Aerospace Success
Ashley and Peter Nicholls love working in the international aerospace business.
The Production Parts business, owned and managed by Ashley and Peter, has become a global hub for the manufacture of quality CNC machined Defence and Aerospace components - particularly for customers such as Lockheed Martin and others supplying to the Joint-Strike Fighter program.
Located in Airport West Victoria, Production Parts know that quality improvement is a critical issue for any company wanting to supply to the JSF program, and they wanted help from the best possible source of measurement technology, - Hi-Tech Metrology.
After approaching Hi-Tech Metrology in September 2007, it was decided to use a "clean sheet of paper approach" and put all of the issues and constraints on the table in order to come up with an overall strategic plan to tackle the growing measurement challenges that Production Parts would face now and in the next 3-5 years developing further aerospace business on the global stage.
The Production Parts business already had three coordinate measuring machines in their plant - all different brands and vintages, and running completely incompatible software platforms.
Despite the global success of the business, Production Parts were struggling to overcome production bottlenecks on the CMM equipment and not all of the machines were capable of measuring all of the parts required and so machine flexibility was poor.
Overseas clients wanted Production Parts to check all of the critical features on a number of very complex components, requiring massive amounts of CMM capacity as well as extensive hand gauging by inspectors.
As well as considering future CMM capacity (size and quantity of machines), Production Parts also wanted to consider a number of other equipment options including the latest developments in both contact analogue scanning and non-contact measurement, as well as a complete re-think on the right choice of software platform for the majority of their existing equipment as well as any new CMM hardware acquired, as part of the overall strategic plan moving forward.
Software considerations played a vital part in the overall strategy mapped-out between Production Parts and Hi-Tech Metrology with one of Production Parts' key international aerospace customers specifying the CAD system that they wanted their suppliers to use and so complete compatibility, without loss of data accuracy through translation was critical.
Hi-Tech Metrology was used to this type of rigorous requirement and had exactly the right software platform to offer Production Parts - along with the appropriate CAD interfaces, translators and off-line functionality required to satisfy both the key data requirements of Production Parts as well as satisfying their end clients strict data varsity needs as well.
The strategic plan involved the purchase of a new Brown & Sharpe Global Advantage 7-10-7 coordinate measuring system, part of Hexagon Metrology's extensive range of coordinate measuring machines, chosen for its accuracy, performance and overall flexibility, coupled with Renishaw PH10MQ indexing head, SP25M analogue scanning system and two probe changing racks. This hardware was coupled with the latest version of PC-DMIS CAD++, direct CAD translators for CATIA and Unigraphics, and a full package of training for new as well as advanced and experienced CMM operators at Production Parts.
The existing Sheffield RS30 CMM at Production Parts was retrofitted with the latest PH10M indexing head and probing technology from Renishaw and the PC-DMIS software platform upgraded to the latest version of the software.
The purchase of the 7-10-7 Brown & Sharpe Global CMM by Production Parts represents a cornerstone of the new strategic manufacturing plan for the business, according to Technical Director Ashley Nicholls. The new CMM, coupled with software upgrades on one of existing Sheffield CMMs allows us the opportunity to further plan for growth in our business and whether we need an even larger CMM in the future or multiple smaller machines we now know that we have the platform and the solid foundation that will enable us to develop - without the need to be conscious of making the wrong investment decisions. Our plans have been discussed, formulated and fine-tuned with our metrology partner, Hi-Tech Metrology, according to Ashley Nicholls and this allows us the opportunity to be focus on the other aspects of our business that require management's attention.
Direct deliverables of the program with Hi-Tech Metrology so far to date include a demonstrable improvement in measurement productivity in measurement of key components such as our turbine rotor components, as well as a dramatic improvement in skills and understanding by our CMM team and the efficient use of the CMM software to drive manufacturing efficiencies in order to reduce bottlenecks through our CMM facility.
The cost of CMM technology, like most advanced manufacturing products has remained very stable over the last 5-10 years and the significantly improved features, capabilities and enhancements, represent excellent value for money investments for any business that is serious about working in export markets and in particular in the very competitive and challenging aerospace sectors.
Ashley went on to say that the depth of support, experience and commitment to the metrology sector from Hi-Tech Metrology, sets them apart from other equipment vendors. With Hi-Tech their passion is to help customers realise their measurement and productivity goals through the provision of great hardware and software products and technology. Their on-going supply of after-sales service and support, including training, software enhancements and CAD interfaces etc. is truly outstanding and the type of service and support we expect and need to succeed in the global aerospace business.
Partnerships like the one between Hi-Tech Metrology and Production Parts, where the latest technology, coupled with skilled training and after-sales service expertise, will help ensure that Australian businesses not only remain competitive in overseas markets, but also become class-leading enterprises able to win business on their own merits in any environment where quality and service excellence are the key requirements of clients.