The launch of Aberlink’s Xtreme CMM caused quite a stir at the recent MACH 2016 exhibition, thanks to its novel configuration. The development of this machine was prompted by the growing trend for component inspection to be undertaken at the point of manufacture — and by the increasing requirement for machine operators to measure parts within the cycle time of their machine tools.

Working from a remit to create an inexpensive, accurate and easy-to-use CNC CMM that could stand up to the rigours of harsh operating environments and undertake rapid automated measuring routines, Aberlink Ltd, Eastcombe, Gloucestershire (www.aberlink.com) took less than two years to achieve its aims. To help ensure that the CMM met its design objectives, an early Xtreme model was loaned prior to launch to what was considered a typical target user — North Devon-based Jamestan Engineering.

This company supplies precision-machined components to the aerospace, motor-sport and oil and gas industries. The services provided include: two-axis and multi-axis turning; two-, three-, four- and five-axis milling; surface and cylindrical grinding; and both wire-cut and solid-sink EDM.

Centrally located on the shopfloor, the Xtreme trial model was available for use by all of Jamestan Engineering’s machine operators. Managing director Paul Jeffery said: “In addition to other tasks, we decided to use the Xtreme to take in-process measurements of the high volumes of tight-tolerance aluminium rings that we produce for an aerospace customer.

Our Quality Management System meets the requirements of both ISO 9001:2008 and AS/EN9100 Rev C; and as the quality of our output is all-important, we were originally sceptical about the Xtreme’s ability to provide the levels of accuracy we require when operating in such a harsh environment. Given the safety-critical nature of our aluminium parts and the potential for shopfloor temperature variation, we were initially worried about the ability of the Xtreme’s temperature compensation function to cope.

“However, by cross-referencing the Xtreme’s results with those we achieved on the CMMs in our dedicated inspection department, our early fears were soon dispelled, and we quickly gained complete confidence in the Xtreme’s
results. Aberlink’s management had asked us to place the CMM in a challenging environment, to work it hard and to report any problems; we were happy to oblige. Because the Xtreme was so easy to use, our operators were soon able to recall the relevant program for the part they were machining and to perform accurate, fast and automated CNC inspection routines.

“At the end of the six-month pre-launch evaluation period, we were happy to report that the new CMM had completed thousands of very fast and accurate measuring routines and that we had not encountered a single problem. The use of this shopfloor-based CMM had given us many advantages, and we gave it the ultimate endorsement by purchasing the pre-production model from Aberlink.

“Our use of the Xtreme CMM has allowed our inspection department to concentrate on tasks such as final inspection, as all in-process checks are now made on the shopfloor. Also, as components are now measured so soon after production, our already low scrap levels have been further reduced.”

The Aberlink Xtreme features a novel non-Cartesian structure and uses linear motors and mechanical bearings in a configuration that ensures it maintains its accuracy at very fast measurement speeds and does not suffer from the accumulative inaccuracies that occur in conventional three-axis Cartesian arrangements.

In addition, the CMM’s integral temperature control function ensures that accuracy is maintained even when the ambient temperature is not controlled. The Xtreme uses Aberlink’s 3-D software, which creates a picture of the component as it is being measured.