ITP provides co-ordinate measuring solution for leading chassis makers

Citation

(1999), "ITP provides co-ordinate measuring solution for leading chassis makers", Assembly Automation, Vol. 19 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.1999.03319daf.012

ITP provides co-ordinate measuring solution for leading chassis makers

Keywords Calibration

Specialist co-ordinate measuring machines supplied by ITP have enabled one of Europe's largest vehicle chassis manufacturers to carry out more accurate measuring of chassis and meet more cost-effectively the certification and verification procedures required by their customers (Plate 12).

Plate 12 Co-ordinate measuring machines supplied by ITP have helped Thompson Chassis improve customer service and increase manufacturing efficiency

Thompson Chassis, based at Ettingshall near Wolverhampton, produce chassis for the Land Rover Tempest and Vauxhall Frontera ranges, in addition to several other passenger and off-highway vehicles.

Previously the company had used labour-intensive manual measuring techniques to verify manufacturing accuracy. After an extensive market survey, Thompson therefore decided to contract ITP to design and manufacture a CNC controlled coordinate measuring system (CMM) that could be installed as part of the production line. This solution would enable continual monitoring and recording of the manufacturing process.

ITP has supplied two twin column CMMs and one automatically controlled in-line gauge. One pair of the CMMs, which has a measuring range of 6 metres x 3 metres x 1.5 metres, is used for certification and verification procedures in Thompson's quality control centre. The other pair, with a measuring range of 5 metres x 2 metres x 1 metre, is situated on the Land Rover Tempest line and measures dedicated critical dimensions when linked to a statistical process control (SPC) analysis software package.

The third system supplied by ITP is a dedicated automatic gauging system, which is strategically situated at the end of the Vauxhall Frontera chassis line. This measures 93 different dimensions simultaneously, giving dimensional and SPC reports when compared to a calibrated master.

An additional benefit of Thompson's new co-ordinate measuring installation is that all measurement data are stored in the CMM for quality record purposes. This means there can be absolute confidence in the integrity of the inspection process as verification of any chassis measured exists at the point of manufacture and is a matter of record.

For further information, please contact Dick Turpin, Managing Director, ITP Group, Butlers Leap, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 3RQ. Tel: +44 (0) 1788 570357.