TPT November 2017

T E CHNOLOG Y

Romer Absolute Arm and software from Hexagon Manufacturing

it over the tube straights. Correctional bend data can be created and sent to (or recalled from) the tube bender if necessary. The non-contact probe is then removed and re- placed with a touch-probe, which is used to measure the shape and position of the brackets on the tube, as well as being useful for the measurement of tube fixtures and jigs. Both of these sets of 3D

THE Romer Absolute Arm and TubeShaper software are supplied by measurement technology manufacturer Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence. They are used to check a tube’s shape and to measure the position of any brackets or hangers that are welded onto it. The Romer Absolute Arm is a portable 3D measurement machine that has been deployed in workshop environments for more than 35 years. Because it is portable it can be carried around and used almost anywhere. It can be positioned next to a fleet of tube benders and then be taken to a welding station for measurement or even be taken to a supplier’s factory. The arm is also compatible with a range of different types of measurement probes so the operator can choose the probe most suited to the task in hand. Non-contact tube probes are designed for infrared measurement of tubes and pipes up to a diameter of 120mm. Ball or ‘touch’ probes are shipped with every arm as standard and allow the user to touch the part, collecting high accuracy 3D measurement points. The common feature is that all probes can be swapped on the arm on the fly, without having to stop work in order to make a probe calibration. In the context of welding flanges, brackets or hangers to a tube it means that the whole part – tube and welded additions – can be measured in minutes, or even in two steps in two totally different locations. The tube is measured with the non-contact probe by sweeping

any time. This means that an entire tube assembly can be aligned to the brackets (replicating the conditions under which the part would be mounted to its fixing points), allowing the operator to quickly see if the assembly has been built to tolerance. The whole part can then be toggled to the tube’s alignment, allowing for a check to see whether the tube has been bent correctly. “This flexibility is an effort to combine high-speed rugged tube measurement with everything we know about portable metrology,” said Stephan Amann, business development manager for the Romer portable product line at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence. “We want to give our customers a tool that allows them to check their entire manufacturing process, reducing scrap at every stage.” Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence – UK Website: www.hexagonmi.com

measurements are made in the same software measurement session thanks to the features of the TubeShaper software, which was launched in late 2015. Its advantages in the context of measuring complex tube assemblies are threefold: • All measurements can be made with reference to an imported CAD model of the part if desired. If there is no CAD data the part can also be completely reverse engineered in TubeShaper and that measurement data can then be used as a reference later. • As the tube and brackets are measured, TubeShaper automatically writes a measurement program that can be run later by the user. The next time the user needs to measure the same part number all they have to do is run that program again, which is as simple as a single mouse click. • The measured tube and brackets each have their own individual 3D alignment, which can be switched at

AWL develops modular welding jigs DURING the past three years, AWL has gained experience with the development and construction of configurable cells (machines), primarily for the automotive industry. successful integration of these cells, the company began the development of configurable welding jigs. AWL states that modular welding jigs allow customers to work more efficiently. The jig is developed in one location and can subsequently be assembled anywhere in the world: local parties do not need to develop a new jig each time. This can provide savings for This has enabled it to respond to the demands and requirements of the market with regard to the standardisation of the production process. Following the

many customers, who work with short lead times and high production volumes. An advantage of these modular welding jigs is that they can be built better and faster each time, thanks to the design’s progressive development.

AWL – Netherlands Website: www.awl.nl

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NOVEMBER 2017