CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
October 2004
Product News
Delcam to Demonstrate On-Machine Verification at Productivity Partnerships
Delcam will demonstrate the new version of its PowerINSPECT inspection software that can be used for on-machine verification as well as for inspection on coordinate measuring machines and other inspection devices at the Productivity Partnerships 04 event to be hosted by the 600 Centre at its Shepshed site from 19th to 21st October. The company will also demonstrate high-speed and five-axis machining with its PowerMILL CAM system.
The new version of PowerINSPECT will allow off-line programming of the inspection sequence for the machine tool, with fully-integrated simulation and collision checking, and so minimize the time needed for the verification operation. It also offers all the advantages associated with the existing releases for use on dedicated inspection equipment, giving both comparison of tooling and sample components against CAD data, and producing clear, comprehensive reports that can be understood by everyone involved in the product development process, not just inspection specialists.
The most obvious benefit of on-machine verification will be to those companies that do not have dedicated inspection capabilities. 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 new release 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 of the machining operations.
On-machine verification can give huge 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.
Delcam is one of twenty companies participating in Productivity Partnerships 04. Together they will show a spectrum of related production technologies covering all aspects of machining, die and mould, automation, workholding, measurement, software, tooling and robotics.
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