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German subcontract pressworking specialist, Schweikert GmbH, faced the problem that a new product it was making for Porsche – the side of a 911 Targa – was too large to be measured accurately on any of its existing co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs). So the company went to UK manufacturer, LK, for an LY-90 CNC horizontal-arm, single-rail measuring machine with a working capacity of 6,000 x 1,600 x 2,000 mm.
Explained managing director, Rainer Schweikert, "The LY-90 has an inherently robust and stable guide system, which means that large parts
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on jigs or smaller parts on an adjacent work table can be placed immediately beside the machine at a convenient height. Of the five staff in our quality control department, two are exclusively concerned with inspecting parts on the LK and ensure that geometric product specifications laid down by our customers are met."
The LY-90, which is available with a measuring range up to 20 metres in X, has 15 + L/75 linear accuracy, 20 + L/50 volumetric accuracy and 0.001 mm resolution. This high precision is ensured by stable cast construction of carriage and saddle, wide bearings, and direct, low-hysterisis drives. Low mass, carbon fibre composite construction of the column and a metal matrix composite spindle lend themselves not only to high accuracy but also to rapid measurement, with vector positioning speeds up to 40 m/min. Control is by the latest LK2000 ACT controller, which optimises performance and incorporates remote monitoring functionality.
An important aspect in the decision to purchase an LK machine was the manufacturer's advanced CAMIO 3D measuring and reporting software, which allows direct use of CAD data to program the CMM. Electronic data supplied by Porsche and other Schweikert customers will be used not only in press tool manufacture but also to create precise measuring routines quickly for subsequently inspecting the parts. This can be carried out ahead of the availability of first prototypes, which in any case invariably contain slight inaccuracies and so are not an ideal reference to work from.
A feature within CAMIO is the reference point system (RPS) for rapid and reliable alignment of components prior to measurement. The designer specifies a series of RPS features, typically three, each with six constraints applied across the three orthogonal axes, based on factors such as how the part will be fixtured and mated with other components.
Another key factor in opting for the LY-90 was the contact, dating back many years, between the German LK sales agent, Märklen Messtechnik, and Schweikert, whose two other measuring machines Märklen upgraded and regularly maintains and calibrates.
Concluded one of Schweikert's quality engineers, Bernd Kolbus, "The LY-90 has fulfilled all of our expectations. We use it for a wide variety of measuring tasks and have been able to increase our metrology capacity considerably as a result. The LY-90 also offers us the possibility of measuring larger components and establishing more ergonomic working procedures."
Download: Schweikert uses LK CMM for Porsche body inspection (PDF file)
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