the head.

Gyro with Renscan3 technology incorporates scanning functionality to achieve rapid measurement, even though reliant on CMM motion, as the head remains stationary.

Traditionally, CMM motion scanning applications are restricted to around 10 mm/sec if accuracy is to be maintained.

However, by utilising patented technology, Gyro with Renscan3 allows 3-axis scanning at up to 150 mm/sec.

Gyro with Renscan5 gives full 5-axis scanning functionality whereby both the CMM and the head axes move synchronously.

The advantages provided by a 5-axis system using Renscan5 technology are primarily the elimination of the dynamic errors caused by the mass of the moving CMM structure, allowing scanning speeds up to 500 mm/sec by using the motion of the head.

As the Gyro head is much lighter and more dynamic than the CMM, with a significantly better frequency response, it is able to quickly follow changes in the part geometry without introducing harmful dynamic errors.

This minimises the demands on the CMM, as in the majority of cases it is simply required to move along a vector at constant velocity.

Based on the same laser tip-sense probe technology as the revolutionary Revo head, Gyro benefits from a novel probe design that uses laser light to accurately sense the exact tip position.

This ensures that measurement takes place as close to the point of stylus contact as possible and eliminates errors associated with using conventional long styli.

The novel probe design is incorporated within the construction of the Gyro head, where the probe is capable of 3-axis measurement in the X, Y and Z directions.

This, together with an extensive range of M2 compatible stylus holder lengths, makes Gyro suitable for both small and large DCC CMMs, optimising machine working volume and protecting future investment.

Stylus changing is realised via Gyro stylus change ports that are compatible with Renishaw’s popular MRS (modular rack system).

Used in conjunction with these stylus holders, Gyro change ports provide fast, repeatable stylus exchange, without the need for re-qualification of the stylus tip.

The real strength of the Gyro system is its versatility and adaptability to a user’s changing requirements.

Through a simple software upgrade, Gyro with touch-trigger functionality can be transformed to 3-axis or ultimately 5-axis scanning functionality, opening the door to vast improvements in throughput.

At the heart of Renscan5 products, and therefore Gyro, is Renishaw’s UCC2, universal CMM controller.

This contains the processor power to run the head and the CMM synchronously and provides the platform necessary to upgrade from touch-trigger probing to full 5-axis scanning.

Gyro, along with the ultra-high performance Revo head are the future for high-speed, high-accuracy measurement on CMMs.

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Metris has launched the XC50-LS cross scanner with long stand-off distance for CMM-based feature inspection and reverse engineering applications at Control 2006.

Metris has launched the XC50-LS cross scanner with long stand-off distance for CMM-based feature inspection and reverse engineering applications at Control 2006.

The patented cross scanner technology combines three laser stripes into a single sensor, enabling efficient scanning of features such as holes and slots without having to re-orientate the sensor.

With its 180 mm stand-off distance the XC50-LS enables scanning into deep pockets and over clamps.

Furthermore, while scanning regular surfaces, the XC50-LS can work in single stripe mode as such measuring as a standard LC50 laser scanner.

Laser scanners have a proven track record in first article inspection, production quality control and problem troubleshooting.

Compared to touch probe measurements, laser scanning provides faster measurements and full part information.

A single scan of a traditional line scanner very often does not provide enough information to inspect features like holes, slots and gap and step.

In this case multiple scans with different orientations of the scanner would be needed.

This not only requires a motorized 6th axis (C-axis) on the CMM, but will inevitably increase the total measurement time.

The patented cross scanner technology combines three line scanners each rotated over 120deg into a single sensor, eliminating the need to scan features multiple times to get enough information for inspection purposes.

As each of the laser is slightly tilted, the cross scanner additionally can look into features providing real 3D information.

The XC50 cross scanner has been first introduced by Metris in 2004 and has been proven to be very effective in many customer applications.

The new XC50-LS features a 180 mm stand-off distance -the distance between camera and measurement object- which enables the scanner to look into deep pockets which are typical for body panels.

Due to the long stand-off it is also possible to move over the clamps that attach the part to the fixture eliminating time consuming maneuvering around these clamps.

On some surfaces, a single scan direction provides enough information for the job at hand.

In this case the XC50-LS can work in single stripe mode, increasing the scanning speed with a factor of 3.

This way the XC50-LS offers the strengths of a cross scanner and a traditional line scanner in a single sensor.

The XC50-LS is supported in combination with all major CMM brands.

On the Metris LK range of bridge and horizontal arm CMM, its full functionality can be accessed directly form within Camio Studio.

The resulting point clouds can be further processed in Focus Inspection for feature and part-to-CAD inspection, in Focus Reverse Engineering and a wide range of other point cloud processing packages.

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Metris launched a new generation CMM at the Control Show in Sinsheim (Germany), the first since its takeover of LK.

Metris launched a new generation CMM at the Control Show in Sinsheim (Germany).

The Libero is the first release of a new CMM product since Metris acquired LK in January and is significant in highlighting the rapid integration of the two metrology companies.

The machine, with it’s distinctive raised guide way, is a high performance CMM, aimed at the high accuracy- high throughput market dominated by the automotive and aerospace industries.

Featuring a granite table, a ceramic beam and spindle, the Libero continues the tradition of providing metrology structures that provide stiffness and stability with drive systems that offer smooth and efficient motion control to users requiring very high accuracy, reliability and low cost of ownership.

The Libero has two distinctive design features that provide much greater stiffness to the metrology structure.

A characteristic that is vital in quick and successful high accuracy scanning.

In raising the X-axis guideway the drive has been positioned much closer to the centre of gravity and coupled with the inclusion of an S-Axis scale to dynamically compensate for X Axis errors this has created a significant increase in the stiffness of the structure.

Initial testing of the Libero on shopfloor benchmarks resulted already in a doubling of the capability index on many of the measured features when compared to a metrology lab machine located in a temperature controlled and clean environment.

Primarly designed as an analogue scanning solution, the Libero is a significant development in the marketplace.

For the first time it provides a CMM with the high scanning performance characteristics previously only reached in the metrology lab into the shopfloor environment and provides it without the need to provide expensive and restrictive enclosures.

The new CMM will be available in three machine sizes and three machine variants.

All of the variants are fitted with temperature compensation and pneumatic AVM’s as standard.

The Libero+ is designed to be a very high accuracy laboratory machine but the Libero and the Libero Therma are designed for shopfloor use with the Therma having a temperature range of 15 to 30 deg C making it suitable for high performance in a very hostile thermal environment.

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Rugby-based ITP Group believes that the 7.3m high coordinate measuring machine (CMM) it has built for Beijing Space Authority to measure satellites may be the tallest CMM in the world.

Rugby-based ITP Group believes that the 7.3m high coordinate measuring machine (CMM) it has built for Beijing Space Authority to measure satellites may be the tallest CMM in the world.

The company makes large scale CMMs for the motor industry, with truck makers among its regular customers.

But, says founder and managing director Dick Turpin, it has also built up a business in making bespoke machines for sectors such as nuclear power and Formula One.

“Three years ago, we opened a small office in China, with the main purpose being to buy granite for our machines, but also to sell into China,” said Turpin.

ITP was approached by the space group to build a single CMM to measure small commercial satellites.

Having delivered one machine in 2003, it was contracted last year to build a bigger one, with the possibility of two more being ordered later.

“The satellites are 6m vertical and 3m square,” said Turpin.

The machines can measure all faces of the satellites with an accuracy of 0.15mm volumetric.

The machine design has a measuring / machining capacity of 5m in the X Axis, 6m in the Z Axis and 1.6m in the Y Axis.

The machine is constructed from high quality, stress relieved fabrications and uses the highest accuracy Schneeberger linear slides.

The machine is controlled through a machine-tool controller, specially adapted to also allow measurement and light machining operations such as fly cutting of aluminium surfaces and drilling of materials such as aluminum and carbon fibre.

The machine is equipped with a two axis manually controlled indexable head for machining and a two axis CNC controlled indexable head for measurement.

The software for measurement is ITP Group’s standard 32 Bit three-axis measurement software, with modules for geometric and surface measurement.

The machining software utilizes standard ISO G.M.T codes.

The machine can either be used manually via a joystick, or under full CNC control for both measurement and machining operations.

Entire satellite constructions can be mounted on the 2m diameter CNC controlled rotary table, which is used for indexing to the correct radial position prior to measurement and machining.

Machine drives are spiral rack and pinion for the X Axis and friction drives for the Y and Z Axes.

Counterbalance of the Z Axis is achieved mechanically and the Y Axis includes a unique counterbalance system to compensate for any deflection of the arm.

The linear three-axis position is given from Renishaw RG2 linear scales, having a resolution of 0.001mm.

The machine accuracy falls within 0.15mm volumetric.

To accommodate the new machine inside its factory, ITP has had to dig a pit in its factory floor.

It has also changed the fundamental design of the machine: where standard largescale CMMs have a bridge structure, ITP’s machines mostly have a horizontal arm extending from a column.

But for this huge machine, Turpin has designed one in which the “column” is a structure composed of angle plates with the arm coming through the middle.

This, said Turpin, gives it ‘extra rigidity’ and enables the tolerances to be achieved at full extension.

A tapering design on the cross-arm also adds to accuracy.

The CMM has a Renishaw touch probe as standard and is also fitted with an indexable milling insert for light machining.

Turpin says the combination of measuring and milling has been successful in recent years, especially in milling clay car-body models in prototyping for new vehicles.

And it offers milling to many customers, with NC systems built into the CMM operating system.

Building CMMs for Chinese satellite makers might seem like a bit of a niche, but these large scale multi-function CMMs are suitable for any automotive / aerospace / nautical application where traditional machine tools are too cumbersome or inaccurate

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Portable measurement device enables manufacturers to verify that a part meets the CAD file’s specs to within 0.0002in - right on the machine that is producing the part.

Faro UK will demonstrate its new PowerGAGE at a free workshop to be held at Delcam’s Birmingham, UK, headquaters on 6th June.

The PowerGAGE,which saw its UK launch at the recent MACH 2006 exhibition, is a new measurement device that adds CAD-to-part analysis capability to the FARO Gage product line.

The Faro PowerGAGE is the only portable measurement device that enables manufacturers to verify that a part meets the CAD file’s specs to within 0.0002in - right on the machine that is producing the part.

It is different from its Faro Gage and Gage-PLUS counterparts in that it incorporates Delcam’s PowerINSPECT software, allowing it to perform part-to-CAD analysis.

When equipped with both of PowerINSPECT’s Programmer and Play-Only modules, PowerGAGE users can do the following.

* Create inspection programs/routines offline for anyone in the facility to run.

* Import all major industry CAD formats.

* Perform surface inspection against master CAD files.

* Receive on-screen instructions including images and videos.

* Access a full suite of geometric inspection tools.

* Automatically optimize the viewing angle of the part as they measure.

* Save all inspection data and run customized reports.

The PowerGAGE, which resembles a short, metallic arm, is a high-tech, yet user-friendly manufacturing inspection device.

Instead of taking the part to an expensive fixed CMM in a climate-controlled room, users can mount the PowerGAGE directly to the where the part is being made.

As the user traces the arm’s tip over the part’s entire surface, the system’s laptop computer verifies all of the part’s 3D measurements against the original CAD file - the digital ‘blueprint’ - to see if it was made correctly and, if not, where it needs to be corrected, thus reducing scrap, re-work and labour costs.

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Messier-Dowty initiated the use of model based definition throughout the design, manufacturing engineering, production and inspection for the landing gear for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

When Messier-Dowty was selected to produce the nose and main landing gear for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the UK aerospace manufacturer initiated the use of model based definition throughout the design, manufacturing engineering, production and inspection processes at its operations in Gloucester, UK, and Bidos, France.

It is the first major program for which Messier-Dowty has used model based definition.

Three-dimensional CAD models had been used in the company’s design, and manufacturing engineering departments for more than a decade to develop and validate design definition, functionality, finite element analysis and manufacturing processes.

However, the programming of co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs) to inspect components after machining had been carried out traditionally using 2D toleranced drawings derived from 3D data.

This was due to there being no geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GDandT) information attached to the electronic model.

Now, using Dassault Systems’ Catia V5, 3D CAD models for the Dreamliner landing gear components are annotated using a Catia workbench named ‘FTandA’ (functional tolerancing and annotation).

The FTandA workbench provides and helps control the application of GDandT - definitions that are attached to the 3D model, and enables the electronic 3d model to contain the comprehensive product definition.

Downstream, specific manufacturing engineering, production and inspection applications are being implemented to realise the significant benefits available with model based definition.

A sister product to CATIA in the Dassault portfolio, Smarteam (PDM), manages all the product data throughout the entire process.

CMM manufacturer and software developer, LK, recently acquired by Metris, was chosen by Messier-Dowty as its metrology partner to underpin inspection of the Boeing 787 landing gear components throughout the manufacturing process.

Two Metris LK Evolution CMMs with a 2-metre bridge and 4-metre X-axis were installed during May 2006, the order having been placed in January.

The turnkey contract involves training of the Messier-Dowty inspection team, which started during April, as part of a full, on-going service and support package.

Principal engineer Pete Willis, responsible for the development of model based definition inspection at Messier-Dowty’s Gloucester facility, advised that he and his overseas counterparts have standardised on Delmia Inspect - also Dassault software - to create DMIS standard measuring programs off-line for the CMMs.

Delmia will output DMIS programmes that interface with LK CAMIO CMM software to allow users seamless use of this programming, simulation and verification solution.

Mr Willis says that the system aims to satisfy three key issues related to model based definition inspection.

The first is to avoid any translation of CAD authority data to preserve the integrity of the design definition.

Secondly, the solution reads the FTandA attached to the model and thus minimises operator input during the development of CMM programs, improving the accuracy and integrity of the inspection process.

Lastly, the system provides a rules-based solution to standardise the methodology of the inspection process.

The predefined rules relate the feature type, tolerance and feature size to determine the appropriate probing strategy for the specific feature, leading to a high degree of measuring consistency.

Analogue scanning has been included on the new CMMs to collect large amounts of data efficiently on the manufactured components in fast cycle times, leading to a greater understanding of the characteristics of the production processes.

“We did not want to just buy another CMM,” stated Mr Willis.

“Our business is making landing gear and we were looking for a metrology solution provider that would work with us to further improve our products.

“After an extensive evaluation of the leading suppliers, we opted for LK, now Metris, as it demonstrated a commitment to tailoring a metrology package that dovetailed with our requirements.” In this connection, he cited various aspects of the project.

First, Metris extended its LK Evolution machine range to accommodate Messier-Dowty’s requirements for a large bridge CMM.

Both new CMMs, each with a large measuring volume, will enable Messier-Dowty to load a major structural component, such as a machined titanium truck beam or any one of the smaller components, at one end of the machine while inspection is in progress at the other.

Alternatively, the 4 metre X-axis will allow an entire Airbus 340 main fitting, for example, to be inspected without the need for repositioning.

Similarly, larger machined landing gear forgings could be inspected with ease.

Another Metris innovation, the development and introduction of which has been supported and accelerated by Messier-Dowty, is automatic sensor management.

Instead of wasting between 10 and 25 minutes calibrating a series of probes before each new job, an automated system has been developed which will calibrate all the probe configurations held within the racks during a single weekly routine, which will then be used throughout the following week.

The unattended calibration process is initiated as an ‘out of hours’ timed event, typically during Sunday afternoon so that the machines are ready and operational at the start of the Monday shift.

A 20-station Renishaw rack is being fitted to each machine and Mr Willis is in the process of rationalising the probe head / stylus combinations so that a maximum number of inspection functions can be performed by a core suite of probes.

One of the capabilities being built into the two Metris LK CMMs is remote system monitoring.

Apart from giving a management overview of machine usage, this will also hold real-time data on the remaining service life of all probes, ensuring that one nearing the end of its useful life is not deployed for a new measuring routine.

Other Metris developments, already in the pipeline but speeded by Messier-Dowty’s leading-edge requirements, included the interfacing of Delmia Inspect with LK CAMIO software.

Mr Willis also recognises that Metris software is in the vanguard of integrating other third party software, which may be of use to Messier-Dowty, such as the products from statistical analysis and reporting software company, Q-DAS.

Last year, LK signed a licensing agreement with Metronor to integrate to the AIMS protocol, developed in conjunction with Boeing to enable open-architecture, worldwide sharing of CAD geometry, inspection plans and measurement results without inaccuracies or data loss, even when dis-similar hardware and software platforms are being used.

LK’s former technology partner and new owner, Metris, is able to provide total solutions for 3D digitisation, inspection and reverse engineering, should these be required in the future by Messier-Dowty.

Mr Willis concluded, “Migration from 2D drawings to a 3D model based definition manufacturing and inspection environment is the most significant and challenging development that I have seen during my 30-year career in aerospace engineering”.

“We are now focussed on developing our processes to exploit the model based definition environment and are looking forward to reaping the productivity benefits and exceeding our customers expectations for quality, performance and cost.”.

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