Task 1:

Over recent years your company has been making substantial investments in automated machine tools, but the inspection techniques have remained virtually unchanged. Most operators use go/no-go gauges and comparators etc. The emphasis has been on the detection of non-conforming components which are either scrapped or reworked.

The largest overall linear dimension on any components manufactured by the company is 400 mm. The main products are turned and milled components with a substantial number of features with tolerances in the region of 50 µm, but some precision spindles have tolerances of only 5 microns. The surface roughness ranges from 12.5-0.025 µm.

The Managing Director has given you the task of preparing a report on the types of equipment which could be employed to improve the measurement and product quality within the company. You should aim to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of relevant measuring techniques with sound / innovative solution (paying attention to new and emerging technologies) and also skills for broader considerations, e.g. implications due to batch sizes, component types and materials, commercial and industrial constraints. Your report should cover the use of suitable sensors and transducers (e.g. LVDTs and/or optical encoders), coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and surface measuring machines, including their operating principles, characteristics, performance. Since CMMs are complicated measuring machine, you should discuss their common error sources and how you are going to calibrate them. You should also describe the important surface parameters the company will likely use.