United Precision Services Offers MicroStep Dome Cutting Technology in North America

(Cincinnati, OH) United Precision Services, Inc., a leading provider of turnkey medium to large CNC machine tool solutions, is offering MicroStep’s dome-cutting technology to the North America fabrication market. The MicroStep beveling tool station allows CNC gantry-style cutting machines to measure the true shape of 3D objects (such as a dome) and use this measurement to help guide the cutting process. In this way, contours and openings can be cut with the highest degree of accuracy in compliance with production requirements including beveled edges for weld preparation.

3D metal processing is essential to the production of pressure vessels, boilers, and similar equipment. United Precision Services National Sales Manager, John Prevish explained that the challenge facing fabricators is to make the process fast and easy to setup while providing accurate results that won’t require further, often manual, processing.

“It is not uncommon for the actual shape of a dome to differ from the ideal shape by several centimeters,” said Prevish. “By allowing the actual dimension of a dome to lay within allowed tolerances, MicroStep’s 3D scanning technology greatly increases accuracy. Conventional methods of positioning corrections via control of plasma arc voltage are not applicable with 3D cutting. Employing a scanner, however, allows users to create a model of the actual surface and use the model to analyze the dome’s shape, locate its center, and define the exact toolpath above the surface.”

Delivering Results

Thanks to the modular structure of MicroStep machines in terms of dimensions, types, cutting zone locations, and tool station configurations, United Precision Services can provide a machine according to the exact requirements of a customer´s product. This allows a single gantry with a bevel tool station, 3D scanner and marker to be used for processing domes as well as flat sheets.

Since the first machine was installed in 2003, MicroStep has delivered more than 60 CNC cutting machines with dome cutting capabilities. mScan was introduced in 2016, today more than 40 dome cutting solutions are operating throughout 15 countries.

In 2021, MicroStep further advanced the 3D cutting process with the introduction of CAMLive. This novel approach to cutting 3D objects makes it possible to scan the true shape of 3D objects such as dome segments, cast or formed parts, and adjust mCAM-generated cutting paths accordingly to the object’s true shape. As a result, the scanning process is no longer limited to domes and beams. Together with the optimization of the scanning process, CAMLive makes advanced dome processing more user friendly.

www.unitedprecisionservices.com