Minister Opens New Verus HQ

May 25, 2018

Minister Opens New Verus HQ

May 25, 2018

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Minister officially opens Verus Precision’s New Global Metrology Fixture Design and Manufacturing Centre:

4 jobs created; another 5 to be filled

  • €800,000 investment in 8,500 sq ft facility in Sligo
  • Verus renovates derelict building; returns to the home of tool making in Sligo Town
  • Company operates Ireland’s largest independent dimensional metrology lab

Verus Precision is celebrating its 10th anniversary by establishing a new state-of-the-art facility in Sligo, opened today (May 17, 2018) by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys T.D.

And the company is predicting significant growth in the short-term, with plans next year to open an independent metrology lab in the US. It already operates Ireland’s largest independent dimensional metrology lab with a second lab based at Nottingham in the UK.

Metrology is the scientific study of measurement. Verus Precision works with global firms – mainly in the MedTech sector — to ensure the precise, scientific dimensional measurement of their products and to add value at their product design and development stage.

Verus Precision is a company of experienced mechanical design, metrology engineers and toolmakers, with two advanced metrology labs in Sligo and Nottingham. It currently has 20 employees, with four based in the UK, and has created four new jobs with the opening of the new facility at Sligo. Another 5 jobs are to be created over the next two years.

To mark its 10th anniversary, Verus is moving into the new facility, based at Cleveragh Industrial Estate, where toolmaking and precision engineering first took place in Sligo town,. It was officially opened today by Minister Humphreys when she visited the site.

The company purchased the derelict premises at Cleveragh last year and has spent 12 months – and €800,000 — renovating it into a state-of-the-art facility. Verus Precision was formally located at the Aughamore Far Industrial Park, also in Sligo, and the company is retaining this facility as a centre for Research and New Product Development.

Verus Precision was established in 2008 by current Managing Director Andrew Hodson and Technical Director Michael Nugent. It was the first independent metrology lab in Ireland – and is now the largest in the country.

It started at a ‘hot desk’ at IT Sligo’s Innovation Centre. Since then, the Verus group has grown to have a turnover of €2.5m and is looking at a projected €8m turnover in the next five to six years. To facilitate this growth Verus has recently expanded its board of Directors to include Yvette Haughey as Strategy and Finance Director and Sean MacEntee as Chairperson of the Board.

In 2016 Verus began working with Enterprise Ireland Global Sourcing team, which helps Enterprise Ireland Clients establish contact with Multinational organisations based in Ireland. These contacts through The Global Sourcing initiative team have helped Verus expand its export business through the multinational networks globally.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys said:

“In line with the government’s Action Plan for Jobs, supporting the growth and development of regionally based companies through Enterprise Ireland is a key focus of my department. Verus Precision is an important high-skill regional employer in Sligo operating in the lifesciences sector and I am delighted to be here today as part of the Global Sourcing Trade Mission to open the company’s new global metrology centre. Enterprise Ireland’s investment will facilitate critical subcontract manufacturing activities being brought in-house with the creation of eight new high-skill jobs. I wish the company continued success for the future as it grows and scales internationally.”

Managing Director and co-founder Andrew Hodson said:

“We are breathing new life into an area which has been the home of toolmaking and injection moulding in Sligo Town. We spent €800,000 on the facility, which needed extensive refurbishment as well as new world-class equipment. The facility is on the first IDA industrial site in Sligo, built in 1977, and home of the toolmaking trade in Sligo Town and it is great to see it full of life again.”

Technical Director and co-founder Michael Nugent said:

“The opening of our new high-tech facility in Sligo shows that you do not have to be living in Dublin in order to secure a high-tech job. We are working globally, dealing with some of the biggest names in the MedTech sector, and are actively seeking highly-skilled people for high-tech positions in the Northwest of Ireland.”

Introduction 

As 2024 unfolds, the field of metrology is witnessing transformative changes. At Verus Metrology, we recognize the importance of keeping pace with technological advancements and new trends in the science of measurement. In this rapidly evolving landscape, innovations in metrology are not just about achieving precision; they are about meeting the evolving challenges of industries like medical devices, where accuracy is critical for ensuring safety and quality. This article explores the emerging trends and technological breakthroughs shaping metrology’s future. 

As 2024 unfolds, the field of metrology is witnessing transformative changes. At Verus Metrology, we recognize the importance of keeping pace with technological advancements and new trends in the science of measurement. In this rapidly evolving landscape, innovations in metrology are not just about achieving precision; they are about meeting the evolving challenges of industries like medical devices, where accuracy is critical for ensuring safety and quality. This article explores the emerging trends and technological breakthroughs shaping metrology’s future. 

Metrology Fixture Types – What’s Available, and Which is Best?

9 February 2023

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Fixture type and use cases

Metrology fixturing technologies continue to develop at a rapid pace, offering manufacturers in the medical device industry new and innovative solutions. Those solutions don’t just meet inspection and quality process requirements, but they also deliver efficiency savings and productivity gains. How do you know what metrology fixture types are available and which is best for your application? In this blog, we’ll outline the main options, their underlying technologies, and the use cases they are best suited for. 

However, it is also important to point out that the fixture types described in this blog represent broad categories. Within those categories, there is an infinite number of ways that a fixturing solution can be developed to meet your specific needs, reduce risk, and take advantage of opportunity

While there are metrology fixture types that we can explore, every fixture solution that we develop here at Verus Metrology is completely unique. In other words, fully customised for the product or component being measured, as well as the inspection machine, quality department workflows, production processes, and any other influencing factor. 

Metrology Fixture Types 

There are six main metrology fixture types: 

  • Auto rotational 
  • Manual rotator 
  • Multi-station
  • Proof of Principle (POP) 
  • Vision system 
  • Docking station 

 

Auto-Rotational Fixtures

Isometric view of an auto rotational metrology checking fixture, the automatic part of the fixture is the turning of the rail by a motor. The fixture has white plastic components held in place using brown clips

 

At a fundamental level, the job of a metrology fixture is to hold a product or component securely in place so it can be effectively inspected and measured. However, there are situations where the inspection process requires the part to be presented at different orientations to enable all the relevant measurements to be taken. This requirement for measurement in multiple orientations is increasing as medical device products become more complex and intricate. 

Auto-rotational fixtures enable the inspection of products and components in multiple orientations with minimal operator intervention. An auto-rotational fixture can be a single-station set-up, but they more commonly come in multi-station designs to minimise the time it takes to achieve your required sample rate. 

The most important feature of an auto-rotational fixture is that you can measure multiple components in multiple orientations in a single setup. 

Manual Rotator Fixtures

Manual Rotator Metrology Fixtures by Verus Metrology

Manual rotator fixtures offer similar benefits to auto-rotational fixtures. The obvious main difference is that operators manually rotate components once they are loaded into the fixture. 

Manual rotator fixtures can be multi-station. They are also designed so that all measurements in all orientations can be taken in one set-up. So, while the operator will need to manually control the rotation mechanism, there is no requirement to touch or adjust the components as the fixture holds them securely in place during rotation. 

The benefits of manual rotator fixtures include: 

  • Significantly reduced operator intervention 
  • Improved measurement accuracy 
  • Elimination of errors 
  • Faster and more efficient metrology processes 

Furthermore, we can design your manual rotator fixture so it can be loaded with components away from your CMM. This improves CMM availability as the machine doesn’t have to sit idle while components are being loaded onto the fixture. 

Multi-Station Fixtures 

multi station rotator

According to FDA regulations and ISO 13485, it is essential that you can statistically justify sampling rates in your quality procedures using a risk-based approach. The operational part of this requirement isn’t covered in the guidelines, but it is an important business consideration. How do you efficiently, accurately, and cost-effectively inspect the number of products or components that are required to hit your sampling rate target? 

Multi-station fixtures are a common solution. We can design multi-station fixtures in any configuration. This could be a large cavity multi-station fixture, a fixture to inspect very small and complex medical devices, or solutions for products or components of any size, geometry, or characteristic. 

The benefits of multi-station fixtures include: 

  • Operator intervention is greatly reduced 
  • Fixtures only need to be loaded once before full inspection routines can take place on multiple products at the same time 
  • Reduce human error 
  • Speed up inspection processes while achieving your sampling rate target 
  • Reducing the cost of inspections 

 

Proof of Principle Multi-station Prototype Fixtures 

proof of principle

 

In many product development and process change situations, it is beneficial to have a POP fixture that can be used for verification and validation purposes. The approach we typically take at Verus Metrology is to design a multi-station fixture to deliver on your requirements. 

However, before this multi-station fixture design goes into manufacturing, we design and produce a single-station POP prototype fixture. This POP prototype can be manufactured quickly in our advanced manufacturing facility. We’ll then put it through a gage R&R study to give you confidence in its repeatability and reproducibility, before sending it to you for evaluation and testing. 

POP prototype fixtures offer a range of benefits: 

  • Facilitates design for inspection during the product development process 
  • Minimises delays in process verification 
  • Enhances and speeds up the design transfer process 
  • Reduces time to market in line with regulatory requirements 

 

Vision System Solutions

We also design and manufacture fixturing solutions for vision systems in addition to the fixtures we design for use on CMMs. Fixturing solutions that are optimised for vision systems have a number of specific and differentiating features, including ensuring there is a clean and clear view of the part. 

Vision system solutions can also allow for backlighting where necessary. Furthermore, a single set-up is all that is required for the full inspection routine to take place, with parts securely held with as little force as possible. 

 

Docking Systems 

Docking System Verus Metrolody

Docking systems enhance the efficiency of quality departments that use multiple fixtures and/or have high sampling rates. Docking systems are securely fixed to CMMs to make it quick and easy for technicians to load fixtures that are fully set up with components ready for inspection. Once the inspection routine for a fixture is complete, it can be quickly and easily removed from the docking system ready for the next fixture to be loaded. 

With a custom-designed docking system, you can have confidence that each changeover results in precisely secured fixtures for repeatable and reproduceable inspections. 

Choosing the Right Fixture for Your Requirements

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best type of metrology fixture for your requirements. Your budget is an important consideration, as are your ROI goals, quality processes, quality resources, and future requirements. 

The best approach is to speak to a fixture design expert to explore the options and get an understanding of what is possible. Contact us today to find out more. 

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About Verus Metrology Partners

Verus is committed to the enhancement of our client’s metrology laboratories, machine efficiencies, and inspection processes. Since our beginning, our expert metrology engineering team has partnered with some of the world’s largest MedTech multinationals.

 

We specialize in high quantity, difficult to measure, yet critically important, medical device parts. As well as working in the MedTech, Pharmaceutical and Personal Care industry, we also work with metrology departments in the FMCG and Aerospace industry.