Hurco VM Series: Verus Manufacture Capacity

May 20, 2021

Hurco VM Series: Verus Manufacture Capacity

May 20, 2021

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Our long-standing position as leader in turnkey metrology solutions is steadily reinforced through ongoing investments in cutting-edge tools and software. One department that heavily relies on such innovativeness is our leading manufacturing department. Producing measurement solutions for some of the largest medical device companies in the world, our manufacturers develop fixtures for Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 OEMs that work largely with complex plastic components and tight tolerances. Lately, our clients growing requirement for more efficient internal metrology processes has resulted in an all-time high in the number of fixturing projects currently under development at Verus.

In response to this increasing demand for custom metrology fixtures, we recently acquired our third shipment of Hurco VM Series in less than a year. Our purchase of two brand new CNC milling machines (VM30i and VM10i) means we now have 12 machining centers committed to bespoke metrology fixturing. The latest shipment also means Verus has increased its manufacturing capacity by a substantial 40% during the same 12-month period.

 

Verus now has 12 machining centers all dedicated to bespoke metrology fixturing.


 

Verus’s Growing Manufacturing Capacity

Our fleet of Hurco VM30i and VM10i milling machines produce high-quality metal parts in no time. This is because of Hurco’s sophisticated software that allows for the quick implementation of the fixture’s precise specifications. The quality of the machines and the volume of repeat parts delivered takes our manufacturing capacity to the next level.

Verus Manufacturing Manager Colm Taylor says:

We have a fantastic working relationship with Hurco. In my opinion, the Hurco VM Series machines are unrivaled in the market. When it comes to the milling of our fixtures, the machines efficiency and ease of use just cannot be surpassed.

At Verus, we place a huge emphasis on having the ability to produce parts on several machines simultaneously. Colm reveals:

In the STEM fields in particular, projects are commissioned and executed on demand. The manufacturing of parts commences as soon as we receive a PO in line with client’s rapid production lead times. Therefore, it is only reasonable that we are equipped with the most advanced manufacturing tools and machinery. Hurco recognizes this through the technology inputted into their innovative milling machines.

 


 

Client Demands at the Forefront of Investments Made at Verus

Our clients greatly value our strong dedication to top-quality, precision-led manufacturing. Hence, thanks to our highly-compliant manufacturing processes, our solutions solve the most intricate of fixturing requirements swiftly, with quality guaranteed.

Group Technical Operations Director Sean Murphy adds:

By investing in the latest CNC technologies, we provide the right tools to our team to build some of the most innovative measurement solutions for mass inspection of complex plastic component geometries. Collectively, we develop solutions and integrated software’s to deliver systems that hold anything from syringes and syringe components, glass vials and tubes, stoppers, caps and knee and hip metals to equator fixtures and programs.

 

We are a team that solves measurement challenges and takes pride in the work that we do.

 

Now with operations in Ireland, UK and United States, our latest investment illustrates our dedication to offering rapid fixturing turnarounds. Coupled with the turning of prototypes for special order components, we can continue creating new molds for our increasing line of innovative metrology fixtures and measurement services. Our value-added assembly lines also benefit from the recent purchase of two high-powered laptops to run our Mastercam programming software which aids in the manufacture of our bespoke fixtures.

 


 

For more information on Verus’s expert, in-house manufacturing facilities contact Colm Taylor on +353 71 91 43506 (ext. 213). Moreover, be sure to subscribe to their NEWSLETTER to receive technical blogs, customer updates, and all the latest developments.

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.