Hydraulic Repair and Design Improves Processes

In the world of hydraulics, Hydraulic Repair and Design (HRD) is one of the largest full-house repair facilities in the United States. With a focus on hydraulics, HRD (h-r-d.com) has the capabilities to repair, remanufacture, or create any hydraulic component used on today’s machines. Recently, HRD was faced with the problem of inspecting critical features on OEM and aftermarket parts used with hydraulic pumps, motors, and valves. They were using hand tools such as calipers and micrometers, and sometimes had to outsource for CMM services. These remedies were neither economical nor efficient for time-sensitive projects. HRD needed an effective inspection program that afforded them the flexibility to inspect parts on the shop floor in real time, to qualify incoming inventory from suppliers, and to rework existing inventory.

To solve their problem, HRD implemented the FARO GagePlus, providing them the flexibility to measure everything they needed. Where the Gage really pays off for HRD is in avoiding problems by identifying them earlier in the process. They can also use the Gage to inspect and rework many parts that were once considered unusable, saving the cost of purchasing new parts. “When everyone sees it in action, they are totally blown away. I estimate it will be just six months for us to show our ROI,” said Quality System Manager Ken Smith.

Read the full story.

Learn more about the FARO Gage.

Learn more about HRD.

Building Information Modeling with Laser Scanning Technology

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is fast emerging as a standard requirement for Architectural, Engineering, and Construction Projects. The concept involves using three-dimensional, real-time, dynamic building models to increase productivity in building design and construction.1 BIM models encompass building geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components.

Laser scanning technology is rapidly being adopted as the preferred method for capturing as-built conditions in 3D to be integrated into the BIM platform. Recently the General Services Administration initiated the GSA National 3D-4D Program, which included a laser scanning requirement as part of the BIM process for GSA projects. Benefits of laser scanning outlined in the GSA Building Information Modeling Guide Series: 03 – GSA BIM Guide for 3D Imaging include the ability to capture existing conditions more completely and with a higher level of detail than most manual methods.

This video provides an overview of laser scanning technology and how it is used to digitally document as-built conditions into the AutoCAD environment.

Watch the video here.

1Holness, Gordon V.R. "Building Information Modeling Gaining Momentum." ASHRAE Journal. Pp 28-40. June 2008.

Behind the Scenes Look at the Wind Power Industry

As the world is constantly trying to find new ways to "go green", wind power continually appears at the top of the list. By the end of 2008, there was already over 120 GW of wind power capacity worldwide, and this number is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years (Source: World Wind Energy Association). A lot of time goes into the development, harnessing and utilization of wind energy. The material components that make up wind turbines, for example, require a very specific manufacturing process. Many companies play a major part in this already billion dollar industry and help to drive the effort to “go green” through the use of renewable energy.

As featured on the Discovery Channel, go behind the scenes of two of these companies to learn more about the massive undertaking involved with developing pieces of this renewable energy puzzle. ATI Casting Service produces top-quality iron casting hubs which are used to support wind blades while Creative Foam manufactures composite core kits to add light weight structural stability to wind blades. These components require extremely precise measurements, for which both companies have implemented FARO solutions.

Learn more about what goes on behind the scenes in the wind power industry.

Manufacturing’s Response to Wind Power’s High Demand

With the US Department of Energy setting a goal to obtain at least five percent of US electricity needs from wind power by the year 2020, the demand for “green energy” is certainly growing. If you can, now is the time to take advantage of wind power’s exploding growth and one Michigan company is doing just that.

ATI Casting Service in Alpena, Michigan is a 15 year member of the AWEA (American Wind Energy Association), specializing in manufacturing large castings utilized in wind energy and other markets.

“Wind energy is environmentally friendly and the price of wind is not going to change, it’s always free – unlike coal, natural gas, or nuclear fuels,” said ATI Casting Service President David Neil. “This fact and with the DOE’s 2020 goal has resulted in a rush to produce wind turbines to get onto towers to start producing energy. Our customer base has grown as well as the demand of our existing customers.”

In their manufacturing processes, ATI Casting Service must measure the castings they make for wind turbine hubs which can easily weigh as much as 36,000 pounds and be large enough for a grown man to walk through. In the past, the measurements were taken with a combination of a fixed CMM, a laser calibration system, and an interferometer – a complicated, slow solution that did not offer needed reporting.

By implementing a FaroArm and FARO Laser Tracker, ATI Casting Service gained the speed and the reporting that they required. The FaroArm is placed inside the hub so data can be collected on the inside dimensions, and the Laser Tracker is used to trace the outside of the hub to verify the dimensions of the drilled hole-like patterns as well as the flatness of the surface.

As the demands on the wind power industry continue to grow, ATI Casting Service is prepared. With their new metrology tools from FARO in place, their greatest value has been in the time and money savings gained. Before, they would have to use an outside contractor for their machine qualifications, costing thousands of dollars for two days of service. Now they do that same service with their own personnel and in half the time, leaving more room to focus on advancing the wind power industry.

Read the full story here.

Laser Trackers: Precisely Measure 3D Features of Large Objects

Many industries must precisely measure the three-dimensional features of large objects. An increasingly popular way to do this is with the laser tracker, a device first introduced in the late 1980s. As its name suggests, the laser tracker measures 3D coordinates by tracking a laser beam to a retroreflective target held in contact with the object of interest.

Today, many instruments can measure coordinates. Each is best suited for certain applications. Traditional fixed coordinate measuring machines make repeated measurements rapidly and accurately but are immobile, limited in measurement range, and expensive for large applications. They are most popular for inspecting small to medium-sized (under one meter) production components where speed and accuracy are important.

For medium to large parts, portable CMMs are preferred. Until the advent of laser trackers, portable coordinate measurement was done mostly with theodolites, total stations (theodolites equipped with electronic distance measurement), articulated-arm CMMs and photogrammetry systems. Due to their high accuracy, high speed, and ease of use, laser trackers have replaced many of these earlier systems.

The operation of a laser tracker is easy to understand: It measures two angles and a distance. The tracker sends a laser beam to a retroreflective target held against the object to be measured. Light reflected off the target retraces its path, reentering the tracker at the same position it left. Retroreflective targets vary, but the most popular is the spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR). As light re-enters the tracker, some of it goes to a distance meter that measures the distance from the tracker to the SMR. The distance meter may be either of two types, interferometer or absolute distance meter (ADM).

Absolute distance measurement capability has been around for a long time. Within the last ten years, however, ADM systems have undergone dramatic improvement, offering accuracy comparable to interferometers. The advantage of ADM measurement over incremental distance measurement is the ability simply to point the beam at the target and shoot. The ADM system measures the distance to the target automatically, even if the beam has previously been broken. In a tracker with ADM, infrared light from a semiconductor laser reflects off the SMR and re-enters the tracker, where it’s converted into an electrical signal. Electronic circuitry analyzes the signal to determine its time of flight, multiplying this value by the speed of light in air to determine the distance from the tracker to the SMR.

Absolute distance meters first appeared in laser trackers in the mid-1990s. At that time, ADM units measured too slowly to permit scanning of surfaces. Because of this, all early laser trackers contained either an interferometer alone or an interferometer and an ADM. Today some absolute distance meters have been made fast enough to permit high speed scanning with negligible loss in accuracy. Hence some modern trackers contain only an ADM with no interferometer.

Laser trackers’ accuracy and speed distinguish them from other portable coordinate measuring instruments. Because an operator can make rapid measurements with a minimum of advance preparation, trackers are among the most versatile of the coordinate measuring instruments. Tracker software analyzes tracker data and presents the results in a useful form. Trackers are becoming increasingly popular, especially for large-scale manufacturing, where they assist in every stage of the manufacturing process.

For more information about laser tracker technology, read the full whitepaper.