Industries
Aerospace
More than any other industry, Aerospace manufacturing involves the machining of high dollar parts and assemblies. Many times, the weakest link in this process is the human interface. Reliance on operator input to the machining process can lead to expensive mistakes and time consuming manual measuring and re-measuring. The products offered by Advanced Probe Technologies, from CAD based programming software to custom process control and automation software address these weaknesses and enable robust and confident manufacturing processes.
Automotive
Manufacturing in the Automotive sector is marked by machining of large lot sizes. Periodic in process sampling of a mostly automated machining process by an operator can be problematic due to human error, fatigue, and poor decision making, as well as the cost of labor. The relatively automated processes and large lot sizes in automotive manufacturing lend them particularly well to automated, unattended machining 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Advanced Probe Technologies can provide automation solutions, including "lights out" machining, using custom software interfaces in our CAD based programming systems.
Aviation
Shops that machine aircraft parts have traditionally been asked to hold some of the tightest tolerances in the metalworking industry. In recent years, aircraft design engineers have upped the ante in the tolerance department. This is because of new determinate assembly processes. This allows the different parts to basically fit together like Lego blocks. Everything needs to be precisely "in the right place" dimensionally. In order to achieve this, not only is the accuracy of the machine a requirement, but also required is a way to measure each part prior to machining and set the machine to the part envelope. This is typically done using a spindle mounted touch probe. The NC code required to control this probe is difficult to write and sometimes more difficult to understand. Software from Advanced Probe Technologies virtually eliminates that difficulty and enables probe programs to easily be created by programmers of all skill levels.
Defense
Today's Defense industry has gone through some significant changes since the days of the well known military/industrial complex. Instead of the large multi-year or even multi-decade projects that had a life of their own during the cold war days, many of today's defense projects are focused more on lightweight, rapid deployment weapons systems such as highly mobile artillery platforms and vehicle mounted automatic weapons. Many of those weapons systems use components manufactured from exotic materials and metals such as titanium. Manufacturing with these materials can benefit from control of the machining process that is offered by in process real time gauging, for example on machine probing. Accurate, reliable setups can be accomplished easily using the automatic part location capabilities of Advanced Probe Technologies' on machine probe software. In process measurements can give a high confidence level before proceeding with machining of a high value titanium casting, and those measurements can easily be programmed with Probe Pilot software.
Energy
It's impossible to talk about the Energy industry these days without considering the growth in alternative energy. While oil and gas still play a major role in the energy equation, alternative energy sources such as nuclear, wind power, solar, and hydropower, are rapidly developing and becoming more economically viable. One of the challenges faced by alternative energy providers is the need to continually reduce the cost of manufacturing. Whether it is the machining of large windmill components or oil exploration equipment, the ability to measure on the machine at critical points of the machining process and control that process is invaluable. Advanced Probe Technologies' Probe Pilot software and custom software solutions are affordable, easy to use tools that put this technology within the reach of any company in today's manufacturing environment.
Industrial
Today's Industrial machinery products run the gamut from packaging and labeling equipment to giant earthmoving equipment, and just about everything in between. One of the common requirements for industrial equipment manufacturing is the ability to machine component parts to close tolerances. Whether it's an electro-mechanical sensing device that can detect differences as small as .001" or a precise fuel-injection component for a Caterpillar ™ type earthmoving machine, both can benefit from today's modern manufacturing methods and capabilities. Software products from Advanced Probe Technologies put those capabilities in reach of even small manufacturers that don't have the virtually unlimited resources of a large multi-million dollar company, but at the same time are perfectly suited to a larger company because of the advanced features that are included in the software.
Marine
One of the main challenges for manufacturers today is developing the ability to produce high-quality products on a consistent basis. This is true in the Marine industry as much as any other industry. The programming of most machining operations is based around knowing three things: the position of the part on the machine, the starting shape of the material to be machined, and the final shape that needs to be achieved at the end of the operation. In the marine industry where many of the parts are large composite components such as hulls and superstructures, these parts are relatively flexible and knowing the starting shape and position of the part accurately can be difficult. Use of a probe to establish location and best fit a particular part can be a valuable tool to make this aspect of manufacturing more efficient and reliable. Use of Advanced Probe Technologies Probe Pilot software makes programming the probe path simple and reliable. Custom best fit software by APT can then use the probe data to accurately set the machine to the part.
Medical/Healthcare
The manufacture of medical equipment, from precision molds for surgical packaging to bio-medical devices that become part of the human body can benefit from the process control and precision that comes from the use of machine tool probing in the machining processes. Advanced Probe Technologies offers CAD based programming software and custom software services that enable manufacturers to take advantage of automation, process control, and elimination of human error.
Railroad
Manufacturing in the Railroad industry is marked by the machining of very large and expensive castings and forgings. Whether it's machining an investment cast V16 diesel engine block weighing thousands of pounds or a forged wheel assembly, the equipment used is very large and heavy duty. Because of this, set-ups can be very time consuming, and conventional in process inspection can be very difficult. Imagine moving one of these parts to a CMM for an in process check. This would probably not be a very cost effective measurement solution. Having the ability to perform precise measurements right at the machine tool with a touch probe is a valuable option and is easily supported by Advanced Probe Technologies, Probe Pilot software. Whether it's a quick bore measurement or setting up an alternate coordinate system, the NC Programmer can quickly produce the correct probing NC code or make changes to an existing program. Our point and click, CAD based probe software makes it quick and easy.