3-D Laser Inspection Technology
July 23, 2012
Nextec Laser Metrology has released its WIZblade turnkey metrology system for rapid, high-precision measuring of both aerospace jet engine blades and industrial turbine and compressor blades.
The large dynamic range and high accuracy of the probe offer simplified setup of the alignment loop and the airfoil cross-section path to collect hundreds of points quickly and accurately with no noise, says the manufacturer. It provides single-point precision of 12 microns and a feature precision of 2 microns (100 points best fit), meeting the highest precision requirements for blade measurement.
The laser scanning system quickly compares all dimensional components to the original CAD model, revealing both form and dimensional deviations within the manufacturing process. By monitoring the blade machining process and measuring the parts, users can quickly determine if the machine output is deviating due to cutting tool deterioration and adjust the tool offset accordingly. This provides closed-loop control of the machining process using the SPC results of the measurements, maintaining both process and component integrity.
It works through a combination of a proprietary 3-D, laser-based scanning sensor; advanced laser and vision technologies; state-of-the-art motion controls; and special software for blade alignment, blade measurement, blade analysis, and inspection reporting. Alignment, inspection, and analysis are performed automatically during measurement of both unfinished (forged or cast) and finished (machined, shot peened, and coated) blades.
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