METAL STAMPER REDUCES INSPECTION TIME

Danville Metal Stamping Company was founded in 1946 as a manufacturer of basic stamped parts. Since that time, the company has successfully built a reputation as a high-quality fabricator with extensive know-how and experience as a producer of sophisticated gas turbine and aerospace components. The company employs approximately 450 people involved in forming and hydroforming, CNC and laser machining, and joining technologies, as well as added capabilities in welding, heat treating and vaccuum brazing.

Scott Bean, Danville's lead CMM programmer explains, "Our CMM measuring is a vital part of our manufacturing process, and as the complexity and size of the components we produce have increased, we recognized the need for a larger CMM machine with a high degree of accuracy to replace the Brown & Sharpe Xcel UHA that we had been using with ongoing accuracy and repeatability issues." The plant was also beginning to become frustrated  by issues with its PCDMIS software, and both were beginning to negatively effect production and delivery schedules.

For many years, Danville had been a Beta test site for PCDMIS, but the staff felt it was time to expand their capability. "We began to survey what was available in new equipment as well as new software," recalls Bean. "When we attended the Quality Show in 2007, we discovered Xspect Solutions (Wixom, MI), their OpenDMIS® software and the new Wenzel CMMs that they sell and service.

The CMMs were ideal for the level of measurement we require for our aerospace components. Their software was exactly what we were looking for. We wanted something that seamlessly integrates CAD data with the CMM programming and the measurement process. We really needed a high level of power, precision and productivity with just a single click."

This software utilizes easy drag-and-drop features from the database area into the adjacent programming window that automatically generates the underlying DMIS 5.0 code together with probe and alignment definitions. "The kind of complex CMM programs that we work with can be created in a few minutes and simulated, utilizing the powerful simulation and collision avoidance tools standard inside the software," adds Bean. "We have already realized a 20 percent savings in programming time as compared to our old system."

The Danville team visited the Xspect/Wenzel facility in Wixom and ultimately came away with two new Wenzel machines, both equipped with the OpenDMIS® software. "One machine was a large Wenzel LH 15.20.12 bridge-type machine with a measuring envelope of 1500 x 2000 x 1200 mm, and a smaller LH-8.10.7 with a measuring range of 800 x 1000 x 700 mm," notes Bean.

Each machine has a maximum 3D measuring speed of 700 mm/sec with maximum acceleration of 2,000mm/sec2. They are equipped with a Renishaw TP20 probing systems. Danville added the HT400RC wireless teach pedants because it eliminates the tedious keyboard interaction necessary with conventional CMM teach pendants. "Our ultimate desire is to add scanning probes to these machines to speed up the measuring process for many of the airfoil components we produce," says Bean.

Xspect was able to take Danville's existing CMM machine in trade, so the plant was able to purchase both machines for what they typically would have paid for just one machine.

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Danville Metal Stamping Co., Inc., 20 Oakwood Avenue, Danville, IL 61832, 217-466-0647, Fax: 217-444-0649, www.danvillemetal.com