Renishaw’s new metrology products proved a huge attraction

February 17, 2015 10:34 am

Displayed applications that demonstrate the capabilities of the company’s additive manufacturing technology
 At IMTEX 2015, Renishaw displayed a range of process control solutions that help tackle the increasing drive to lean manufacturing, from new technologies for pre-process machine calibration, to on-line and off-line post-process measurement. The company’s additive manufacturing (3D printing) systems with the new PlusPac upgrade for its AM250 additive manufacturing machine were also on display.
The list of new Renishaw products included a high-speed contact scanning system for CNC machine tools, a family of products for the measurement of aerospace blades, a new range of modular fixtures for metrology applications, and a miniature encoder system. The company had also organised demonstrations of its 5-axis scanning technology for CMMs, plus a demonstration of its Equator gauging system in an automated production cell, together with new process monitoring software.
SPRINT high-speed contact scanning systemRenishaw’s game-changing contact scanning system opens up completely new process control opportunities for high-value CNC machine tools. The SPRINT system incorporates a new generation of on-machine scanning technology that will deliver a step-change in the benefits of process control, enabling fast and accurate form and profile data capture from both prismatic and complex 3D components.
For blade manufacturing, the SPRINT system provides unprecedented capability for blade tip refurbishment and root blending applications. For multi-task machining applications, the SPRINT machine tool scanning system offers users completely new process control capabilities, including exceptionally repeatable diameter measurement cycles.
Additional functionality offered by the SPRINT system provides a rapid health-check of a CNC machine tool’s linear and rotary axes in seconds, making it possible to implement a daily machine monitoring regime with little or no operator involvement.
Powerful suite of high performance blade measurement and analysis toolsAt IMTEX Renishaw has highlighted a developing family of high performance hardware and software products for co-ordinate measuring machines that are specifically designed to aid the measurement and manufacturing of aerospace blades. All products complement the multi-award winning REVO 5-axis measurement system and include APEXBlade planning software for REVO sweep scanning and DMIS programming, MODUS aerofoil analysis for the calculation and reporting of blade section profile and aerofoil characteristics, and SurfitBlade to aid reverse engineering of the complete airfoil.
Enhancements in metal 3D printingA new range of additive manufacturing technologies was also on display at IMTEX. Renishaw’s laser melting systems utilise a pioneering, additive manufacturing process capable of producing fully dense metal parts direct from 3D CAD, using a high-powered fibre laser.