INDUSTRY
Aerospace
EQUIPMENT USED
- Faro laser tracker
- Easy Laser
For any manufacturing operation, the sudden breakdown of a machine can lead to significant disruptions, resulting in lost time and resources. Therefore, prompt repairs are crucial.
When an aerospace parts manufacturer in Tacoma, WA faced their own sudden machinery breakdown and needed expert metrology services right away, they turned to Walker Brothers’ affiliate company, Omega Morgan for help. They not only repaired the 44,000-pound computer numerical control (CNC) machine responsible for precise cutting of aerospace components, they upgraded it and made it better than ever.
METROLOGY SOLUTIONS THAT EXCEED EXPECTATIONS
After careful analysis of the failed CNC machine, Walker Brothers’ affiliate company discovered that the issue stemmed from the machine’s X-axis, where an unconventional design left bearing material exposed rather than protected under the X-Axis table. Additionally, the oil runners had been carved through the bearing material into the cast iron, so that with every cut the machine made, metal chips drifted into the machine grooves, tearing the bearing material and leading to deterioration over time.
Like Walker Brothers, their affiliate companies do not settle for anything less than the best service for their customers. For that reason, the metrology team decided they would not just repair the machine tool, they would improve it. They set out to enhance the poorly designed component, preventing future failures and making the machine tool more durable and efficient.
METROLOGY ENGINEERING AT ITS BEST
Over the timespan of three days, Walker Brothers’ affiliate company worked onsite at the aerospace manufacturing facility, fortifying the bearing material of the machine tool for durability and repositioning the oil grooves beneath the table to ensure optimal lubrication and shield them from debris.
Two metrology crew members skillfully began the repair and subsequent enhancement process by first rigging the table onto the X-Axis guideways. They then fit the gibs, aligned the ball screw, replaced the original bearing material with a specific type of epoxy, and removed the oil grooves from the ways. Placing new oil grooves beneath the table, they continued refurbishing the X-Axis and reassembling the machine using traditional hand-scraping methods along with cutting-edge laser technology.
The laser instruments the crew used were the Faro Laser Tracker and Easy Tracker. Utilizing these instruments allowed the metrology technicians to check dimensions at the micron level and determine the appropriate height of the bearing material. They could then reintegrate the X-Axis Table into the CNC machine seamlessly.
INDUSTRIAL METROLOGY DONE RIGHT
Walker Brothers and their affiliate company are dedicated to providing expert services that push beyond expectations when possible. This project was a perfect example of that commitment. Through innovative solutions and technical expertise, their metrology crew delivered results and ensured that their aerospace manufacturing customer could produce quality products for a long time to come.
