Renishaw At EMO 2013

Solutions to help tackle the increasing drive to lean manufacturing, from new technologies for pre-process machine calibration, to on-line and off-line post-process measurement.

Major new introductions include a high-speed analogue contact scanning system for CNC machine tools, a family of products for the measurement of aerospace blades, a new range of modular fixtures for metrology applications, and a long range laser encoder. The latest gauging software, additive manufacturing technologies and position encoder systems will also be on show.

SPRINT™ high-speed analogue contact scanning system
Renishaw’s game-changing contact scanning system opens up completely new process control opportunities for high-value CNC machine tools. The SPRINT system incorporates a new generation of on-machine analogue scanning technology that will deliver a step-change in the benefits of process control, enabling fast and accurate form and profile data capture from both prismatic and complex 3D components.

For blade manufacture, the SPRINT system provides unprecedented capability for blade tip refurbishment and root blending applications. For multi-task machining applications, the SPRINT machine tool scanning system offers users completely new process control capabilities, including exceptionally repeatable diameter measurement cycles.

Additional functionality offered by the SPRINT system provides a rapid health-check of a CNC machine tool’s linear and rotary axes in seconds, making it possible to implement a daily machine monitoring regime with little or no operator involvement.

Powerful suite of high performance blade measurement and analysis tools
At EMO Hannover Renishaw is highlighting a developing family of high performance hardware and software products for co-ordinate measuring machines that are specifically designed to aid the measurement and manufacturing of aerospace blades. All products complement the multi-award winning REVO® 5-axis measurement system and include APEXBlade™ planning software for REVO sweep scanning and DMIS programming, MODUS™ aerofoil analysis for the calculation and reporting of blade section profile and aerofoil characteristics, and SurfitBlade™ to aid reverse engineering of the complete airfoil.

Renishaw fixtures: the new single source for metrology fixturing
Following the acquisition of R&R Sales LLC in 2012, Renishaw has developed an extensive new range of modular fixturing designed specifically for co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs), vision systems and its Equator™ gauging system. Visitors to EMO 2013 will see that the new range offers a wide choice of base plates and components available in M4, M6 and M8 thread sizes, and can be utilised for measurement applications across multiple industries, such as aerospace, automotive and medical.

HS20 laser encoder
EMO 2013 will see the launch of a thoroughly updated successor to Renishaw’s long established HS10 long range laser encoder which, with a range of up to 60 m, has found multiple applications on large machine tools for the aerospace industry. This is a ‘drop-in’ replacement for the existing HS10 product, essential for existing users to minimise installation issues. Inside, the product is totally revised, using many proven components from Renishaw’s current XL-80 calibration laser. PCBs use the latest surface mount technology (produced in-house at Renishaw) for greater robustness and reliability.

New developments in understanding rotary axes performance
For visitors to EMO Hannover 2013 who use five-axis machine tools, Renishaw has further extended its solutions for checking the alignment and positioning performance of machine tool rotary axes with the launch of new off axis rotary software for its XR20-W rotary axis calibrator. The new software for the highly successful XR20-W now allows it to be used to measure the rotary positioning accuracy of an axis on many configurations of five axis machine tools, where the XR20-W often cannot be mounted on the centre of rotation.

New process monitoring software for the Equator gauge
For visitors to EMO Hannover sourcing off-line measurement systems a new process monitoring window has been added to the shop-floor user interface for Renishaw’s Equator™ gauging system. This instantly displays measurement results of inspected features to the operator on a bar-graph display. It also shows the history of measurement on each feature so that process trends can be seen. The system’s re-mastering process can now be managed based on temperature limits, number of parts or time since last master.

Renishaw acquires pioneer in additive manufacture
Renishaw has acquired, as part of an asset deal, the business and employees of LBC Laser Bearbeitungs Center GmbH, a pioneer in the field of additive manufacturing for tool and mould making. Already a leader in the supply of laser melting systems, visitors to EMO 2013 will see that the deal will also allow Renishaw to offer additional additive manufacturing services, including design and simulation, and the contract manufacture of metal prototypes and production parts.

True-absolute optical encoder with Siemens DRIVE-CLiQ interface
Siemens DRIVE-CLiQ is the innovative, powerful communications interface to connect encoder and direct measurement systems with SINUMERIK and SINAMICS drive components. RESOLUTE true-absolute optical encoder with the DRIVE-CLiQ interface allows machine builders to achieve higher performance and greater reliability. Visitors to EMO Hannover will see that this product determines position immediately upon switch-on and so is particularly suitable for use in high-performance lathe spindles as well as DDR torque motors requiring the highest levels of precision and motion control integrity.