New times for the mechanical assembly of machinery

Although the machine tool industry has undergone considerable change over the last decade, with the standardization of automated and numerically controlled machinery, for example, it remains a very mature/traditional sector, where demands and tolerances are increasingly higher, and profit margins, if uncompetitive, are lower.

Although aspects such as the automation of manufacturing processes have undergone and continue to undergo constant changes and improvements, there are aspects such as mechanical/geometric assembly that remain faithful to their origins.

What mechanical assembler today doesn’t still use autocollimators, bubble levels, dial gauges, or granite squares of different sizes in the assembly and commissioning of their machinery?

The market search for precise and efficient measuring systems to improve manufacturing processes is constant. Traditional tools have limitations in practical application and large tolerances, especially in multi-axis parallelism measurements.

In addition to the difficulty of moving the large volume of material required for each start-up, especially when starting up machine tools with long axes, there is also the significant financial outlay for the manufacturer of this material, which is essential for all those who continue to prioritize fine-tuning the mechanism.
Measuring geometry and rotational errors during machine construction, maintenance, and service facilitates precise alignment and accurate adjustment of the machine axes for optimal performance. This shortens assembly processes and on-site service, for example, during periodic maintenance or after a collision.

The all-in-one solution or proposal for this common problem that Renishaw offers its customers is its XK10 laser alignment system, designed for measuring geometry and rotational errors in machine tools, simplifying measurements compared to traditional metrological methods.

The XK10 alignment laser has a measuring range of 30 m and is therefore a simple and effective solution for measuring straightness, squareness, flatness, parallelism, and level on linear axes, as well as for verifying the spindle direction and coaxiality of rotating machines.

The XK10 connects wirelessly, providing great flexibility during setup and measurement. Its compact design in a single flexible fixture kit allows the system to be used across the entire range of machine tools, which also significantly reduces fixture changes during measurement.

Ultimately, the XK10 alignment laser system is the perfect solution. Adding to Renishaw’s strong reputation in the field of metrology, it guarantees customer confidence through intuitive XK10 test reports supplied with the new machine.

In addition to significantly improving performance, it guarantees accuracy, with results comparable to component measurements on CMMs. Not to mention the reduction of approximately 50% in the entire measurement process compared to traditional measurement methods, and providing the company with greater flexibility to allocate personnel resources to other functions of equal or greater added value.