NDI Home
 

Fixture Verification and Automatic Alignment

Fixture Verification and Fixture Alignment using NDI Portable CMM Problem

Fixtures are commonly used in manufacturing to aid in assembling, machining, or inspecting parts in an accurate and repeatable manner. Often fixtures move out of their specified tolerance range due to damage or wear. If undetected, this misalignment can cause costly errors resulting from incorrectly accepting or rejecting parts. To avoid these types of issues, fixtures require verification, which can become a time consuming and expensive task.

Solution

NDI's Portable CMM provides fixture verification right on the shop floor. Operators simply use a handheld digitizing probe, or optional laser scanner, to quickly measure the fixture while the inspection software automatically compares measured data to corresponding CAD data. Deviations from nominals and out-of-tolerance conditions are clearly displayed in real-time using colour-coded error maps and labels. Quality reports are easily customized and are automatically generated simplifying the entire fixture verification process.

Operators can also use NDI's Portable CMM to perform automatic fixture alignment - a unique solution that solves traditional fixture alignment issues in a more efficient manner. Automatic fixture alignment pairs the OPTOTRAK PROseries Portable CMM with a technology called dynamic referencing. Dynamic referencing eliminates the need for repetitive fixture alignment tasks because it allows the fixture to be pre-aligned and then continuously tracked in real-time. Tracking the fixture in real-time translates into improved measurement throughput since no time is wasted performing fixture alignment prior to measurement and errors are detected as they happen. Dynamic referencing offers further benefits by eliminating any errors caused by vibration or movement experienced during measurement, which means you can accurately perform measurement tasks within any given environment.

Products

The best products to assist you with your fixture verification and automatic fixture alignment needs include:

Benefits

  • Save time and money through improved process efficiency
  • Truly portable and easy to set up
  • Optically tracked, allowing for greatest range of movement
  • Ability to measure accurately in unstable environments

More Info