On-Machine Verification allows initial checking of machined parts to be carried out in situ on any CNC machine tool rather than having to transfer them to coordinate measuring machines for inspection. Most modern machine tools either come with, or can be retrofitted with, probing capabilities to assist in the set-up of the job. With OMV, this same equipment can now be used for verification at little extra cost.
The main advantage is that any mistakes are discovered where they can be corrected – on the machine tool. The most obvious benefit of On-Machine Verification is for those companies that do not have existing inspection capabilities, for example, organisations that machine parts so large that the cost of dedicated facilities is prohibitive.
However, companies with independent inspection facilities can also save time with OMV, especially those that produce large parts or tooling. Repeated cycles of machining and inspection, interspersed with long set-up times on the respective pieces of equipment, are avoided, meaning that overall manufacturing times can be reduced. This can be particularly valuable in cases where every part in a production run needs to be checked.
On-Machine Verification can also give improve quality control by enabling components to be monitored more frequently during the manufacturing process. This will allow any errors to be detected earlier, and so corrected more quickly and at lower cost. For example, it will be possible to check that the correct amount of stock has been left on the component after a roughing operation, rather than having to wait until all machining operations have been completed before discovering that an error has been made.
Similarly, the extent of any damage caused, for example, by a tool breakage, can be assessed accurately and a decision made immediately to determine whether the part can still be completed within tolerance or whether it will have to be scrapped.
On-machine verification will also benefit companies with customers that insist on independent inspection of their work. By carrying out an initial verification on the machine, errors can be detected, and corrected, that might otherwise not be found until after the component had been shipped to the inspector.
The OMV version of Delcam’s PowerINSPECT software offers all the advantages associated with the releases of the software for use on dedicated inspection equipment. It gives both quick and easy comparison of tooling and sample components against CAD data, and produces clear, comprehensive reports that can be understood by everyone involved in the product development process, not just inspection specialists. The system allows off-line programming of the inspection sequence for the machine tool, with fully-integrated simulation, and so minimises the time taken on the machine for the verification operation.
