CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
2 May 2007
Product News
Delcam Adds Multi-Axis Option to PowerINSPECT On-Machine Verification
Delcam has added a multi-axis option to the On-Machine Verification version of its PowerINSPECT inspection software. With this option, companies with four-, five- or six-axis equipment will be able to undertake comprehensive verification of their parts on their machine tools, both during and after machining.
The main advantage of the new option will be the ability to check any undercuts, without any need for re-positioning the workpiece. Similarly, it will be possible to check inside features that are not accessible from the z direction. For example, a series of holes at different angles could be checked in a single operation. In addition, shorter styli will be able to be used when checking deeper pockets or walls, by lowering the head of the machine tool towards the job and inclining the stylus towards the surface to be measured.
The OMV version of PowerINSPECT offers all the advantages associated with the releases of the software for use on dedicated inspection equipment. It gives both quick and easy comparison of tooling and sample components against CAD data, and produces clear, comprehensive reports that can be understood by everyone involved in the product development process, not just inspection specialists. The system allows off-line programming of the inspection sequence for the machine tool, with fully-integrated simulation, and so minimises the time taken on the machine for the verification operation.
The most obvious benefit of On-Machine Verification is for those companies that do not have existing inspection capabilities, for example, organisations that machine parts so large that the cost of dedicated facilities is prohibitive. Most modern machine tools either come with, or can be retrofitted with, probing capabilities to assist in the set-up of the job. With the OMV version of PowerINSPECT, this same equipment can now be used for verification at little extra cost. The ability to program complete verification sequences off-line means that there can be minimal interruption to the machining operations.
On-Machine Verification can give time savings by enabling the quality of the component being machined to be monitored at all stages in the manufacturing process. This will allow any errors to be detected earlier, and so corrected more quickly and at lower cost. For example, it will be possible to check that the correct amount of stock has been left on the component after a roughing operation, rather than having to wait until all machining operations have been completed before discovering that an error has been made.
Similarly, the extent of any damage caused, for example, by a tool breakage, can be assessed accurately and a decision made immediately to determine whether the part can still be completed within tolerance or whether it will have to be scrapped.
On-machine verification will also benefit companies with customers that insist on independent inspection of their work. By carrying out an initial verification on the machine, errors can be detected, and corrected, that might otherwise not be found until after the component had been shipped to the inspector.
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