Quality Verification of Machine-Ready Blanks With New CMM

TCI Precision Metals highlights the installation of the newest Keyence model XM-5000 handheld probe coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Capable of high-accuracy large-area measurement, the XM-5000 is ideal for measuring and quickly verifying tolerances of its machine-ready blanks. The investment will help TCI further reduce the lead time of precision blanks for customers as demand for custom-made-to-order and standard ready-to-ship blanks continues to rise.

The XM-5000 supports TCI Precision Metals’ need for flexibility and accuracy. Precision blanks can be measured and verified to close tolerances on the bench or in process. Blanks are checked for dimensional accuracy, squareness, parallelism and flatness. The portability of the measurement solution supports moving it to the most efficient location for use. Quite often, customers request additional features be added to ordered blanks. This might include holes, hogouts or other time-consuming processes. The ability to move the measurement solution to the most efficient location saves time.

The Keyence XM-5000 can measure blanks as large as 78.74" × 47.24" × 39.37" (2000 × 1200 × 1000 mm) with an impressive accuracy of ± (7 + 9L/1000) µm. The measuring head can be installed on the stage and on a dedicated mount or tripod. This enables the CMM to be placed anywhere for maximum flexibility.

“Our goal is to be the best at what we do. Customers count on us to deliver value-added precision materials to spec and on time. As our business continues to grow, we invest in our people and equipment to help our customers eliminate material prep. We provide customers with cost-effective, high-value, Machine-Ready Blanks that can increase a shop’s overall throughput by as much as 25% on a given production job,” says Ben Belzer, president and CEO of TCI Precision Metals.

Custom Machine-Ready Blanks are precision milled to the customer’s net specifications and can be furnished as close as +/-0.0005" dimensionally and as close as 0.002" in flatness, squareness, and parallelism. Each machine-ready blank is deburred, cleaned and vacuum packaged — ready to go directly from receiving into CNC machining centers. Machine-ready blanks helps shops eliminate material prep and reduce set-up time, part movement, scrap, and wear and tear on machine tool inserts and cutters used to square material in-house.