Visitors were able to discover Renishaw’s diverse portfolio of technologies for smart manufacturing and witness the benefits of Industry 4.0 in action.

 

Global precision engineering and manufacturing technologies company Renishaw showcased its smart technologies and intelligent process control solutions across three stands at EMO Hannover 2019 held in Germany from September 16-21, 2019. These included high-speed, multi-sensor measurement systems for CMMs; high-accuracy and high-speed products for machine tool probing; flexible shop-floor gauging systems; new calibration and encoder innovations for machine builders; and new additive manufacturing solutions. 

 

EMO Hannover is one of the world’s leading trade fairs for the metalworking industry. It is a showcase for innovations and an essential driver of global production technology. The event’s theme was, ‘Smart technologies driving tomorrow’s production’. “Although ‘smart manufacturing’ is being widely discussed as a current theme, Renishaw has been evolving and implementing smart factory principles successfully for over 25 years across our own manufacturing operations. Trade fairs like EMO Hannover 2019 represent an ideal forum for us to share our own experiences and insights with international visitors from across a variety of industries, and to reinforce our role as a partner for innovative manufacturing,” stated Paul Maxted, Director of Industrial Metrology Applications at Renishaw.

 

CMM automation, speed and throughput – without compromising on accuracy 

The ‘Metrology and Quality Assurance zone’, located within Hall 6, showcased Renishaw’s award-winning REVO 5-axis measurement system in action and showed how it delivers high performance multi-dimensional inspection, including surface finish analysis. To showcase the REVO system’s latest blade measurement capabilities, a demonstration of an aerospace component being inspected on a co ordinate measuring machine (CMM) was shown. Visitors discovered how the REVO system automates the part inspection process on a single, multi-sensor platform, and learned how it is being used across industries where the highly accurate, but rapid, measurement of different forms and features are essential requirements.  

 

The REVO 5-axis measurement system is the only scanning system for CMMs that simultaneously controls the motion of three machine and two head axes, whilst collecting workpiece data. Using its range of 2D and 3D tactile probes, surface finish measurement and non-contact vision probes, the REVO system brings dramatic speed and accuracy benefits to part inspection on CMMs. Renishaw’s new OPTiMUM diamond styli range, which has been specifically developed for use within metrology applications that require a hard-wearing stylus, was also showcased. The principal advantage of its diamond coated spheres is that they maintain their roundness and do not suffer material ‘pick up' or premature wear when scanning abrasive materials or soft alloys. This provides multiple benefits including an increased working life and reduction in recalibration and inspection downtime.  

 

Automation for CNC machining operations

Renishaw’s latest SPRINT technology showcased high-accuracy machine tool probing systems for rapid part set-up and machining process control. With the unique 3D sensor technology within Renishaw’s OSP60 probe, probing systems with SPRINT technology provide exceptional, high-speed, high-accuracy scanning for CNC machine tools.

 

SPRINT technology can be used with either Renishaw’s SupaScan solution or Productivity+ Scanning Suite. SupaScan is ideal for setting simple parts quickly and easily, and it uses macro code to program cycles. The system has the capability to monitor workpiece surface condition and capture basic form measurements. Productivity+ Scanning Suite is perfect for advanced measurement of 

free-form surfaces, such as turbine blades and mould tools. The Suite comprises a variety of application-specific toolkits that can be programmed using Productivity+ Active Editor Pro software.

 

Renishaw demonstrated its range of high-accuracy machine tool probes with RENGAGE technology for workpiece set-up, in-process control and post-process inspection. The latest addition to Renishaw’s range of machine tool probes with RENGAGE technology is RMP400 – a new, ultra-compact and highly repeatable probe that uses radio transmission technology. Each probe in the range is tailored to suit different machine tool sizes and machining applications, combining proven silicon strain gauge technology with ultra-compact electronics to deliver world class 3D performance and sub-micron repeatability.

 

Renishaw's Equator shop-floor gauging systems are being used to great effect around the world to measure a vast array of manufactured parts, particularly in the aerospace and automotive industries. Renishaw demonstrated the Equator gauging system in use on a range of components and assemblies, including those for electric motors. Featuring Renishaw’s intelligent process control (IPC) software, the Equator system provides manufacturers with the functionality to automate process control and tool offset correction directly to CNC machines. 

 

Automated process control solutions for machine builders

The company also displayed its machine calibration and diagnostic technologies, designed to monitor the static and dynamic performance of machine tools, co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and other position-critical motion systems. These included Renishaw’s new XK10 alignment laser system which has been developed to measure geometric and rotational errors of machine tools. Used with the XK10 machine tool fixturing kit, it enables faster and easier measurements over traditional methods, such as dial gauges, autocollimators and metrology artefacts. 

 

Renishaw also displayed high quality optical, magnetic and laser encoders which are important for machine builders looking for robust, proven and automated process control solutions. This included its new substrate mastered RKLC encoder scale that adopts the thermal behaviour of the underlying substrate. Its thin profile allows the scale, when rigidly fixed to a machine axis, to match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the machine substrate. The scale is compatible with Renishaw's VIONiC, TONiC and QUANTiC incremental encoder families.  

 

A key enabler of automation for CNC machining operations 

In Hall 3 (stand E36) within the ‘Precision Tools’ zone, Renishaw focused on smart manufacturing technologies for the metal cutting sector. Using its machining demonstration cell with automated part loading, on-machine probing and off-machine gauging, Renishaw demonstrated how automation, measurement and feedback can deliver process control throughout all manufacturing stages. The cell demonstrated how complementary technologies can contribute, throughout the manufacturing process of a CNC machined part, to achieving high levels of productivity and manufacturing capability.

 

Visitors also discovered Renishaw’s full range of on-machine and smartphone apps which make installing, configuring, using and maintaining probing systems even easier, saving time and maximising shopfloor efficiency through enhanced automation. Providing information at a user's fingertips in a simple, convenient format, Renishaw’s smartphone apps are available globally in a wide range of languages and can be seamlessly integrated with a wide range of CNC controls. Also, an enhanced version of Renishaw’s Reporter on-machine probing app, complete with MTConnect data streaming capability, was showcased.  

 

Metal 3D printing systems and solutions  

Extending its smart manufacturing technologies further up the process chain, Renishaw - within the Additive Manufacturing (AM) zone - showcased its latest AM systems and solutions. This included a live demonstration of the RenAM 500Q – its ultra-high productivity multi-laser system – building metal components. Featuring four high-power 500 W lasers, each able to access the whole powder bed surface simultaneously, the RenAM 500Q achieves high build rates and component quality vastly improving productivity and lowering cost per part. 

InfiniAM Central – Renishaw’s remote process monitoring software for AM systems – provided ready access to machine data. This Industry 4.0-ready, connected system, enables remote monitoring of AM build processes on computers and mobile devices, including near real-time insights into live AM builds and access to historic build analysis. System sensor and build information is displayed in graphic form to enable intuitive in-depth analysis.  

 

Benefit from the factory of the future, today

“To remain globally competitive, manufacturers must machine parts to closer tolerances, within the context of reduced product life cycles and rapidly changing consumer demand for product variety”, explained Rainer Lotz, Renishaw’s VP – EMEA. He added, “This, coupled with a need for increased factory automation, requires a range of intelligent process control solutions throughout the factory, to ensure high standards of repeatability. That’s where Renishaw can add real value to our global customers across a multitude of industries. EMO Hannover 2019 provides us with a platform to showcase how we can help our global partners apply high levels of automation and connectivity to their production processes, so that they can benefit from the factory of the future, today.”