4 Metrology Services That Can Save Your Manufacturing Operation Time And Money

If efficiency is often the key to success in manufacturing, good use of metrological tools like coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) is often the key to efficiency. CMMs compare detailed measurements of newly produced parts against their blueprint specifications to ensure that parts being produced are error free. For this reason, they play a vital role in quality control and part accuracy, which in turn helps production lines reduce waste and cut down on costly bottlenecks.

Using metrology tools effectively can make your manufacturing operation much more efficient, and metrology support can help you get the most out of your production line. Here are some of the most sought-after metrology services that can save your operation time and money:

1. Contract Programming

Getting the most out of CMM equipment means maximizing the potential of CMM software. Whether you are installing new programs and want to make sure your machines are optimized to run them, or have a reverse engineering job you need external support with, you should consider hiring contract programmers who specialize in metrology software. Contract programmers can do everything from write new part programs to modify existing programs and creating guided routes for portable CMMs. 

2. Contract Metrology

While many manufacturers have opted to purchase their own CMMs to ensure they have tools on hand specifically designed to provide measurement solutions for their own production line, not every company needs to have its own CMM — but that doesn’t mean they won’t still need access to high-level metrology solutions from time to time. There are many situations in which detailed measurement is needed for individual parts and products, and in these cases contract metrology is the cheapest and easiest way to ensure you gather the data you need without investing in your own CMM.

3. Training

CMMs are powerful and complex pieces of machinery, and if you want your employees to utilize the full range of their capabilities, your team needs to understand the particulars of coordinate measurement machine technology and software. It will be worth the time and money in the long run to have them properly trained by metrology professionals so they can get the most out of the CMMs they are operating.

Many metrology companies also offer regular courses on the latest CMM software, so if you have recently upgraded the programs your machines are running, you can make sure your employees upgrade their training as well. 

4. Installation And Calibration

If you have just purchased a CMM, or are moving your CMM from one location to another, it is important to make sure it is properly installed and re-calibrated. CMMs are famously sensitive pieces of equipment, and when setting them up everything from temperature to humidity need to be taken into account if they are to provide accurate data. Hiring professional metrological help is the best way to ensure that your CMM is properly fine-tuned to the conditions in its new home.

If manufacturing is your business, there is a good chance you have at some point worked with specialists from many different disciplines to create the most efficient assembly line possible. From mechanics and technicians to management consultants and hard scientists, building a good production system requires input from individuals with a wide range of expertise. This is especially true in the case of metrology and CMMs, which, due to their role in providing quality control, are both highly specialized and vital to the long-term health and productivity of your enterprise.

By working with metrology service providers, you can have access to the best measurement services on the market for as long as you need them, without making a prohibitive investment on labour or materials. Whether you are looking for programmers, measuring services, training, or installation and calibration, contracting out to a metrology services provider gives you the best of both worlds.