Dr. Tom Kurfess of Georgia Tech and I sat down with Dan Skulan, general manager of industrial metrology at Renishaw (IMTS booth #134314 and #134524 in the Quality Assurance Sector and #433239 in the Additive Manufacturing Sector) in this IMTS+ Tom & Lonnie Chat (TLC) to discuss the riveting world of manufacturing process control (cue fireworks). But seriously — advanced manufacturing is all about reducing errors and improving accuracy through automation. With 40 years of experience in the industry, Dan provided awesome insights into intelligent precision machining. Where does part variation come from? Ask a machinist, and they’ll offer a laundry list of error sources, from the ambient temperature to a slight machine tilt. Renishaw is known best for measuring and reducing variation. Skulan revealed impressive results in their automated manufacturing floor, which achieves 120 weekly productive hours with a less than 0.3% scrap rate. Machine calibration and in-process checks ensure a 100% quality yield — that's right, zero parts with quality control issues downstream — but how? Skulan detailed the Productive Process Pyramid, AKA the methodology behind their success. Like a pyramid, the process focuses on solid foundations and ends with the details. Its four levels are: Process Foundation: These are preventative controls applied before manufacturing, such as proper installation and preventative maintenance. This is the most important control, especially for shops just starting to automate. Process Setting: These are predictive controls applied just before cutting, such as work offsets and proper set-up. In-process Control: These are active controls applied during cutting, such as taking real-time measurements of speed, deflection, and temperature. Post-processing Monitoring: These are informative controls applied after machining, such as comprehensive evaluations of final parts. Eighty to 90% of ongoing errors are caused by improper machine installation and maintenance. Inspection at the end of CNC operations is a painfully expensive way to ensure quality, as all of the value is already in the part. Tool automation doesn’t care about mistakes; as Skulan said, automation can make scrap at unprecedented rates with poor process control. This makes good process foundations essential. Digital smart manufacturing tools rely on not just data, but good data. If a shop collects oceans of uncalibrated datasets, then it's useless. To capitalize on intelligent manufacturing, shops need accurate, actionable information at every stage. Only after this point can process control be implemented. Speaking of fancy new tools, Skulan showed Renishaw’s upcoming probing and calibration systems for lathes and four-axis machines. He also hinted at adaptive scanning and panning technology that may be at IMTS; we’ll have to wait patiently until September. If you’re looking for actionable steps toward deploying automation, be sure to visit IMTS 2024, Sept. 9-14, at McCormick Place, Chicago, where Renishaw and many other companies are showing their latest technology to advance manufacturing. Register now at IMTS.com/Register. For complete details, watch at IMTS.com/WatchTLC
In this TLC, explore their latest advancements in automated machining and intelligent manufacturing, and discover how Renishaw is shaping the industry landscape at IMTS and beyond.
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