The introduction of Renishaw’s Productivity+T software enables production engineers at Sikorsky supplier, Alp Aviation, to create and test routines in a CAM environment, for the Renishaw part-setting probes fitted to all 50 of their machining centres.

‘We looked at the whole production cycle time and in some cases were able to reduce it by up to 50%’ says Cenk Akin, Engineering Team Leader.  He continues: ‘Productivity+ software and Renishaw part setting probes have made this possible. The benefits not only include time and cost savings; we can also totally trust the process, since any chance of machine operator error has been removed.  Process repeatability has improved - we’ve achieved a higher level of gauge R & R results by using probes with less than 1 micron repeatability.’

Productivity+ was bought in July 2007 to reduce process development time. Alp’s working environment is virtually paperless and highly automated, so it couldn’t afford to be manually programming the probing routines. Productivity+ uses a graphical user interface (GUI) to provide an extremely user-friendly programming environment. Alp engineers simply pick features from the CAD model, or choose parameters from dialogue boxes, to define the program. When it is complete, the required post processor is selected and the output is automatically generated, ready for loading directly into the machine. For even greater peace-of-mind, the probing cycle is run as a simulation on the PC, picking up on any errors before it reaches the machine tool. Cenk Akin explains the key benefits for Alp: ‘Productivity+ makes it much easier to prove out the process before going on the machine.  If the machine is being used to test processes rather than producing saleable parts we are losing money.’

Productivity+ is a recent purchase, but Alp has used Renishaw part-setting spindle-mounted probes for years - all new machines are delivered with probe systems fitted. The operators use simple clamping and program the machine to use the probe to locate the part. The probe is also used later in the process, for example every part is checked before finishing cuts, and inspected on the machine once finished. Production cycle time has improved by up to 50% in some cases. Another critical feature is that the probing routines automatically update machine offsets.