Formula 1 subcontractor accelerates quality control with portable arm

Toolmaking and subcontract machining company GT Tooling takes inspection and measurement very seriously. The company is heavily involved in supplying Formula 1 teams with patterns, jigs, fixtures, and aluminum soft tools for producing composite race car parts. It manufactures injection molds in tool steel for numerous sectors while also machining stainless steel, exotic alloys, and copper and its alloys.

Founded in 2011, the company spent one year using conventional manual metrology equipment to measure the components it was milling and turning before investing in a 3D articulating arm, a 6-axis model with a reach of 1.2 m. Three years later, when the company moved from Petersfield to a bigger factory unit in Fareham, U.K., it invested in a machining center with 1,651- by 762- by 762-mm travels.

Inspecting the larger prismatic parts being produced on the new machine required two operations. Although satisfactory, the procedure was time-consuming, and the need for arm relocation introduced the risk of errors.

“We considered manually operated and CNC CMMs,” explained Greg Simmonds, joint owner and director of GT Tooling. “However, the repeatability of measurement on the former was not good enough, while the latter did not offer sufficient flexibility of use. Neither type had the reporting capability that was up to our standards or those of our customers. We also felt that programmable CMMs were better suited to series production, because we machine mainly one-offs and small batches.”

Mech Metrology & Power Tools, which calibrates the toolmaker's inspection equipment and supplies it with conventional metrology tools, introduced GT Tooling to UK-based CMM manufacturer LK Metrology. GT Tooling decided on a Freedom Classic Scan portable arm with a 2-m reach.

“We like the PolyWorks Inspector reporting software supplied as standard with LK Freedom arms, which is particularly easy to use. Simply by pulling out the required dimensions and pressing a button, reports can be manipulated freely into different, easily digestible formats to suit each customer's preference,” Simmonds said.

As Ryan Leaves, who doubles as a sales engineer and an inspector at GT Tooling, explained, "Greg and I witnessed a one-hour presentation on the Freedom arm by LK engineers. It took place online during the pandemic. The demonstration, which included use of the PolyWorks software, was carried out inspecting one of our parts that had been taken away during a previous meeting in Fareham. It showed how easy the equipment is to use and left me feeling relaxed that, even though I do not have a formal metrology background, I would be able to implement the new inspection system quickly.”

A CMM is inherently able to measure tolerances about 10 times smaller than an articulated arm, as positional feedback is from linear scales rather than absolute angle encoders within rotary joints. Nevertheless, the arm provides accurate results when GT Tooling is measuring dimensions to general drawing tolerances of ±0.1 mm. If there is a need to check tighter features, Leaves uses conventional metrology involving bore and pin gauges, for example.

Speed is important, as some urgent jobs for Formula 1 require a 24-hour turnaround. Leaves confirmed that the entire quality control process using the arm, comprising alignment, inspection, and reporting, is now faster and more flexible than before. Inspection time has been cut in half, as Leaves can now inspect large parts with only one arm setup. Reporting of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, previously a labor-intensive task, is more user-friendly with PolyWorks.

“Until now, we have produced inspection reports on about 40% of our machined components, as not every end user requires one,” said Simmonds. “Now that the process is so much quicker and easier with the LK arm, we are looking to more than double the number, as it reflects well on the service we provide, giving customers confidence, and may result in extra business.”