Sigmund Freud once said ‘From error to error one discovers the entire truth’ and in complex part manufacturing this is especially true.
Complex composite and additive parts demand precision and the eradication of errors. Once a part is rejected by the quality department, a long and tedious review is carried out to identify where in the process the error occurred.
Unfortunately, in most instances, errors in part manufacturing are introduced through human error - a lack of concentration, a lack of precision, or simply missing a vital step in a well-honed, manual process.
The ‘entire truth’ is that humans cause most errors in manufacturing.
Solving Human Error With AutoClock
When a manufacturer performs Quality Assurance (QA) checks on its parts, any parts that contain errors will be scrapped or treated as a concession. Unfortunately, as the design of parts has become more complex, using materials that are often pre-formed or near-net shape, the margin of error has narrowed significantly.
Precision metrology, or measurement, has become increasingly important when using CNC machines to cut error-free metal parts. The starting point for precision metrology on CNC machines is a probe, and a human specialist is traditionally required to perform probe calibrations to adjust the tolerances of the machine.
When probing and metrology are involved in the process chain, any failure to complete this calibration task properly will result in errors rippling all the way through the part process. So when probing is used for part set-up in a CNC machine shop, the whole process and quality of the parts become dependent on the skill of the person who manually calibrates the probe. A human operator might manage to calibrate the probe within 25 to 50 microns if they are very experienced, and the process can take up to an hour for some larger machine tools.
MSP has seen many part processes fail due to the inaccuracy of probe setup, with many hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of parts being scrapped by companies who didn’t understand the ‘entire truth’ behind the errors in their parts.
MSP’s AutoClock is a patented device that has been specifically designed to prevent human error in part manufacture. AutoClock is a complete lights-out, closed-door patented wireless device that calibrates the probe and updates the work offsets on the machine controller. With its wireless interface, AutoClock works in tandem with factory systems to calibrate down to a single micron.
AutoClock’s measurements are more accurate and repeatable than any human can achieve, and will help any manufacturer squeeze the human errors out of their manufacturing process.
To find out more about AutoClock and how to prevent human error in manufacturing, contact the designers and experts at MSP using the button below.
Image Source: Unsplash.
