NC-PerfectPart-BlueGrey

Automated Part Alignment

with NC-PartLocator

We find all the errors in your process before machining even starts. Using NC-PartLocator, we align your part automatically in the machine volume and ensure you produce perfect parts, every time.

Download Brochure
NC-PartLocator Automated Part Alignment

Automated Part Alignment

with NC-PartLocator

We find all the errors in your process before machining even starts. Using NC-PartLocator, we align your part automatically in the machine volume and ensure you produce perfect parts, every time.

Download Brochure
NC-Checker Good Benchmark Report
Trusted by manufacturers worldwide

Automate part alignment

NC-PartLocator automates part setup and is the most significant step you can take to improve part quality. Part measurement is automatic, the alignment adjustment is automatic and the whole process takes a few minutes. As parts become increasingly complex, the removal of manual setup is a critical factor.

Accurate
Fast
Simple

Check condition of supply

NC-PartLocator reports whether there is enough material to clean up, or if the part is under-sized. It answers the question - is it worth machining at all? The archived report supports any part rejection audit. As well as making perfect parts, our aim is to stop you making bad ones.

Security
Predictive
Simple

Compensate for distortion

NC-PartLocator is especially suited to parts prone to distortion or variable thickness. Where there is no overall single alignment, incremental setup stages are used within the process to align the part. Large structures often exhibit the same issues.

Accurate
Corrective
Simple

Simplify fixturing

NC-PartLocator can take measurements at any orientation, in any direction, to align the machine to the part before machining, meaning generic clamping fixtures can be used. This removes the need for expensive, bespoke fixtures and also allows the same fixture to be used for multiple parts (where applicable).

Cost Saving
Flexible
Simple

Increase in-process quality

At each stage of the part machining process, the software produces a report. This serves as an in-process quality ‘checkpoint’ as it proves whether or not the part will be machined within tolerance and, if not, production can be stopped immediately. This avoids wasting valuable resources and scrapping costly material.

Cost Saving
Accurate
Simple

Automate part alignment

NC-PartLocator automates part setup and is the most significant step you can take to improve part quality. Part measurement is automatic, the alignment adjustment is automatic and the whole process takes a few minutes. As parts become increasingly complex, the removal of manual setup is a critical factor.

Accurate | Fast | Simple

Check condition of supply

NC-PartLocator reports whether there is enough material to clean up, or if the part is under-sized. It answers the question - is it worth machining at all? The archived report supports any part rejection audit. As well as making perfect parts, our aim is to stop you making bad ones.

Security | Predictive | Simple

Compensate for distortion

NC-PartLocator is especially suited to parts prone to distortion or variable thickness. Where there is no overall single alignment, incremental setup stages are used within the process to align the part. Large structures often exhibit the same issues.

Accurate | Corrective | Simple

Simplify fixturing

NC-PartLocator can take measurements at any orientation, in any direction, to align the machine to the part before machining, meaning generic clamping fixtures can be used. This removes the need for expensive, bespoke fixtures and also allows the same fixture to be used for multiple parts (where applicable).

Cost saving | Flexible | Simple

Increase in-process quality

At each stage of the part machining process, the software produces a report. This serves as an in-process quality ‘checkpoint’ as it proves whether or not the part will be machined within tolerance and, if not, production can be stopped immediately. This avoids wasting valuable resources and scrapping costly material.

Cost saving | Accurate | Simple

Product Benefits

IncreaseProfitsWhite

Increase profits

Machine time per part is reduced so more production time is available.

Increase profits

Eliminate scrap

Misalignment errors (the main cause of scrap) are eliminated.

Eliminate scrap

Stabilise schedules

Achieve fixed setup times to keep production schedules on track.

Stabilise schedules
SimplifyWhite

Simplify fixturing

There is no requirement for fixtures with alignment capability.

Simplify fixturing
DetectErrorsWhite

Detect errors

The in-process checks detect and remove all types of errors before machining.
Detect errors
ParttoPartVariationWhite

Reduce part-to-part variation

Control setup for each part to achieve consistent quality.
Reduce part-to-part variation

Speed up processes

Part setup takes minutes with NC-PartLocator.
Speed up processes

Audit condition of supply

Find out if your part is worth machining at all.
Audit condition of supply

Automation

All manual elements are eliminated for 24/7 lights-out machining.
Automation

In-process quality checks

Condition of supply and post-machining checks are performed.
In-process quality checks

Eliminate CMM backlogs

On-machine verification checks reduce reliance on the CMM.
Eliminate CMM backlogs

Part to part fit

Parts can be designed and machined as ‘part to part’.
Part to part fit
Download the brochure
Download the brochure
Compare with our other products
Compare with our other products

Watch it in action

Follow the process:

Check your machine is in tolerance

The machine tool and its probing system are benchmarked using NC-Checker. The probe is correctly calibrated and confirmed in 5-axis. Then the software performs a series of checks, including rotary and linear axis tests, to produce detailed reports. The report summary is the MSP benchmark wheel.

Check your part's condition of supply

The part is measured to check its condition of supply using NC-PartLocator. If there is too much distortion, or not enough material, the part process can be stopped. After all, there’s no point machining the part when it is already clear it will fail final inspection.

Get an accurate part alignment

Measurements taken in step 2 are used to calculate the part alignment. The machine controller is then automatically updated to compensate for any discrepancy between the part location and the machining program. All errors due to misalignment are eliminated.

Machine the part

The machining program runs at the corrected alignment. The machine tool has been benchmarked as capable of performing to the required tolerances.

Verify your machining

Once the machining’s complete, the part is measured again on the machine tool to ensure there are no machining errors before the part leaves the machine. A verification report is produced for traceability within the process, and any subsequent errors can be traced to fixture unclamping.

You've made a perfect part

You’ve made a perfect part with no concessions or errors.

Don't just take our word for it

“We are now producing parts which are achieving a very high success rate. This is excellent news as the business we are supplying to used to dual source these parts, however, they have confirmed they will be using the parts we're making over their second source as ours are '10 times better'”
High success rate for Polar Technology
Thomas Rogers
Machine Shop Manager, Polar Technology Management Group
“This software is a game changer. We used this to align carbon parts on the machine which were never quite accurate to CAD. The software enabled us to align what features needed to be machined priority wise. Very well designed and easy to use.”
Project Engineer
Machining Solutions Company
"We have been able to increase our machine utilisation and make the most of the investment in our 5-axis machining centres. We now have the potential to use our machines at full capacity - an increase of 157% compared to our average weekly usage before."
3T-am now use CNC machines at full capacity
Martin Jarvis
Production Manager
“We are now producing parts which are achieving a very high success rate. This is excellent news as the business we are supplying to used to dual source these parts, however, they have confirmed they will be using the parts we're making over their second source as ours are '10 times better'”
Polar-Review
Thomas Rogers
Machine Shop Manager, Polar Technology Management Group
“This software is a game changer. We used this to align carbon parts on the machine which were never quite accurate to CAD. The software enabled us to align what features needed to be machined priority wise. Very well designed and easy to use.”
Project Engineer
Machining Solutions Company
"We have been able to increase our machine utilisation and make the most of the investment in our 5-axis machining centres. We now have the potential to use our machines at full capacity - an increase of 157% compared to our average weekly usage before."
3T-Review-Icon-1
Martin Jarvis
Production Manager
F1

Formula 1 team reduce part setup by 9.5 hours

Read more here

Formula 1 team reduce part setup by 9.5 hours
SST

SST now producing 7 times more parts per week

Read more here

SST now producing 7 times more parts per week
Doncasters

Doncasters increase productivity by 100%

Read more here

Doncasters increase productivity by 100%
F12

Formula 1 team reduce part setup by 9.5 hours

Read more here

Formula 1 team reduce part setup by 9.5 hours
SST2

SST now producing 7 times more parts per week

Read more here

SST now producing 7 times more parts per week
Doncasters2

Doncasters increase productivity by 100%

Read more here

Doncasters increase productivity by 100%

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Top NC-PartLocator FAQs

What can NC-PartLocator do for me?
Customers that have used NC-PartLocator have seen a range of results, including:
  • Production time reduced from 7 days to 4 hours
  • Part setup time reduced from 5 hours to 10 minutes
  • Part setup time reduced from 10 hours to 38 minutes
  • Production of 7 times more parts per week
  • 100% increase in productivity 
Read these stories here.
How does NC-PartLocator remove the manual elements of the part alignment process?

NC-PartLocator eliminates errors associated with part production on a machine tool. Following NC-Checker’s benchmarking, the software first measures the part to check its condition of supply. If there is too much distortion, or not enough material to create a ‘good part’, the part process can be stopped from the outset.

These measurements are then used by the software to calculate what the best-fit alignment in 6 degrees of freedom should be and the controller is automatically updated to compensate for any discrepancy between the part location and the machining program.

There is no need for manual procedures like moving the part manually to get in the correct location or manually probing points one by one.

Can NC-PartLocator improve my quality?

Yes! It eliminates all errors associated with poor condition of supply or part alignment before the part is machined, allowing them to be rectified before they affect the quality of the parts produced. In terms of the alignment, a key feature of NC-PartLocator is it calculates a 6-axis alignment for the part. This is unique to our software and allows us to achieve micro-precise accuracy and is the only way to achieve a true representation of where the part really is.

Can NC-PartLocator help me achieve my sustainability goals?

Absolutely! By removing alignment or condition of supply errors before the part is machined, NC-PartLocator ensures right-first-time production and the elimination of scrapped parts. Not only does this save in wasted raw materials but it also saves in wasted machine energy that was spent machining a part that was eventually scrapped.

By significantly reducing the time it takes for a part to be aligned or located on the machine, NC-PartLocator can also provide huge reductions in wasted energy as the machine is not sitting idle for long periods of time.

Which probe makes and models work with NC-PartLocator?

MSP can work with any type of spindle touch probe. We always suggest using the most accurate probe to remove uncertainty from the measurement results. As part of the NC-Checker Benchmark, the Probe Performance check will identify if an upgrade is required for the required part tolerances.

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