Margins are under constant threat and businesses need to find ways to reduce costs, improve efficiency and productivity, and drive down waste. Metrology can help alleviate some of these pressures on the business when used efficiently.
On this matter, there are two key issues that metrology can address:
Repeatable measurements: There are huge cost savings that metrology can bring to the business by measuring parts accurately and repeatably. This reduces production waste and therefore improves productivity by identifying drifts in tolerances before these become a production failure.
Agile workforce: The ideal metrology software application will be utilizable by all members of the workforce, regardless of their experience. Having a common software platform can help reduce setup and training costs and timeframes too.
Repeatable measurements
As components are passed through the supply chain or moved across sites, measurements need to be taken at multiple points in the manufacturing cycle. Invariably different machines will be equipped with different software packages, but these will be used to carry out the same measurements., producing data with no common values.
This means operators will have to develop new programs to take the measurements which can be converted to create a commonality so that these can be evaluated from the same starting point and platform.
Having a common measurement software and part program that can be shared through the supply chain provides a common set of values for testing and measurement. This reduces any errors and improves the overall feed into the traceability of the part.
Starting from a common set of measurements means:
- Less time spent manipulating data increases efficiency
- Measuring parts accurately and repeatedly
- Increases productivity and efficiency
Metrology in action
Certain verticals, such as aviation, require high levels of traceability, as parts need to be tested either in-house or by third party metrology providers. Multiple software packages are likely to have potential differences in reporting formats and this could increase the risk of introducing errors while combining the data.
For example, take the scenario of 1,000,000 high volume, low value parts where 100 parts are 3D scanned per 10,000. This produces a large data set. Passing this down the line to another site or subcontractor where further measurements have to be carried out becomes very time-consuming just to arrive at a common format for comparison and analysis. In fact, any delay in the manufacturing process incurs costs in time or money, be that production failure, changing the set up or having to recall a batch.
Using a common software package is an enabler to finding efficiencies today. It can take data outputs from each measurement stage and analyse it accurately and immediately avoiding the need to convert it into a common format by importing the different data sets. It is therefore easier to compare, combine and manage the data.
Using the same software across multiple sites:
- Reduces the number of operators that need to be trained
- Reduces training time
- Provides a more agile workforce
Agile workforce
In manufacturing, staff often work shifts. If there are multiple systems, with different software, staff need to be trained to operate the various software packages across the different machines. Training costs the organisation time and money and the operator is potentially away from the shop floor for weeks at a time during training.
Some machines, depending on how they are set up, may only be able to measure specific parts. This means sometimes the correct operator is not available to take the measurements when required and time is wasted waiting for them.
Using a uniform software application has multiple operational efficiencies, such as:
- Reducing the training time for the operator as they do not need to learn multiple systems, which is key to a more agile and flexible workforce
- Making it easier to work across sites using the same operating system and reduces the number of operators that need to be trained on software
- Helping to develop in-house metrology specialists as they can focus on metrology rather than the machines
Larger companies have now started to mandate that suppliers and subcontractors within their supply chain use the same software package which goes some way to saving time when data and measurements need to be manipulated.
Of course, a single software package that can be used across all machines from fixed CMM to 3D portable machines allowing for fewer operators to be trained per shift, saves on training costs and time. This provides an efficient and agile workforce providing the best solution in saving time, cost reduction and increasing efficiencies.