By installing a Trimos Horizon Premium length-measuring machine from Camberley-based Bowers Group (www.bowersgroup.co.uk), Mech Metrology & Power Tools Ltd has increased its capacity for in-house calibration services — and improved measurement certainty.

In addition to allowing the Fareham-based company to calibrate plug gauges to UKAS standards, the Horizon Premium is also used to calibrate other equipment, including plug- and ring-type thread gauges, plain plug gauges and plain ring gauges.

Russell Johnston, the owner of Mech Metrology, said: “There are three key reasons why we chose the Trimos Horizon Premium — capability, capacity and accuracy. We can now calibrate more equipment in-house than was previously possible — and to an even higher level of accuracy. In fact, I would estimate that the Trimos has improved our measurement certainty by 50%. Speed of process has also improved significantly, so we can get more work done in less time.”

Mech Metrology has been in business for over 26 years as a ‘one-stop shop’ for metrology equipment and calibration services. In addition to supplying high-quality branded metrology products, the company also offers a fully traceable calibration and repair service.

‘One-stop’ solution
Mr Johnston said: “Customers are increasingly looking for a ‘one-stop’ solution, which we can offer with confidence. Following a request from a customer, we simply take the item off the shelf and send it to the lab for calibration, before despatching it.

“Furthermore, our calibration management system ensures that equipment is recalled for calibration in a timely manner, and that customers have access to online certification information. All data is electronically held.

“The ability to perform accurate measurements on a consistent basis can only be achieved if instruments are periodically calibrated to designated standards. We recognise the importance of being able to offer a cost-effective and comprehensive calibration service to all our customers.”

After receiving a number of regular calibration requests that had to be sub-contracted out, Mech Metrology decided to invest in the equipment which would ensure that it could carry out such requests in-house, thereby improving its service — and calibration turnround times.

A ‘top of the range’ model designed for both workshop and laboratory use, the Horizon Premium can be used for the control and calibration of measuring instruments with fixed and variable dimensions. All measuring ranges are direct, so the whole measuring range is available without adjustment or further re-calibration, while a large selection of accessories extends the range of applications and ensures the correct positioning of the instruments to be calibrated.

Craig George, a technical sales engineer at Mech Metrology, said: “We were prompted to invest in the Horizon Premium because we were unable to carry out some calibration requests internally. The Trimos machine has solved this issue for us, allowing us to carry out far more calibration in-house. The return on investment for the Horizon Premium has been very quick, such is the demand we are experiencing for our calibration services.”

Mech Metrology is an independent supplier of metrology solutions to a variety of industries, including general manufacturing and engineering, aerospace, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, Formula One, rail and transportation. The company can offer specialist advice on a wide variety of metrology solutions and applications, and it supplies fully calibrated products directly from stock. As a regional partner of Bowers Group, it offers a variety of products off the shelf, including those from Moore & Wright.