Gloucestershire-based Aberlink has launched a new range of CNC bridge-type coordinate measuring machines (CMM), named the Horizon which breaks new ground in CMM design as it is employs frictionless linear drives.

With an 800mm travel in the X axis, the Horizon completes Aberlink’s range of bridge CMMs and will further extend its offering for the high-end CMM marketplace.

The Horizon is the culmination of Aberlink's 27 years of CMM design innovation and in-house manufacturing technology. It sets new standards in performance, reliability and ease-of-use and yet is still offered with Aberlink's traditional extremely competitive price-tag.

The linear drives are the key to its fast, exceptionally smooth, and silent motion. With no wearing parts they offer the perfect solution, not only improving reliability and reducing maintenance, but are ideal for fast contact scanning.

The novel kinematic isolated drive system uses a tetrahedral arrangement of carbon fibre tubing to transfer the thrust from the motors through the centre of gravity of the moving parts.

This drive system is completely independent of the CMM structure and not only avoids acceleration induced metrology errors but also has the effect of thermally isolating the linear motors from the metrology structure of the CMM.

The optimised split Y-axis carriageway design derives all the metrology benefits of a high carriageway while providing all the convenience and ease of loading associated with a traditional bridge structure.

Further innovative design and use of high-tech material technology ensures that a non-homogenous X-beam optimises the stiffness-to-weight ratio along the entire axis.

The Horizon is the most accurate machine ever produced by Aberlink. When fitted with the Renishaw SP25M scanning probe, the first-term accuracy statement is just 1.75µm. Should the CMM need to be housed in an uncontrolled environment, then Aberlink's Automatic temperature compensation ensures that measurement results are reported as if measured at 20°C.

For extremely small, flexible or 2-D parts, Aberlink's revolutionary camera system can be fitted to the Horizon. A clever design of magnetic, kinematic joint allows the probe and camera to be changed in just seconds.

The Horizon will be supplied with Aberlink's 3-D measurement software which will construct a representation of a component on the monitor as it is measured.

Dimensions between measured features can then be picked off and appear exactly as they do on the part drawing. The software incorporates GD & T dimensioning, RPS alignment and SPC data analysis.

Further modules are also available for off-line programming of parts from a CAD model and also for comparing measured results to the CAD. Moreover, automatic shape recognition means the ‘smart’ software works intelligently to minimise operator input and improve efficiency and hence productivity and profitability.

The simplicity of use allows even the most inexperienced of operators to use the Horizon with the minimum of training, while the software contains all the functionality to satisfy even the most demanding of metrology requirements.

Customers of Aberlink CMMs are entitled to free-of-charge upgrades of their Aberlink 3D measurement software for the life of their CMM. The latest version of software is always available to download from the Aberlink Web site and there are no software maintenance charges ensuring that the cost of ownership is also minimal.