How to Guarantee the Perfect Counterbore Process
Check your machine tool., Diagnose the problem., The metrology software will compensate for variance., Your counterbore is ready to be machined., Archive the Benchmark report.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check your machine tool.
The first thing you need to do before you begin machining is to check your machine tool is actually capable of machining an accurate counterbore.
To check this, you'll need to run the machine checking feature of your metrology software.
If the machine benchmark report shows a pass, you can continue onto the next step.
If your machine benchmark report shows a fail (see warnings) you must stop machining.
If your machines not capable you must call an engineer to correct the geometry or you run the risk of creating a bad part. -
Step 2: Diagnose the problem.
To do this you'll need to run the part location action from the controller.
This will send an action to the metrology software to check the part is positioned correctly.
Your metrology software will use the existing probe to locate the part and compensate for the new position.
Part Misalignment
- This is when the fixture has not been located correctly, or the part is not sitting in the fixture correctly.
Surface thickness variation
- The part may have minor distortion, which is a common problem with composite parts.
The material's thickness has changed after the layup.
This is usually variable by about
0.7mm thickness and can differ if the resin was pre-impregnated or layered. , Next the metrology software quickly measures your machine tool geometry and part alignment using your existing probe.
It then compensates for any variance/distortion – in fact the parts position could have changed considerably and it could still be machined perfectly. , Select proceed on the metrology software screen.
This will machine the counterbores perfectly. , Finally, you'll be presented with a benchmark report and a part location report.
You can store these to guarantee your setup/counterbore is the same next time.
The best system I've found is a system called NC-PerfectPart, but there may be other systems which have the same features.
A good use of metrology software makes it easy to machine counterbore and other problems associated with composite parts.
The auto-alignment and compensate features will also come in handy for part setup.
Your metrology software product won't allow you to machine the counterbore until its accurate to your specifications.
This stops you from producing bad counterbores and countersinks. -
Step 3: The metrology software will compensate for variance.
-
Step 4: Your counterbore is ready to be machined.
-
Step 5: Archive the Benchmark report.
Detailed Guide
The first thing you need to do before you begin machining is to check your machine tool is actually capable of machining an accurate counterbore.
To check this, you'll need to run the machine checking feature of your metrology software.
If the machine benchmark report shows a pass, you can continue onto the next step.
If your machine benchmark report shows a fail (see warnings) you must stop machining.
If your machines not capable you must call an engineer to correct the geometry or you run the risk of creating a bad part.
To do this you'll need to run the part location action from the controller.
This will send an action to the metrology software to check the part is positioned correctly.
Your metrology software will use the existing probe to locate the part and compensate for the new position.
Part Misalignment
- This is when the fixture has not been located correctly, or the part is not sitting in the fixture correctly.
Surface thickness variation
- The part may have minor distortion, which is a common problem with composite parts.
The material's thickness has changed after the layup.
This is usually variable by about
0.7mm thickness and can differ if the resin was pre-impregnated or layered. , Next the metrology software quickly measures your machine tool geometry and part alignment using your existing probe.
It then compensates for any variance/distortion – in fact the parts position could have changed considerably and it could still be machined perfectly. , Select proceed on the metrology software screen.
This will machine the counterbores perfectly. , Finally, you'll be presented with a benchmark report and a part location report.
You can store these to guarantee your setup/counterbore is the same next time.
The best system I've found is a system called NC-PerfectPart, but there may be other systems which have the same features.
A good use of metrology software makes it easy to machine counterbore and other problems associated with composite parts.
The auto-alignment and compensate features will also come in handy for part setup.
Your metrology software product won't allow you to machine the counterbore until its accurate to your specifications.
This stops you from producing bad counterbores and countersinks.
About the Author
Douglas Roberts
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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