Installation and assembly of complex big parts

Installation and assembly of complex big parts

Introduction

Are You in charge of installation or assembly of complex big parts? How to understand dimensions behave with different external conditions and change over time? First of all, it is not enough to perform simple measurements to verify, once for all, the object’s dimensions. Rather, to properly monitor the changes of the inspected assembly/part, a series of repeated measurements should be performed at defined time-intervals. With the combination of equipment and software we provide high accuracy and high repeatability measurements solution. It that allows You to automatically monitor, track and document how multiple critical points of a part/assembly move or drift over time. Typical applications of this functionality are deformation measurements – caused by:

• by temperature changes, mechanical impacts (pressure and loads),
• changes in the materials like “creep and shrinkage”,
• settlement measurements like variations of machine beds compared to the surrounding building foundation.

How our solution work?

Depending on the complexity of the part to be measured, we need to determine the optimum number of points to be monitored with the Laser Tracker. It is always desirable to locate the targets in correspondence with the most critical geometrical features of the object. In general, This in particular is important in the event of parts and assemblies with complex surfaces and forms. Once we define the points to be measure and the targets are connected, then we start programming the measuring software that controls the Laser Tracker.

In the first step we measure all relevant points and to record their 3D coordinates. Once the coordinates for each point are available, then the software has all the spatial information that are necessary to create a program to automatically perform the measurement of all the different points in sequence. This allow us to get the drift of each point in 3D dimensions over the time. Before starting a complete cycle of measurements, we can also define the number of times the system has to repeat the same sequence of measurements and the time-interval between one series and the subsequent one. The Laser Tracker is now ready to perform the measurements: it can follow the defined “path” and automatically measure the points at the freely defined time-intervals. This way we are able to monitor, track and document how single points move or drift over time.

It is very important to understand how the variation of external conditions, influence the relative position of the different points over time (such as temperature and humidity).
For the different points, it is possible to highlight the succession of position-variations. The maximal differences in point position and the average values resulting from the different measurements.

Application examples

1. Automotive industry. Checking the repeatability of clamping a sheet metal into a welding fixture.
   If e spread a number of repeatability targets over the different sheet metal parts, then we can check the position of these targets after closing and opening the jig clamps. This allows you to control and monitor the stability of clamping over time.
2. Machine measurements. Checking the 3D behavior of a machine during warm up.
   If a machine warms up over time, then we can check how the positions of targets change over time.
   Furthermore, users get a report with a graphical representation of the different positions in Excel or text format.
3. Stiffness of parts or fixtures.
   If we Inspect any part over time with a wide range of targets then it is easy to realize bending, torsion or other 3D-movements.
   Machined parts, welding constructions or base frames can change, if a mechanical force influences the 3D geometry.
4. Machining, Metalworking & Assembly – Tool Making.
   The example: also we can perform  deformation measurements of the tool on which parts of the planes.

As a result we show how we use Laser Tracker as a direct, systematic and intuitive solution for:

• recording,
• monitoring,
• controlling,
• reporting,

Summing up, the geometric changes are crucial part of a complex production process. If You want to get more information how we can help You in installation and assembly of complex big parts, please contact us HERE.