Cutting Manual Intervention Time

Learn how Renishaw helped Equinox 3D to re-create a concept car.

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As a specialist producer of fibreglass products across a wide variety of industries, Equinox 3D is often approached with intricate and bespoke designs. Thanks to the introduction of Renishaw probing systems to its manufacturing process, the company based in Faversham (UK), is able to meet the most unusual of customer requirements accurately and reliably within a short time frame.

Background

Equinox Products began as a producer of glass fibre products for customers operating in a range of industries; from automotive and architectural, to the manufacture of amusement arcade machines. Its regular requirement for mould tools led to the creation of Equinox 3D; a company that has evolved to provide four-axis CNC machining, 3D scanning, reverse engineering, CAD design and other non-mould tool related engineering activities.

The addition of an XYZ 1020 Vertical Machining Centre (VMC), equipped with a Renishaw OMP40 part setting probe and a TS27R tool setting probe, has greatly improved the productivity of Equinox 3D. Despite working to tolerances of ±0.1 mm rather than microns, Equinox 3D finds probing a valuable addition to its manufacturing process. With all of its work being visible and tactile, aesthetic appearance is key. Many of the moulds are assembled from multiple sections, meaning accurate alignment is crucial. Previously, a multi-section mould would require many hours, if not days, of manual input in terms of polishing, fitting and finishing. This frequently added both time pressure and cost to the process, and time is a commodity that Equinox 3D simply does not have. A recent time-critical job is a typical example.

Challenge