All Features
ECM Global Measurement Solutions
ECM Global Measurement Solutions (ECM) of Topsfield, Massachusetts is working with ProTom International (ProTom) of Flower Mound, Texas, to install a state-of-the-art proton therapy treatment center in Flint, Michigan, for McLaren Healthcare. This is the first in a series of proton therapy centers…
NVision Inc.
NVision Inc. recently volunteered its 3D laser-scanning services to help Sarasota sculptor Greg Marra create an exact replica of the rifle that former Navy Seal Chris Kyle used while in the military.
Christopher Scott “Chris” Kyle is widely considered to have been the most lethal sniper in U.S.…
Quality Digest
On March 28, 2013, the world lost a person whom many consider to be a major contributor to the world of industrial statistics: George E. P. Box. Relatively unknown outside the world of statistics, Box was certainly very well known by those who have studied or practiced industrial statistics.
His…
MIT News
A new report by researchers at MIT and elsewhere finds that the global manufacturing sector has made great strides in energy efficiency: The manufacturing of materials such as steel, cement, paper, and aluminum has become increasingly streamlined, requiring far less energy than when these…
Mark R. Hamel
Here’s some often overlooked and misunderstood value-stream mapping math.
The lead time ladder has two levels or “rungs.” The bottom rung is the process or processing rung on which the relevant process time is dropped down. This is usually pretty straightforward... unless there is a split or…
Robb McIvor
Being that this is Valentine’s Day, I can think of no better time and place to express my undying love—for the technical presentations that are offered each year at the Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference.
CMSC 2013, which is being held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina July 22–26,…
Pravesh Mathur
To demonstrate that a typical spacecraft reflector is designed and manufactured according to specifications and caters to postulated performances, a detailed testing and verification campaign must be conducted. 3D metrology plays an important role in this process.
Conventional coordinate measuring…
Belinda Jones
Two major acquisitions were announced in early January 2013, and it is not surprising that both companies were software developers and long-time players in the industrial measurement sector.
3D Systems announced it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Geomagic Inc. This acquisition is…
Curt Oswald, Donald L. Reynolds, John J. Casey
Do you want to know a secret? It’s one that lean experts often overlook because nobody told them about it. However, before revealing it, we need to answer a couple of questions first.
• What is 5S? • Why is 5S important to implement? • Why do so many U.S. companies fail in 5S implementation?
5S…
Alex Lucas
The current focus on improving production efficiency and part quality while meeting stringent production schedules is unrelenting. Measurement and inspection is one vital area that can benefit from advances in laser-scanning technology. Retrofitting coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) or…
John Ferreira
The need for low-cost temperature logging devices in the cold-chain industry has led to the development of silicon-based instruments that do not need calibration. Traditional temperature monitoring devices (using thermistors or thermocouples) must be calibrated during final production and assembly…
Matthew E. May
All I want for Christmas is a meaningful measurement. I’m tired of “technical specifications” that have no real-world application. I’m fatigued by acronyms and jargon that I can only imagine have evil engineers and masochistic technical writers in dark rooms giggling with glee (mwah-ha-ha-ha style…
Carl Zeiss Microscopy
Much has been said about American students falling behind in science; minority students in particular are under-represented and tend to choose other career options. One doctor and research scientist with a longstanding interest in education and training was determined to change this pattern. He has…
Marc Tian
Gauging fixtures are a staple in many metrology labs and assembly lines. They offer a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to determine if a measured part passes tolerances. Two popular tools that are found in many fixtures are HEIDENHAIN length gauges and linear variable differential transformers (…
NIST
Two federal agencies have teamed to create the first-ever system for linking accurate assessments of risk from wildland fires to improved building codes, standards, and practices that will help communities better resist the threat.
The proposed Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Hazard Scale addresses…
Portable 3D measuring devices have revolutionized the world of metrology since their invention some 30 years ago. They have brought the world of inspection right down to the production line, allowing measurements to be done much quicker and easier.
However, some devices, including portable…
Belinda Jones
Overlapping personal passion with technical expertise can often spawn a successful business. Chris Kelley, president of California Cycleworks, exemplifies the small business owner who envisioned opportunity and took a leap of faith.
While Kelley was working at CA Cycleworks as a college student,…
Renishaw
The Cliffs of Moher is one of Ireland’s top visitor attractions and a designated UNESCO Geo Park. O'Brien’s Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic cliffs, at the top of which you can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, and the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara. The cliffs take their name…
National Physical Laboratory
The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), part of the United Kingdom’s National Measurement Office, has developed a new range of 3D standards for verifying freeform coordinate measurement machines (CMMs). The standards allow the verification of portable and fixed noncontact coordinate measuring…
Creaform Inc.
Cédric Touchette, holder of the Guinness record for fastest speed on a gravity-powered street luge (157.41 kmh/97.81 mph) decided to take up a new challenge: pass the symbolic mark of 100 mph, with no engine. Among the other thrill seekers interested in this challenge was Louis-Étienne Bouchard-…
Koji Kiribuchi
With the motto, “Improved Operations through Improved Safety,” Delta Q Consultants provides risk assessments, accident investigations, safety consulting, and applied research and development specializing in fire and explosion dynamics for a wide range of clients.
The firm is headquartered in Marco…
Pinpoint Laser Systems
Many manufacturing facilities use equipment that contain rollers, idlers, press drums, and web-handling systems, and their alignment has a major effect on their efficacy.
There may be many rollers over which material passes as it proceeds through a specific manufacturing process. For example, in a…
Belinda Jones
The CMS Certification Committee broke new ground this year during the Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference in July 2012. Attendees, both experts and novices, were encouraged to test their general knowledge of portable 3D metrology and contribute to the success of the first, level-one personnel…
Robb McIvor
The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) sends its support to our members and vendors who were affected by super storm Sandy. Families and businesses will need aid and support during the coming months to put their lives back together. You can help by donating money to the American Red Cross at www.…
Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics
Few areas of research are as dependent on 3D measurement technology in the setup of its major experiments as fusion plasma physics. Highly developed laser trackers, as well as portable scanning and photogrammetry systems, have opened up a world of possibilities for improving fusion research…
