New Programmable Gauging System

April 4, 2011

Renishaw’s new gauging system, Equator™, can be preprogrammed for multiple parts and reprogrammed for design changes in minutes.

An alternative to traditional dedicated gauging, the company’s first gauging product line is based on a scalable and adaptable parallel kinematic structure. The system enables high-speed scanning and fast moves between features, while retaining the stiffness that is needed for the repeatability that is critical for accurate gauging.

The system is available with two levels of software, a programmable version for production engineers to create DMIS programs, and a shop floor system which allows programs to be executed but prevents operators from making modifications.

This gauging technology is based on the traditional comparison of production parts to a reference master part. Remastering takes the same amount of time as measuring a production part and immediately compensates for any change in the thermal conditions of the shop. In an environment with wide temperature variation, the system is “re-zeroed”, ready for repeatable comparison to the master.

Master parts are measured on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to establish feature variation from CAD or drawing nominals. The results from any CMM operating with any programming software can be configured to be used directly within this comparator’s software.

A stylus changing rack enables automated, in-cycle changing of SM25 stylus modules. These modules couple to an SP25 CMM probe, allowing users to swap the stylus configurations without requalifying each time. Up to six stylus combinations can be loaded into the rack at any time.

The system can be integrated into automated cells by connecting the optional I/O interface to a robot or by outputting the gauging results to an SPC package. Some SPC packages also offer the ability to connect to certain modern machine tool controls to update offset values for true automated process control.

For more information, visit www.renishaw.com/gauging.