Mackay’s 3D Digital scanning equipment provides new levels of accuracy for measuring complex shapes.
Mackay Consolidated Industries, a 100% Australian owned private company and a major supplier of a diverse range of engineered rubber and bonded metal/rubber composite products for the automotive, defence, transport, construction and industrial markets, has recently invested in cutting edge 3D scanning technology.
This investment is part of Mackay’s ongoing company wide upgrade program which has been underway over the past 12 months and includes both significant capital equipment upgrades along with staff training to improve overall plant efficiency.
Conventional computerised measuring machine (CMM) equipment does not use scanning technology, and has always had its limitations from both a quality and labour intensive perspective, especially when measuring complex shaped products such as automotive hoses.
A typical car engine bay these days is an extremely crowded environment with a multitude of components fighting for space. To accommodate the restriction in space and the very fine tolerances required, automotive hoses have progressively been designed and produced in increasingly intricate shapes and sizes.
Accordingly the measurement of these more complex shaped hoses has become a more difficult and time consuming affair.
To address this issue, Mackay recently purchased a new 3D scanner known as the Z Scanner which drastically reduces the time taken to scan the new hoses.
The process commences with the Z Scanner being used to scan the product in 3D. The image is then downloaded and put into the Polyworks software package which best fits this image with the CAD model. A highly detailed 3D image is then reproduced and, through a range of progressive colour grading, reveals where the part complies with the specification, and most importantly, where it does not.
This technology allows Mackay to quickly, and with an extremely high degree of accuracy, pinpoint areas that are not complying with the required specification.
“This new 3D scanning technology greatly cuts down the time it takes to determine hose specification and importantly provides a far greater degree of accuracy - both essential things in today’s working environment,” said Mackay Quality Manager, Arch Tatas.
“This is world class technology and provides a real leap forward in the detail and accuracy of reports – these days we need to produce highly detailed reports to customers and this is where this technology comes into its own”, Mr Tatas went onto say.
Another major benefit of the Z Scanner is that it is completely portable allowing Mackay personnel to scan any product, anywhere, anytime.
Mackay is a first tier supplier to a number of Automotive OEM’s including Ford, General Motors and Toyota. They are also a second tier supplier to a number of other manufacturing companies which provide various products to the major automotives.
Mackay is also a long term supplier to the Australian Defence Industry, providing products such as submarine components (internal & external), signature reduction materials for surface warships, tank tracks, road wheels and pads, ballistic shields and launch silo covers for ESSM missiles for use on NATO warships.
The company’s products are exported worldwide.
Ends:
For more information, contact Mackay Consolidated Industries on (03) 9276 4610
Arch Tatas, Quality Manager.