RCA - new dimensions
in metrology
INTRODUCTION
THE NEED
Metrology is defined as the science of measurement.
Industrial metrology is the application of that science
in pursuit of manufacturing perfection. In today’s
economical and efficiency driven environments,
reduction of waste in any form is a high priority.
Incorrectly manufactured components are a good
example of the combined waste of material, energy
and time that cost businesses, and ultimately their
customers, money.
The industrial metrology market is dominated by two different
technologies – traditional CMM’s (coordinate measuring machines)
and measurement arms. Although providing the same end result to
the user, the installation requirements and method of usage are
completely different. Products based on the traditional CMM
technology, whether table, gantry or horizontal arm varieties,
require substantial foundations to be installed in the area where
they are to be used and are fixed in this location. Measuring arms by
contrast are light-weight, portable solutions but lack the automated
usage and precision that CMM’s can offer. The user has to consider
which compromise to accept when choosing between these
solutions.
Elimination or reduction of scrap components
through early detection of problem items is
paramount to creating cost-efficient processes and
this is where industrial metrology comes into play,
through inspecting the components being
manufactured to ensure successive processes are
not affected or monitoring the manufacturing
process itself through statistical analysis of the
results.
The RCA combines the best elements of the two traditional
alternatives by offering the automation capability of a traditional
CMM, with the mobility and part accessibility of an articulated
measurement arm. A rugged design, with easy relocation capabilities
coupled with intrinsic absolute accuracy means that the user no
longer has to compromise between previous technology constraints.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH COLLABORATION
Nikon Metrology (NM), formerly Metris and now part of the global Nikon
group, was the lead partner in the project, responsible for the design and
development of the RCA. Critical elements of the project were undertaken
by the project partners, who brought to bear their particular strengths and
experiences to create an effective development environment. By
collaborating, several crucial prototype and pre-production steps were
executed far earlier in the project lifecycle than would have been possible
in a single-partner environment, including product simulations, real user
experience and real application testing.
Project Partner: Tata Motors European
Technical Centre (TMETC)
TMETC provided appropriate test cases and
beta site opportunities, to test the RCA
prototypes in real-world scenarios.
TMETC have access to automotive
development and manufacturing centres that
allow real-world scenarios and problems to
be analysed. Some key improvements were
identified that were incorporated into the
product design.
TMETC is also a partner in the Low Carbon
Vehicle Technology Project and the RCA
was widely used in supporting Electric
Vehicle development.
Project Partner: The University of Warwick
The University of Warwick (UoW) provided important, multidisciplinary research expertise from the Warwick Manufacturing
Group (WMG) and the Warwick Mathematics Institute (WMI) for
the validation and assessment of the integrity of the RCA design.
The UoW team worked closely with Nikon Metrology (formerly
Metris) to help prove the feasibility of the RCA through the virtual
assessment of available measurement work space, environmental
testing and assessment of the design against established
international metrology standards.
Additional achievements include the definition of fundamental
mathematical principles for the mechanical design of kinematic
systems and presenting project outputs at internationally leading
metrology conferences including CMSC ‘09 ‘10 and LVMC ’09.
The project has also resulted in the installation of a state of the art
controlled lighting facility at UoW with the capability of simulating a
wide range of lighting scenarios for product evaluations.
NEXT STEPS
Nikon
Metrology
are
concurrently
progressing a further design iteration of the
RCA product, to incorporate design-formanufacture improvements to support a full
commercial product release.
During this period, the third generation (G3)
design will be made available through a
limited production release to applicable
customers with suitable applications for the
product. This will raise the profile of the RCA
in the metrology market place, whilst
managing the implementation of this new
technology into a highly competitive
environment.
Further developments are planned to
improve the performance of the RCA to
further encroach on the domains of existing
technology products.
PROJECT: 100618 (TP: AH041C)
PARTNERS: Nikon Metrology, University of
Warwick and Tata Motors European Technical
Centre.
TOTAL PROJECT INVESTMENT: £2,014,983
TSB INVESTMENT: £1,025,675
CONTACT DETAILS:
Chris Marriott
VP, Engineering
Nikon Metrology UK Ltd
Argosy Road, East Midlands Airport,
Castle Donington
Derbyshire
DE74 2SA
E: chris.marriott@nikonmetrology.com
T: 01332 811349