SET / CHECK THE ACCURACY OF VARIOUS LARGE CAPACITY MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
Silcoms: Although well known throughout the world for its high-quality aerospace related work, Lancashire-based company, Silcoms boasts two other major divisions: Silcoms Carryline designs and manufactures a wide range of flexible conveyor solutions for its global customer base, whilst Silcoms’ Conveyor Chain division has been a leading designer and manufacturer of conveyor chains for nearly 50 years, serving such demanding sectors as the world’s Chemical, Automotive, Escalator and Iron and steel industries.
The renowned Aerospace Division of Silcoms is the UK's leading supplier of machined rings, casings, seals and segments, as components or assemblies, for the world’s aero-engine and gas turbine industries. Using the latest CNC technology and employing Lean Manufacture principles, Silcoms manufacture parts up to 2 metres diameter. The company offers a 'supply complete' service including the kitting of parts and the control of specialist surface and heat treatments, through supply chain management. The diverse family of parts manufactured by Silcoms includes Variable Vane Pivot Rings, Booster Bleed Valve Assemblies, Shroud rings, Baffle support ring, the complex Vent Duct, Turbine Ring Component, Compressor Ring and Tip Clearance Control Rings.
Silcoms’ vast experience in producing such difficult to manufacture, large complex parts with extremely demanding specifications, ensures that the company is kept busy satisfying global demand. In addition to the machining of Stainless steel and Aluminium, Silcoms has unparalleled levels of expertise in producing rings from more exotic materials such as Nimonics, Inconels, Jethete, Hastalloy and Titanium.
As part of an investment program, the Aerospace Division of Silcoms has recently purchased an extremely accurate 2m Trimos horizontal measuring machine from Bowers Metrology for use in manufacturing the company’s wide range of large rings. With a 1um resolution and an impressive maximum permissible error specification of 3um+(L(mm)/300) = um, Silcoms’ new highly precise acquisition is now being used to set and periodically check the accuracy of the company’s wide range of large capacity measuring instruments.
Having now reaped the benefits of using the Trimos Horizon within the company’s machining cell, Brian Hunter, the Manufacturing (Quality) Engineer who oversaw the purchase of the Trimos machine reported “having examined the alternatives, based on the reputation of Trimos Horizontal measuring machines within the aerospace industry and the ability of the Bowers personnel to demonstrate the first-rate capabilities of their measuring machines, I chose a 2m capacity version of the Trimos Horizon model.”
”Our new measuring machine has proven to be an unqualified success with our operators as it has the large capacity that is vital for our manufactured rings. The machine is easy to use and it gives our personnel absolute confidence in the accuracy of the gauges they are using. Prior to undertaking a measuring task, our staff are able to quickly and accurately set a wide range of internal and external measuring instruments, including micrometers, calipers and our specialised, large capacity modular clock-gauges. To further guarantee the accuracy of the measurements taken on our very precise parts periodically throughout the working day, the Trimos Horizon is used to make occasional checks on the continued accuracy of any gauges that are being used. This thorough ‘belt and braces’ quality control philosophy, incorporating the use of our new measuring machine, helps us to maintain our important traceability records. It ensures that we are able to closely adhere to the conditions of our many important aerospace related accreditations, whilst it also helps to ensure that our extremely expensive components enjoy a zero scrap condition.”
Used throughout the global aerospace manufacturing industry as a means of setting measuring instruments and also regularly checking the accuracy of their readings, the now ubiquitous Trimos Horizon machine can be found in aerospace manufacturing cells throughout the world.
For more information on the Trimos Horizontal, click here.
Published on July 15, 2010 14:28