Faro UK helps Tinsley 'Bridge' technology gap

Citation

(1999), "Faro UK helps Tinsley 'Bridge' technology gap", Sensor Review, Vol. 19 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.1999.08719caf.004

Faro UK helps Tinsley 'Bridge' technology gap

Faro UK helps Tinsley "Bridge" technology gap

Keywords Inspection, Measurement, Measuring machines

In its drive to maintain its position as one of Europe's leading parabolic springmakers to the commercial vehicle industry, Tinsley Bridge Ltd of Sheffield has implemented an integrated 3D measurement solution from FARO UK, the Warwickshire-based subsidiary of FARO Technologies Inc.

Instated within the company's Quality Management Department and replacing the use of hand-held gauges and micrometers, FARO's portable coordinate measuring arm and CAD-based measurement software, will enable Tinsley Bridge - renowned throughout its 150 year history for innovation within the field of vehicular springmaking - to meet the ever-tightening manufacturing tolerances demanded by today's automotive industry.

With a working envelope of nearly 2.5 metres and accurate to ±0.076mm, the FaroArm(B) Silver Series 08 model provides Tinsley Bridge with the flexibility needed for calibration of a wide range of inspection fixtures and the accuracy to enhance the quality control of its finished product (see Plate 3). Together with FARO's powerful 3D CAD-based design and inspection software, AnthroCAM, Tinsley Bridge's bespoke FaroArm solution has equipped the company with the comprehensive system of 3D measurement and inspection that it needed to confidently stay abreast of change.

Plate 3 The FaroArms® Silver Series 08 model provides Tinsley Bridge with a working envelope of nearly 2.5 metres and accuracy of ±0.076mm.

Featuring temperature monitoring and compensation of þ5 degrees/5 minutes eliminating the costly need for a thermostatically controlled environment, FARO's portable coordinate measuring system emerged as the optimum solution to the company's first venture into 3D measurement.

"The transition from 2D to 3D measuring devices represented a potentially steep and time-consuming learning curve," said David Owens, Tinsley Bridge's technical director.

"However, the speed and ease with which FaroArm's uncomplicated features enable coordinate points to be collected, coupled with the seamless interface that exists between the measuring arm and its user-friendly software, AnthroCAM, make the FARO solution very accessible," he added.

"Adopting the FaroArm measuring system has enabled our quality management department to operate at levels of precision and efficiency guaranteed to accommodate future developments for some time to come," concluded David.

FaroArm

The FaroArm portable measurement arm provides accurate, reliable design and inspection capabilities on the "shop floor" or in the field. Designed for such diverse industrial applications as reverse engineering, prismatic and contour measurement, CAD-to-part comparisons, quality inspection, multi-axis programming and "fitchecks", the FaroArm Gold, Silver and Sterling series represent probably the most comprehensive portable measurement solution currently available in the UK.

All FaroArm series are available either as individual arms or as a complete "FaroArm Turnkey System" package which-includes FARO's unique AnthroCAM software, laptop computer, training and one year standard warranty.

Constructed of anodised aircraft aluminium with precision bearings and featuring integrated counterbalancing for ease of use, each FaroArm offers on-board digital signal processing for faster data processing and FARO Technologies Inc. patented zero reference sphere for custom probe calibration.

AnthroCAM

Designed specifically to close the gap between engineering and manufacturing, AnthroCAM incorporates a suite of six software programs:

1. 1.

   AnthroCAM CAD Analyser,

2. 2.

   AnthroCAM Measure,

3. 3.

   AnthroCAM Design,

4. 4.

   AnthroCAM Automotive,

5. 5.

   AnthroCAM SPC Graph, and

6. 6.

   AnthroCAM SPC Process.

For details contact Faro UK, 42 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 1HE.