A Walter Helicheck Basic tool inspection machine is performing 100% measurement and batch inspection of regrinding, tooling manufacture and tooling coating at a UK tooling company.

One year after installation, a Walter Helicheck Basic tool inspection machine is inspecting around 50% of production output for Guhring, a UK subsidiary of the German tool making company The company, in the meantime, had added another Guhring Universal CNC tool and cutter grinder and another will be added later in 2008

The UK operation now operates six of the machines alongside a number of special CNC regrinding centres.

* Tool measurement - To measure its tools the company formerly used to use only an in-house developed optical camera system.

Although it functions satisfactorily, a PC has to be used to manually generate inspection reports.

Production manager at Guhring, Chris Weston, explained: "Three issues forced us to consider the transition to automatic inspection: first, requests for more complex cutting tools have become more frequent and it's a struggle to manually measure cutters such as short steps on three-flute tools".

He continued: "Second, the move into brazed PCD tooling demands optical inspection - the material is so brittle that it will chip if touched by a micrometer.

Lastly, the production of automatic inspection reports - as provided by the Walter Helicheck - reflects more accurately the professional nature of our company".

* Walter Helicheck Basic - the Walter Helicheck Basic offers 3C Direct View camera technology with cameras for back, front and top light illumination of tools measuring up to 320mm diameter by 400mm long.

The back light provides magnification of 50x, front and top of 100x.

It has a solid granite base plate for temperature resistance and high stability.

The results are as follows.

* Repeatability of 1.5 micron.

* Absolute accuracy of +/-2.2 micron at a measuring length of 10mm (VDI/VDE 2617: E1 = 2.2 micron + L/300).

The Helicheck measures a range of carbide special drills and milling cutters (often featuring two or more diameters) largely for the automotive and aerospace sectors, as well as PCD tooling featuring micron tolerances.

It performs 100% measurement and batch inspection.

Typical batch sizes at Guhring fluctuate between two-off and 100.

Guhring's UK operation started 34 years ago as a stock centre.

The Birmingham-based company has since progressed into regrinding, tooling manufacture and coating.

Today the centre employs more than 30 people in its production department alone (compared with just four in 2000).

Weston concluded: "Guhring is a brand renowned for its quality the world over, the Helicheck Basic gives us the confidence that the tools we dispatch maintain this reputation." Koerber Schleifring UK of Honiley near Kenilworth, supplied the Walter Helicheck Basic tool inspection machine. 

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