Mitigating 3D Metrology Challenges With End-to-End Solutions
With the right solution, 3D metrology can not only boost accurate and precise measurements, but also eliminate reworking, reduce iterations, and enable smoother troubleshooting by providing rich data on malfunctioning products without the need of physically disassembling parts.
However, recent business challenges, are compelling manufacturers to demand an end-to-end 3D metrological solution that is comprehensive, cost-effective and scalable.
Understanding Current Business Challenges Affecting 3D Metrology
How to stay operational and profitable as well as stand the test of time is an overarching business challenge affecting most sectors, including 3D metrology. There are certain additional challenges caused by uncontrollable external events which include:
- Requirements to control overall metrological processes and associated costs
- Reductions imposed on metrology workloads
- Reductions imposed to on-site staffing
- Increased partial or remote working
These challenges are demanding advances in 3D metrology to happen fast, because it’s not enough to have improved measuring equipment and software.
There needs to be an approach that efficiently leverages all available data, regardless of its type and making this accessible to production staff, regardless of when and where they are available.
End-to-End 3D Metrology Process
What is needed to address the aforementioned challenges is an innovative, comprehensive, scalable and cost-efficient end-to-end 3D metrological process.
This would help manufacturers to:
- Reduce ownership costs by eliminating metrology silos and inefficient workflows
- Ensure consistency in measurement results
- Increase workforce mobility by facilitating greater collaboration between teams and plants
- Reduce staff training costs and licensing costs on multiple software applications
- Boost production efficiency levels by automating certain functions
Scalability is very important. Manufacturers should ideally be able to select individual components or use the entire application, depending upon their requirements.
End-to-End 3D Metrology Process Components
A standardised end-to-end 3D metrology process would comprise the following four key components for staff to follow:
Prepare: To identify which features need measuring, which inspection rules apply, which tools are required for inspection and whether the digital chain is ensured in particular for automatic GD&T decoding that is included in the CAD model.
Program: To create inspection programs in a few clicks thanks to advanced simulation solutions, including automatic avoidance and path optimisation based on the Digital Twin concept. To also understand how to use simulation software that recreates the shop floor environment and covers all the parts of a machine.
Execute: To connect the measuring device and execute the above program for supremely accurate data capture, analysis and report generation.
Manage: To harness the power of digital collaborative solutions by connecting the preferred statistical software application for enhanced analysis and reporting.
Consideration Factors When Seeking End-to-End 3D Metrology Solution
The right end-to-end 3D metrology solution will be open and collaborative; it will not disrupt the existing processes but adapt and enhance it. Here is what to consider:
Does it mitigate risks?
Having no software solution or multiple software applications that focus on different operational activities can lead to serious risks, such as providing inaccurate measurements, incorrectly interpreting data, losing critical data and losing time in creating manual reports, all of which affect and delay the production process.
The right end-to-end 3D metrology solution will eliminate all these risks by programming the entire CMM or robot using one universal software, regardless of machine size, brand or configuration. It will seamlessly recreate the shop floor environment, through virtual representation, to simulate the measurement workflow and detect any collisions with a digital twin.
It will also generate error-free reports to analyse the project, machine performance or any manufacturing errors.
Does it improve the quality of the inspection process?
The ideal solution will leverage simulation technologies to strengthen the quality of the inspection process. The CMM or robot can continue to monitor and measure, while metrologists program offline inspection tasks on complete simulated twins of their actual environment and equipment.
An offline simulation program would work directly with native or neutral CAD files and automatically interpret Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T); thereby delivering faster results.
Does it reduce part programming capacity?
The right solution will bring about a convenient virtual measuring machine that is propelled via a smart algorithm that lies within the Inspection Path Planning (IPP) module.
It would compute the best measurement trajectory with automatic head orientation and obstacle avoidance as well as work on an optimised path, with minimum crossing points, in a smarter and faster manner, regardless of whether the probe is touch or optical.
Does it boost user adoption and collaboration?
If the end-to-end 3D metrology solution is universal, i.e., it can be applied on any device, application and industry, it would be designed in ways by which metrology professionals of all levels can utilise it easily to improve productivity and quality outputs.
It would leverage cloud computing technologies that enable data and reports and to be stored in a centralised repository and be made accessible by staff regardless of time zones and locations.
Industries are currently moving towards utilising such an end-to-end solution in their 3D metrological processes, bringing on game-changing times ahead.
For more information: www.metrologic.group
