The Importance of Scan Alignment to Nominal CAD Model for Inspection
While many tend to use Best Fit alignments for inspection, the truth is that the alignment method may not provide the most accurate inspection results. When using a Best Fit alignment process, you are relying on the inspection software to understand the design intent and align the scan of the manufactured part properly to the nominal CAD model. If datums aren’t provided to use for alignment by the inspection drawing or PMI model, you would probably want to take some of the tightest or most critical dimensioned features and tie them into the inspection alignment criteria as their size and/or location would prove critical for fit and function of the final assembly. For example, among the most critical dimensions for assembling of the example cover below are the center bore and the mounting face on the bottom of the cover. The center bore is perhaps the single most important feature to have in the correct location and size to ensure proper symmetry and operation of the final assembly. A flush fit of the mounting face is nearly as critical to ensure a proper location of the cover along the centerline bore axis. Of slightly less importance is the one angled mounting tab (near [...]
ZEISS 3D Printing Precision Parts for Serial Production
For Carl Zeiss Optical Components, a subsidiary of Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH, precision matters – sometimes down to the hundredth of a millimeter. The company manufactures microscopes, multi-sensoric machines, and optical sensors for industrial measurement and quality assurance purposes. Organizations around the world use ZEISS machines to confirm that they produce literally perfect results, every time. That means 'reliability' and 'repeatability' are words to live by at the Wangen, Germany-based company. "The machines we produce are very accurate. Therefore, there is a lot of know-how in the assembly of those machines," Johannes Grimm, Manager Operational Excellence at ZEISS, said. Aligned, stable, successful Each machine that ZEISS produces is built to align light to optical measurement axes. This alignment is created with brackets and adjustment screws. Each machine, however, requires a different alignment, which meant the ZEISS Team had to complete the work manually. A ZEISS employee works with an industrial microscope “This is not a very stable process, and that’s a problem for us. We were looking for a better solution, and found that solution in 3D printing,” Johannes said. By measuring the angles in a specific machine, the ZEISS team can design and 3D print an adapter plate, which [...]
Reverse Engineering a Fishing Reel to Improve Ergonomics
Let’s take a look at how reverse engineering can be used to improve ergonomics in product design. There are times when you may have the need to improve a design, but the legacy files are not available. In this case, your best option is to scan the old part and reverse engineer the CAD file. Once you have a feature-based CAD file, you can make any edits and improvements needed. That is exactly what our application engineer, Hayati Dirim, did after fighting for 45 minutes with a 70lb tuna on a recent fishing trip. He found the handle of his PENN Senator reel to be too small and difficult to work with, due to an uncomfortable grip. Rather than buying a new reel, he decided to reverse engineer it to improve the design. He first scanned the handle portion with a Freescan X7 and cleaned up the Mesh file. Then he used Design X to create a NURBS model of the actual handle and used that geometry to design a new handle on top of it. The idea was to have the handle snap over the existing design and secure it with quarter 20 heat-set inserts. Lastly, he 3D printed a prototype on [...]
How to Orient a 3D Scan for Machining
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at a scanned part in Geomagic Wrap and show how we can correct its orientation to prepare it for CNC machining. Very often, when we scan parts their orientation is not necessarily known. It could be skewed off plane relative to the angle that the scanner was used when the scans were taken. By cycling through some various orthographic views, you may find that your scan is pretty far out in terms of being square to the plane. In order to take a model like this into Mastercam to generate toolpaths for machining, it would be necessary to square it up. To do that, first, go into the Features menu and hoover over Planes. Wrap has a very useful feature called Best Fit Planes. In this example, we selected the triangles on the top face and then selected Apply Best Fit. This produces a plane that is best fit to the top surface. Using this method, we were able to define several more planes which can be seen under features (shown below). The top plane is labeled plane 1. We also have two side planes, as well as the opposite side plans representing the front [...]
Maximizing Production Efficiency with 3D Printed Tools
Volkswagen Autoeuropa: Maximizing production efficiency with 3D printed tools, jigs, and fixtures Volkswagen Autoeuropa, who is responsible for manufacturing iconic Volkswagen models such as the Scirocco and Sharan, and has yearly output levels of 100,000 cars, now uses 3D printing to revolutionize its workflow. The facility 3D prints manufacturing aids that are used daily on the assembly line. No longer having to rely on external suppliers for its tools, jigs, and fixtures greatly reduces the costs and shrinks lead times from several weeks to just a few days. 3D printed manufacturing aids The case of Volkswagen Autoeuropa illustrates how 3D printing can be of great value to the automotive industry. While - traditionally - 3D printing used to be associated with creating prototypes, it has great potential for manufacturing businesses in creating custom tools, jigs, fixtures, and other manufacturing aids. With 3D printing, it's possible to create highly complex designs and make rapid revisions and amendments, without cost penalties or long lead times. The tools can be tailored to match exact requirements, making function and performance the main drivers of design - not cost or time. This 3D printed wheel protection jig was previously sourced for $950, but can now be printed at [...]
Desktop Metal Releases Pure Copper 3D Printing Material
Now Commercially Available to Studio System Customers Worldwide, Copper Enables High-Performance, Highly Optimized Parts for Oil & Gas, Auto and Consumer Products Industries Desktop Metal recently announced the launch of copper for the Studio System. With its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, copper is considered an ideal material for transferring heat or electricity and is used in virtually every electronic device made, as well as in many of the heat exchangers used across a variety of industries, including oil and gas, automotive, and consumer products. A key benefit for Desktop Metal customers is that the copper material used with the Studio System is pure copper. Unlike laser-based processes, which often print chromium zirconium copper, the Studio System’s proprietary Bound Metal Deposition process is able to print pure copper, unlocking the full benefits of the material. “Known for its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, copper is a highly desired material for a variety of industries and applications, such as heat exchangers and electrical components for heavy industries to consumer products,” said Jonah Myerberg, CTO and co-founder of Desktop Metal. “Whether for heat sinks, electrical motor and power grid components, or resistance welding electrodes, 3D printed copper on the Studio System is an ideal choice [...]