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As a pioneer in non-contact metrology solutions, Metris has brought to market a broad range of handheld and CMM laser scanners. New innovations in point cloud software and laser scanning technology – including Focus Scan Off-line and LC60D laser scanner – are key enablers of an entirely digital inspection process. The concept of digitizing test samples up-front and running inspection on the digital copies of the samples, streamlines metrology operations and embeds
them into the digital CAD-centric development process.
Download: Digital inspection increases metrology productivity and flexibility (PDF file)
A DIGITAL CAD-BASED DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Today, digital information streams guide and monitor development operations – from design through manufacturing. Designers shape new product innovations on digital drawing boards and analysis engineers rely on simulation to optimize product performance. Process engineers try out production methods and procedures in the virtual world, including off-line programming of production line equipment. Manufacturing companies implementing a digital development process have been more successful than others in compressing time-to-market and controlling
development costs.
At the heart of the digital development process is undoubtedly the CAD model, which is the backbone of today’s designthrough-manufacturing process. CAD encapsulates all relevant and up-to-date information
of a new product under development.
Initially looking merely like a rough sketch, the CAD model of a new family car, private jet, cargo ship or drilling machine gradually evolves into a fully fetched model that is ready for serial production.
THE TOUCH WITH REALITY THROUGH DIGITAL INSPECTION
A critical factor throughout the entire digital development process is metrology, which consequently provides the touch with reality.
Digital geometry measurement actually inserts physical information in the digital development world. Designers
manually refi ne clay models or rapid prototypes, and expect the CAD model to be updated accordingly. Similarly, sheet metal engineers compare simulation results with pre-serie samples to check the validity of their simulations. Noncontact metrology technologies – such as laser scanning, white light or computer tomography (CT) – generate 3D point cloud information, which represents a truly digital copy of the physical test part.
Metris delivers on its vision of realizing a digital inspection process. Compared to executing inspection directly on the
physical part, “digital inspection” fi rst digitizes the test part and subsequently runs inspection on the acquired digital
model data. As such, the digital inspection process – from measurement preparation to fi nal report – takes advantage of the typical automation capabilities and fl exibility benefits of a digital approach. The concept of digital inspection streamlines metrology operations and embeds them into the CAD-centric development process, saving time and money. As the complete digital copy of the test part remains available, full fl exibility is offered to run other or more detailed analysis at any time and place.
FAST PREPARATION OF CMM LASER SCANNING JOB
Creating a digital duplicate of the test part is a fairly straightforward job that does not require specifi c metrology
know-how. Collecting data for CT analysis using predefined machine settings is like cooking dinner in a microwave oven. Digitizing a surface using a handheld scanner is as easy as a paintbrush job. It requires less effort to program a CMM for laser scanning than to specify individual touch sensor points for tactile inspection purposes. Moving the laser scanner along linear or polygon motion paths is sufficient to keep part surfaces within the boundaries of the field of view depth of the laser scanner probe. However, in case of complex freeform surfaces, manual teach in of laser scanner motion paths can still be a cumbersome job.
With the introduction of Focus Scan Off-line, this is not the case anymore. Once the user has selected the surfaces to be digitized on the CAD model, the program will automatically generate an optimized sequence of scan paths and probe head angles. As a result, Focus Scan Off-line provides full coverage of selected surfaces and adapts scanner motion speed to local geometry. Scanner motion automatically slows down around local curvatures or when more measurement points on the circumference of smaller features need to be captured. Following this automatic procedure, scanning of freeform surfaces can start minutes after the CAD file has been loaded.
When feature inspection is involved, Focus Inspection offers the possibility to read in product manufacturing information (PMI) from the CAD fi le in order to automatically retrieve the features from the point cloud and calculate the tolerance information. This avoids manual entry of dimensions and tolerances, which is time consuming and represents a major source of errors. Setting up the inspection program does not require any programming skills or command knowledge whatsoever.
SCAN-AND-GO WITH THE NEW LC60D LASER SCANNER
Focus Scan software runs on all Metris LK and C3 CMMs and on most third-party CMMs. Once the appropriate scan
program is loaded and the datum features are scanned to align the test part, no further operator interaction is needed to complete the scanning job. By using the revolutionary LC60D laser scanner, digitizing productivity increases up to a factor of 4. A major leap forward compared to its LC50 predecessor line scanner is the image acquisition frame rate that is increased from 25 to 75 Hertz. In combination with 15% wider laser stripe and 17% higher point resolution, the scan speed of the LC60D reaches a stunning 75,000 noninterpolated points per second.
Enhanced scanning performance technology of the third generation (ESP3) adapts scanning parameters point by
point in real-time, eliminating manual parameter tuning and part spraying altogether. No operator interaction means uninterrupted scanning and operator-independent data collection. The massive amount of measurement points that are acquired radically increases the surface area the scanner is able to capture and process. This enables manufacturers to drastically compress the inspection cycle time for freeform parts, or boost the number of features that can be scanned in the same time frame.
MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO DRAW INSPECTION CONCLUSIONS
After digitizing the test part through laser scanning, the inspection program can be automatically started so that the
report immediately pops up on the screen. Focus Inspection reports include part-to-CAD comparison plots with colorcoded areas marking local geometry deviation, which can be interactively analyzed using the free downloadable Focus Viewer. Anyone who receives the digital report can evaluate the inspected part from any preferred viewpoint and click locations of interest to consult the underlying metrology data. The dazzling number of measurement points provides a higher degree of measurement confi dence that forms a solid basis for well-informed quality decision making.
As laser scanning delivers a true digital representation of the actual test part, inspection engineers are offered full
fl exibility as to where and when they execute inspection.
Digital inspection even allows alternative or more detailed analysis to be performed at any convenient time or place,
without requiring the availability of the physical test part. Focus Inspection offers a complete set of functions for both surface and feature inspection, including full geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T). Through close
collaboration with major car OEMs, Focus Inspection integrates unique sheet metal functions, ranging from user-configurable calipers for flush & gap analysis to hard to measure diamond pin, T-stud and christmas tree 3D features. For the digital inspection of turbine blades, Focus Inspection offers a dedicated analysis module that generates the typical inspection reports that are currently used in the turbine blade industry.
SOLUTIONS FOR LARGE CORPORATIONS AND SMALL WORKSHOPS
In global automotive manufacturing companies, with distributed engineering and production sites and lots
of supplier interaction, digital inspection is essential in streamlining metrology operations. Focus Scan Off-line
makes it possible to effi ciently prepare both scanning and inspection programs centrally, starting from the CAD model. With Focus Scan running on a wide range of CMM brands, the same programs can be run at different company and supplier sites. The LC60D laser scanner compresses CMM inspection cycles and restricts operator interaction on the shop floor to absolute minimum.
In case components are manufactured at different production locations, virtual assembly in Focus Inspection helps trace and solve production issues before production has even started. Also when systematic production quality checks detect out-of-tolerance parts, production engineers rely on the digital model to retrieve the source of the problem and propose appropriate countermeasures.
MONITORING MATERIAL SHRINKAGE AND SPRING BACK ISSUES
Beyond the automotive industry, digital inspection using laser scanning is benefi cial to manufacturing companies of
any size across many industries. In particular when dealing with freeform components, digital inspection overcomes
all limitations of tactile inspection. Casted or stamped metal parts or injection molded plastic components are proven production methods, but shrinkage and spring back issues may set specifi c production quality issues. For these reason, CMM or handheld laser scanning perform detailed verification on both molds and fi rst parts. During production, inspection is applied to monitor tool wear or detect other changes in the production process.
Inspection is also crucial for tool & die shops, as they have little time and few resources available. They need a powerful inspection solution that enables machine operators to perform the inspection job themselves. Yet, digital inspection powered by laser scanning and the Focus metrology software suite, is again the right choice. Here too laser scanning inspection using the Focus suite with LC60D is a perfect solution. Automatic CAD-based generation of scan paths and probe head angles speed up laser scanning preparation.
The LC60D digitizes the complete tool – including shiny sections – in one go, without operator interaction. This
digital inspection process compresses metrology time spending, and delivers graphic reports providing powerful
CAD deviation insight. The fi nal tool can be delivered with a detailed inspection report that serves as a Metris quality stamp.
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