Laser Scanning Solutions: Arnold & O’Sheridan’s Story

As discussed last week, Laser Scanning technology is revolutionizing many aspects of surveying and applied measurement. Packer Engineering, an engineering firm with a veteran accident reconstruction department, realized the advantages of adding high precision laser scanning to complete their investigations. Another engineering firm, Arnold & O’Sheridan, found that acquiring a laser scanner allowed them access to new accident reconstruction business opportunities.

According to Ron Luskin, their Director of Business Development and Marketing, their purchase was a deliberate one, aimed to adopt the technology early. “I’d been watching scanners in trade publications and realized there would be a demand.” Luskin said. Interestingly, Arnold & O’Sheridan acquired a scanner to help with more conventional work and ended up getting a forensic job because they had a scanner. The project in question was an under construction seven-story building with a 100-foot by 250-foot footprint that collapsed when it had been built up to five stories. Two workers died. Two years after the collapse, project stakeholders were looking for a way to get construction restarted, and all parties agreed that a thorough building assessment, with scanned data, was a good start. The resulting deliverables would be distributed to all parties.

The control scheme began with a conventional total station network run across the street from, and completely around, the building. Total stations were also used to extend the network into the building, and up to each floor as work progressed. Each floor took many scans to complete and were registered conventionally, but the abundance of identifiable control points allowed the crew to perform preliminary checks and process all the data later. Without a scanner, documenting the entire building in its collapsed state would not be possible. Survey Manager Frank Thousand commented that “It would have taken a year to do this by other means.” Not to mention that in a partially collapsed building, safety is certainly a factor, so the less time spent in a weakened structure, the better.

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Manufacturing Tip: Improve Aerospace Tooling Part 3

Setting up an aerospace tool properly is crucial to the accuracy of the final product. 3D measurement tools such as a laser tracker assist in this very important task.

Changing ambient temperature is a situation in which a laser tracker simplifies tool setup. Every 5 seconds, the instrument samples the ambient temperature, pressure, and humidity, automatically compensating for any environmental changes to ensure accurate results from the laser tracker. As the environment changes, the tool will expand or contract. Software allows the user to compensate for tool expansion/contraction based on the alloy or previously measured reference points that were obtained during the certification/qualification process. The job can then be scaled based on this data.

Fixtures for riveted parts are set up similarly. Most begin as a flat plate onto which holding brackets are arranged to fix the loose parts. When “best fit” positions are determined on a model reference tool, the laser tracker becomes the tie between the reference and the working tool. With the laser tracker, engineers make sure that brackets on the tool mimic those on the reference. Once setscrews on the brackets are locked, the tool is ready to produce a first-article part.

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How to Quickly Find True Position

As many manufacturers today know, feature location is crucial in part design and production. In order to produce parts that are interchangeable, designs must be sound and they must be accurate. The measurement of in-process and final parts must be done easily and efficiently – any method that does not fulfill these needs can lead to inefficient processes which can result in lost time and money.

Traditionally, to find the deviation from true position, an “open setup” is used. This process involves the use of calipers, height gauges, micrometers and other hand tools used with an inspection plate to take measurements and compare the feature’s position to datums. The “open setup” process can be slow and is susceptible to human error.

Luckily, there is another solution. Portable CMM technology has greatly reduced the difficulty of measuring GD&T properties such as deviation from true position. The combination of hardware and software would allows you to take points easily and quickly while providing accurate, virtually instantaneous, results. Portable CMMs also eliminate other issues associated with traditional setup methods such as the need for go/no go gauges and the lack of 3D form results.

With a simple, cost-effective portable CMM solution, you can toss your old setup methods and adopt an accurate and convenient method to measure true position quickly and efficiently.

Learn more about portable CMM technology.
How do hand tools compare to portable CMMs?

Manufacturing Tip: Improve Aerospace Tooling Part 2

Two types of aerospace tools are assembly tools and fabrication tools. Let’s take a quick look at each and how to use 3D measurement technology to make sure they function properly.

An assembly tool contains the part locating details that hold multiple components together so that they can be fastened to create the assembly. Various assembly tools can serve a range of functions. Typically, the first assembly tool is used to put the major components together, while subsequent tools locate frames, stringers, and other support structures for the part. The last tool positions the skin onto the final assembly, and the skin is then fastened to the frame.

When building a tool, a laser tracker is first used to get the frame structure in place. It is then used to set the details, making sure that the pins and pads are all in the correct locations. The laser tracker also allows for measurement directly against a CAD file when setting complex-shaped details.

A fabrication tool has the same locating details as an assembly tool, but it adds details with drill bushings and other structures to allow for part fabrication. In addition to what a laser tracker measures on an assembly tool, the measurements also confirm that the drill bushings and complex shape guides for routing or trimming parts are in the correct location.

After a tool is installed, the laser tracker is used to measure all the details and reference points to make sure they are correctly placed, and to establish a master reference system for future maintenance and inspection of the tool.

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Download the Aerospace Tooling White Paper

Laser Scanning Solutions: Packer Engineering's Story

Laser Scanning technology is revolutionizing many aspects of surveying and applied measurement, but it’s been especially game changing in the rarified niches of forensics and accident investigation. The main strengths of scanning — speed, safety, accuracy, comprehensiveness, and the ability to return to the same data set and make new observations — serve forensic engineers especially well. Money is also a factor: when so much is riding on a court case, the extra costs associated with adopting new technology don’t seem especially significant.Companies that have been doing forensic work for years are finding that laser scanning enables them to complete investigations faster, and more thoroughly. And, as the popularity of laser scanning continues to grow in the field of forensics, service providers who originally acquired scanners to complete traditional surveys and inspections are carving their own niche in the industry. Regardless of forensics expertise, veterans and rookies of this specialized field are discovering that just having access to a scanner positions them ahead of the competition when bidding for new jobs.

“You name it, we get into it,” said Thomas Long, Manager of Field Services for Packer Engineering, Inc., a multi-discipline consulting firm with a strong presence in accident reconstruction of all kinds, including fires and explosions; mechanical, engineering, electrical, and structural failures; aerospace accidents; and automotive accidents. “We were one of the first consultants in the country to get into private sector accident investigation, and we’re very competitive. If there is any way to do this work faster, easier, or better: we’re interested.”

Armed with two Laser Scanners from FARO, Long said the advantages of scanning for accident reconstruction are undeniable. “With a scanner, not only do you get everything, but you also have a 3D image of it so you can check the orientation, identify it, and take measurements as needed.” Buying the scanners has been good for business, said Long, because, “Anytime you have a new tool, especially one as hot as scanning, the buzz spreads like wildfire and opens new doors, which is an advantage in this business — it’s nice to be at the head of the pack!”

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Manufacturing Tip: Improve Aerospace Tooling - Part 1 of 4

Building aircraft has always been a struggle between the size of their components and the need to craft them carefully. More than any other device, airplanes epitomize the concept that “the devil is in the details” because in small errors lies the potential for great mischief such as increased drag and decreased range. So how do you maintain high precision while measuring something so large?

In the past, large structures such as wings, fuselages, or vertical stabilizers were difficult to make alike because there was no good way to measure them. The traditional measuring standard for objects over 20 feet was the theodolite. Although theodolite measurements can be fairly precise, they are subject to interpretation and as such are not always reproducible.

Luckily, the advent of the laser tracker has finally made precise, rapid, reproducible measuring over great distances a reality. Capable of gathering hundreds of points in hours, not days, laser trackers have quickly become the new portal to aircraft design, modeling, tool making, manufacturing, and quality checking, worldwide – threatening to obsolete the older theodolite method.

Operation of a laser tracker is simple. The tracker mounts on a tripod and emits a laser that is reflected off a target positioned at the point to be measured. As the operator moves the target from point to point and the light is reflected back to the tracker, the distance to each point is calculated.

Today the focus on tooling is even greater than for any previous generation of aircraft, for both metal and composite parts. No other instrument enables aircraft builders the ability to “get their arms around” the entire manufacturing process – from design to final dimensional checking. Due to its enormous range, precision, speed, and communication capability, the laser tracker gives aerospace manufacturers the ability to be more cost competitive by shifting the whole process of design and development into the virtual realm.

Read more about Laser Trackers
Download the Aerospace Tooling White Paper

Companies Taking Steps To Increase Efficiency

InTech (June 2009, Policastro) reports that, while governments worldwide are "mandating higher efficiency in motors," manufacturers are "taking strides to boost efficiency." There are many examples of large manufacturing companies around the world making major improvements to their equipment list, replacing less efficient motors with – albeit more costly – more energy efficient models. For instance, a company in the Netherlands with an annual sales of $8.6 billion and 200 locations worldwide found that "the benefits to buying a new motor far outweighed the price of repairing the old one, so choosing new high-efficiency motors will lead to a very significant annual reduction in running costs." Likewise, here in the United States the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association (NEMA) has developed efficiency standards and NEMA Premium high-efficiency motors for manufacturing companies to use. Some pulp and paper, chemical, and food manufacturing plants even have dedicated staff working throughout the supply chain to make sure their motors are the most efficient they can buy and that they stay that way while running in their plants.

With all this attention on increasing efficiency, it’s hard to stop at just motors within a facility. Manufacturing companies are looking to make their customers' processes more efficient, too. In a time where every minute counts, enhancing your processes to reduce time and increase production is a much sought-after improvement. Companies like Elyria Metal Spinning of Elyria, OH are implementing products meant to shave time off their production line. “We’ve increased production by 250 percent with the FARO Gage,” EMS Plant General Manager Matthew Jackson said. “Jobs that took two or three days to finish now take less than a half day which gives us time to complete more projects.” Cole Manufacturing located in West Bend, WI also found benefits to altering their processes – “Tube inspection jobs that used to take four hours can now be completed in 45 minutes or less. In the two and half months since acquiring our FaroArm, we’ve saved 100 hours of work time,” said Quality Assurance Manager John Berst.

For more information on how to increase efficiency through your processes, visit www.faro.com.

Positive Words from 2009’s Best Manufacturing Companies

Industry week announced the 50 Best Manufacturing Companies for 2009 this week. To identify the top performing manufacturers, the IW formula factored in revenue growth and profit margin over the past three years, with 2008 results weighted most heavily. Among the list were some of the leaders in aerospace, machinery and manufacturing including Lockheed Martin, Alliant Techsystems, U.S. Steel, Donaldson Co., Polaris Industries and Nucor Corporation. While the rest of the country continues to focus on the current economic crisis, many of these companies are keeping their eyes sharply focused on the future.

While most of the companies commented on the challenges of the past six months, there was a clear underlying positive tone in their messages to IW. Bill Cook, chairman, president and CEO of Donaldson Co., noted, “We did see continued strong sales in our aerospace and defense, retrofit emissions and gas turbine businesses, which helped to offset the weaknesses in our other end markets.” Additionally, CEO of Polaris Industries, Scott Wine stated, “Going forward, our strategy remains unchanged; we will continue to leverage our innovation, speed to market and flexible manufacturing capabilities to gain market share while focusing on improving our operating margins."

The big players in the Aerospace industry are starting to shed a positive light as well. Lockheed Martin got a solid start to 2009, said the company in its first-quarter earnings release. They have also projected net sales for 2009 to be in the range equivalent to the outlook provided in January this year. Similarly, Alliant Techsystems Inc. is concentrating efforts on new projects both internationally and domestic. Chairman and CEO Dan Murphy is optimistic – “"In FY09, ATK significantly expanded our opportunity for growth. We established a new presence in commercial aerospace through the A350 program, significantly expanded our international ammunition business while delivering an unprecedented volume of ammunition to domestic commercial and government customers, captured a promising advanced missile target program, and pioneered new small satellite technologies."

While the economy may not be out of the woods yet, we are definitely starting to see signs of manufacturing growth. It is clear that many of these top companies are leveraging their situations carefully, looking to innovation and technology to carry them through the year and into a stronger position when our economy recovers.

Read about Industry Week’s 50 Best Manufacturing Companies
Read how FARO can Review and Improve your Processes