The Sempre Group

Improving British manufacturing productivity at Backing Britain

The Sempre Group — 15/06/2020

To help manufacturers become more productive, metrology specialist The Sempre Group is attending the virtual event, Backing Britain Live Exhibition, from August 17 to 28, 2020. Following a difficult few months for British manufacturers, the company will share how its integrate, automate, connect, and comply (IACC) model can help manufacturers to realise Quality 4.0 and achieve significant productivity gains.

From its virtual stand, The Sempre Group will demonstrate the Quality 4.0 concept. The company developed the IACC approach to help manufacturers take their first steps towards digitalisation. The company demonstrates the concept using a Universal collaborative robot, feeding an optical co-ordinate measurement machine (CMM), with data being collected by High QA, a quality management system (QMS) with a reporting function.

“British manufacturing productivity was already lagging behind major competitors, and the pandemic means it has gone from bad to worse,” explained Mike John, managing director of The Sempre Group. “Following a record low in April, it is vital that the industry bounces back and to do so, it requires a change in culture. To drive the future of productivity, we can take a data-driven, digitalised approach to improve output, yield and productivity.”

Visitors to the virtual stand will also be able to learn about the company’s new metrology products and how they can contribute to productivity. For example, the Novacam bore inspection system, a product for full internal inspection of bores down to 1 mm diameter and up to 260 mm diameter. It can solve difficult measurement problems by acquiring surfaces point by point at 2.1 kHz or 100 kHz using Low-Coherence Interferometry.

Other products include the Opticline T3D, for the measurement of axial run-out, grooves and bores for shaft-based parts with machined features, the Sensofar 3D profiler with 5 axis system and GelSight, an innovative new mould product, with applications in aerospace manufacturing.

The company offers the complete range of metrology equipment, software and services, and its expert team will be available by live chat throughout the event. For more information, visit https://www.thesempregroup.com/.

Bringing zero touch measurement to UK & Irish manufacturers

The Sempre Group — 25/05/2021

Industrial metrology supplier The Sempre Group has partnered with advanced metrology solutions provider DWFritz® Automation. As part of the partnership, The Sempre Group now supplies DWFritz ZeroTouch®, a range of high-speed, automated non-contact measurement systems. The product complements The Sempre Group’s extensive range of metrology equipment and software, adding another automated option for UK & Irish manufacturers, in industries including aerospace, automotive and medical.

Traditional metrology processes are complex, multi-step and use several instruments. Moving between these steps requires part handling, introducing the risk of human error and increasing the uncertainty surrounding measurement accuracy and precision.

To provide a more holistic approach to metrology, DWFritz launched a line of non-contact systems — the ZTM-333 to measure complex geometries and the ZTG-2580 for full gear inspection. The systems use multiple non-contact sensors to simultaneously capture 3D dimensional data in minutes — providing data up to four times faster than a traditional coordinate measuring machine (CMM). ZeroTouch offers micron-level precision with high repeatability, providing quick and reliable measurements. Suitable even for intricate components with complex geometries, the ZTM-333 will particularly benefit high precision industries such as aerospace, automotive and medical.

Engineers can gather real-time data in compatible statistical process control (SPC) software for part analysis. The ability to compare point cloud scans with nominal CAD models and GD&T controls offers engineers full traceability of part measurements during the entire product lifecycle. Engineers can also integrate ZeroTouch and software with their manufacturing systems to store and obtain part inspection plans and measurement data to preserve data integrity.

“We want to offer the latest developments in metrology systems to help UK & Irish manufacturers compete on a global scale,” explained Steve Herbert, director of The Sempre Group. “ZeroTouch enables 100 per cent part inspection in one easy-to-use instrument, eliminating the risk of human error caused by part handling, improving accuracy and precision and decreasing overall inspection time.

“Working with DW Fritz allows us to provide manufacturers with a flexible range unlike anything else on the market, but the partnership is about more than filling a gap in our portfolio,” added Herbert. “By working with an industry leader in high-volume precision automation, we can develop new automated metrology solutions that give manufacturers full visibility over their processes, collect valuable data and, ultimately, improve productivity.”

The range of ZeroTouch platforms are available across the UK and Ireland. To find out more about the equipment and services from The Sempre Group, visit www.TheSempreGroup.com.

Showcasing the value of measurement at The National Manufacturing and Supply Chain Conference Ireland

The Sempre Group — 29/11/2021

To continue providing Irish manufacturers with local support, metrology provider The Sempre Group, is attending the National Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference and Exhibition, which took place at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, on November 23 and 24, 2021. From stand KO6 The Sempre Group exhibited a range of metrology equipment and consulted the Irish market on how integrating metrology into production can improve productivity and ensure compliance.

This year’s exhibition marked the first physical event that The Sempre Group attended an Ireland event since opening its first Irish office in Dublin in 2021. At the 180 square metre office, Ireland-based commercial manager, Jason McGlynn and service and application engineer, Paul Cullen, provide local support to customers. The showroom houses a range of metrology equipment from a broad supplier base and also acts as a training centre for Irish manufacturers who require more detailed system knowledge.

At the exhibition, visitors were able to see how Optical CMMs, such as the Micro-Vu and shaft measurement systems like the Opticline help improve repeatability and accuracy for industries that require high volume, compliant and quality parts, such as medical and aerospace. The Arkite Human Interface Mate, an optical projection system that guides operators with augmented reality (AR) instructions. The Gelsight 3D topography measurement system, a handheld tool that accurately measures surface roughness and defects, will also be on the stand.

To help manufacturers develop a centralised data system, simplify reporting and compliance and improve productivity The Sempre Group also offered a range of quality management software solutions. High QA Inspection Manager automatically extracts geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) data from a model, identifies critical dimensions and auto-populates reports. Manufacturers can also use Prolink software to assess the collated data and automated reports, which helps them to make more informed decisions.

“Attending more events in Ireland enables us to listen to our potential and existing customers in that area to better understand their metrology needs,” explained Jason McGlynn. “Irish manufacturers, particularly in medical and aerospace applications, which want to improve data collection, quality compliance and productivity visited our stand to see how our equipment, experts and local facility can support their individual needs.

“For example, at the event we’ll had one of our bespoke rotary fixtures. Manufacturers can use these fixtures to streamline the metrology process, hold components steady and remove thousands of manual interventions, reducing costs and time required for measurement.”

To find out more about The Sempre Group’s medical applications, read our latest medical white paper https://www.TheSempreGroup.com/metrology-in-medical-whitepaper.

New equipment: what’s the outcome?

The Sempre Group — 30/06/2021

Manufacturers purchase new metrology equipment for a variety of reasons — to improve product quality, increase throughput or reduce operator intervention. Often it is because they believe new machines are necessary to remain competitive. However, simply installing new equipment is not enough. Here Mike John, managing director of industrial metrology specialist The Sempre Group, argues why the industry should shift its focus from equipment to the intended outcome.

When I query British manufacturers about their motivations to invest in new equipment, it’s common to receive a generic response or a vague notion about improving productivity. If we were to take this answer as gospel and sell them a machine, when our team checked in a few months after installation, we wouldn’t have a happy customer. Why? Because without defining a specific outcome, you cannot achieve it.

Time to reflect

As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the manufacturing industry must take a hard look at itself. To remain competitive, businesses must adapt and find specific, tangible ways to drive operations and growth. Technology will always play a large role in improving productivity, but at a time when manufacturers want to cut costs, how can we make sure that all equipment purchased adds real value to production?

Ask the right questions

Every business will be familiar with its own challenges and pain points. But it is much more challenging to define them in a tangible, practical way — particularly when you do not know the full scope of equipment on the market and the individual benefits of each platform. Suppliers, on the other hand, do. By coming up with a specific list of pain points and collaborating with equipment experts, both parties can build the best solution together.

It is important to note that when purchasing equipment, companies should consider more than the initial cost. Selecting a low-cost machine may seem like a better option at the time of purchase, but real value comes from using equipment to its full potential. Tying back to the pain points, if one is a manual measurement bottleneck slowing down processes, time literally is money.

Implementation

Purchasing equipment is not the final step to achieving an outcome — businesses must take the time to implement and operate the equipment effectively. For example, when installing metrology equipment, it is important to make sure that systems are fully calibrated so that measurements are valid. Equipment suppliers will also often provide bespoke training sessions to ensure the team understands how to operate the equipment to its full potential independently, to ensure the most efficient and useful results.

Once it is fully operating, equipment will start to collect data, and the answers to many manufacturers’ problems often lie here. Operators can integrate all quality management into one unified electronic quality management system (EQMS), improving reporting, storing and handling of product quality data. Manufacturers can review the data to gain a true insight into production and make more informed decisions about what will add value to their operations. Identifying more pain points and challenges to actively solve, brings infinitely more value out of the equipment, making it far more than a shiny new toy.

While technology is fundamental to helping the British and Irish manufacturing industry up its game, purchasing equipment alone is not enough. It’s time we understood that metrology equipment doesn’t just exist to police part quality and shouldn’t be kept sheltered at the end of the line, a far sight away from production.

We must move away from adopting the latest technologies just because we think we should — truly improving productivity requires a change in our mindset. By establishing the specifics of what we want to achieve from digitalisation and creating an action plan, manufacturers can create real value from their purchases.

To find out how you can fully adopt and integrate effective quality management into your manufacturing process, call +44 (0)1452 632712

The Sempre Group offers the full LK Metrology CMM range

The Sempre Group — 30/03/2021

Industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group, is now distributing LK Metrology’s full range of equipment. Sempre is complementing its existing metrology range by expanding its selection of premium and technologically advanced coordinate-measuring machines (CMM) and multi-sensor CMM software. These British manufactured systems will enable manufacturers to improve digital inspection, reducing measurement cycle times and improve accuracy and repeatability.

LK Metrology’s high accuracy systems, such as bridge-type CMMs, gantry systems and horizontal arm and dual-arm CMMs, are flexible for every manufacturing industry. Its Altera Bridge Type CMM series offers manufacturers multi-sensing technology with probing and non-contact sensors for high precision and full 3D measurement of parts that have bores and internal features.

Sempre will also stock the LK Metrology Ultima range of gantry systems that enable manufacturers to measure large components, including vehicle chassis and large components for wind turbines. The HC90 range of Horizontal Arms and Twin Column Multi-Sensing CMMs are fully automated computerized numerical control (CNC) coordinate measuring machines for product verification of large and heavy components in transportation and automotive industries. The dual system allows manufacturers to carry out touch and laser probing at the same time in one scanning system, collecting twice the amount of data at once.

Sempre will also supply LK Metrology’s Camio CMM Software. The software can be integrated with multiple CMM sensors to reduce inspection cycle time, improve data collection and improve product quality. It also analyses conformance with computer-aided design (CAD) comparison for features and surfaces to ensure highly accurate metrology results.

“Partnering with LK Metrology, a pioneer in the industry, will allow us to provide more technologically advanced CMMs to British manufacturers,” explained Jim Mangan, chief operating officer of The Sempre Group. “While we now distribute market-leading products, working with LK Metrology is about more than equipment. Our partnership with LK Metrology allows us to provide high-quality technical support and service that ensures our customer’s specific business objectives are met, be it improving productivity, traceability or yield.”

To find out more about the range of LK Metrology equipment and software available from The Sempre Group, visit www.TheSempreGroup.com/multi-sensing-cmms/lk-metrology-range/.

LK Metrology and Sempre 'Back Britain' in New Partnership

The Sempre Group — 06/01/2021

Made in the Midlands members, Industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group and, coordinate measuring machine (CMM) pioneer, LK Metrology are working in partnership to enable companies to bring productivity-enhancing digital quality solutions to British and Irish markets. The UK based collaboration highlights the two firms' dedication for ‘Backing Britain’ as Sempre group will now distribute LK Metrology’s full product range throughout the UK as well as launching the brand in Ireland.

Made in the Midlands was created to challenge the erosion of British industry and bring manufacturers together to network, build relationships and collaborate. The latest partnership between LK Metrology and The Sempre Group is testament to the ambition of the Made in Group, who celebrate partnerships between their members, and to UK manufacturing as a whole. Jim Mangan, CCO at The Sempre Group, said:

“I think at Sempre we are keen to support Made in the Midlands Members with the best solutions, to ensure quality and improve productivity. LK produces an excellent product, highly capable and it’s an excellent addition to our stable of metrology solutions. The added bonus being the fact that it is manufactured in the UK.”

He continued: “UK Manufacturing can support a fellow UK business knowing it is getting an excellent solution.”

The similarities between the two businesses and their ethos are uncanny. The Sempre Group was established to help British and Irish manufacturers improve productivity, reduce human error and demonstrate compliance in quality control. From its Gloucestershire facility, it offers a comprehensive suite of technology from a range of partners to enable it to suggest the best combination of systems and software for each individual measurement application. It also provides tailored solutions to help customers achieve specific outcomes.

Derbyshire based LK Metrology has a long and pioneering history that includes many industry firsts. It supplies a complete range of premium bridge, gantry and horizontal arm CMMs for highly accurate and repeatable measurement, alongside multi-sensor CMM software to help automate inspection processes.

In an article recently published by the Sempre group, Steve Shickell Sales and Marketing Director at LK Metrology said:

“Sempre is a like-minded business, based on providing the right solution for each customer and we saw great synergy between our two companies. We share the same goal to introduce the market to Quality 4.0 solutions that provide actionable information to enable manufacturers to improve their processes and performance. For example, providing true traceability through tiered supply chains to provide visibility, control and efficiency.”

Steve concluded: “Made in the Midlands provides a great platform to form partnerships like these, and in the current climate, it is now more important than ever to maximise exposure and collaborate with other UK manufacturers.”

Accelerating the electric vehicle journey

The Sempre Group — 28/01/2021

In 2020, the UK Government announced that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will end in 2030 and invested over £1.8 billion to improve electric vehicle infrastructure. The automotive sector is now transitioning towards manufacturing a large volume of zero-emission vehicles. Here Mike John, director of industrial metrology specialist The Sempre Group, explores how the automotive industry will transition and how it will impact metrology.

The Government’s decision to ban petrol and diesel vehicles will help to reduce the UK’s contribution to climate change. The change can also support the sector itself with the Government pledging funding to the automotive industry and establishing a Zero Emission Transition Council to make the switch easier.

“(The) £500 million pledge will help our automotive industry transition towards electric vehicle production, open up new opportunities to build zero-carbon vehicles right here in the UK, while strengthening regional supply chains with new Gigafactories — creating thousands of new highly skilled jobs,” explained Alok Sharma, business secretary and COP26 president.

Many automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are now considering how they can introduce or increase production of electric vehicles to align with Government changes.

Most automotive components will remain the same, so many assembly processes will require only minor changes. The biggest metrology challenge for automotive manufacturers will be measuring components of the electric motor and recording and communicating them throughout the new supply chain.

Precision is vital when manufacturing intricate parts, like the rotor, stator and housing, to ensure the motor is energy efficient and reliable. The rotor, for example, must be accurate in form and dimension to achieve the high rotational speeds and strong torque required to run the motor. Automotive parts manufacturers must ensure that their measurement equipment will produce highly precise results — and that they can prove it. An optical shaft measuring system, such as the Jenoptik Opticline T3D, can offer fast, optical shaft measurement for cylindrical components. It also has an in-built touch probe that provides important dimensional, form and position measurement. Simple, intuitive software will then collate the data and auto-generate a concise report.

The higher volumes of parts required to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles means that many manufacturers may have to upscale or increase the speed of production.

When adapting the supply chain and production line, manufacturers must consider how they can increase production speed without compromising on quality and accuracy. While many manufacturers automate production to help develop smarter processes with increased capability, digitalising quality management can also drive real value across the supply chain.

Investing in automated software and digital metrology technologies can give manufacturers full control over their measurement data at every point of production. Integrating all quality management data into an electronic system removes the challenge of collating data from fragmented sources, reduces room for error and gives manufacturers instant access to the information they need.

Automotive manufacturers can then use this data to make better decisions, improve traceability as parts move through supply chain tiers and improve overall productivity. A Quality 4.0 approach to metrology means reporting can be done automatically and documents like production part approval process (PPAPs) forms can be completed much more easily, making compliance more straightforward.

In June 2020, there were 38.4 million licensed vehicles in the UK, of which only around 164,100 were pure-electric cars. The automotive industry must quickly adapt its operations to ensure that it can meet demand as the UK transitions from petrol and diesel, to hybrid and electric vehicles. Improving quality management can help manufacturers to ensure any new parts produced are accurate and efficient.

Are you looking for a metrology solution for your automotive application? Get in contact with The Sempre Group by visiting www.TheSempreGroup.com or calling 01452 632712.

Leading Metrology Company To Host CT Scanner Event For Manufacturing Professionals

The Sempre Group — 23/03/2023

Industrial metrology supplier, The Sempre Group, is hosting an exclusive event, available to attend on selected days this month and April, showcasing how CT scanners have the capabilities to improve quality control, and offer continuous product improvement opportunities.

CT scanning gives manufacturers access to internal features, fractures, failures, materials analysis and fittings within assemblies and individual components. This provides valuable feedback to the manufacturing process to improve quality of components, reduce error, and eliminate the need to disassemble or damage components.

The exclusive event, hosted at The Sempre Group’s HQ in Gloucester, will feature live demonstrations of the Easy Tom CT scanner, the most compact, powerful CT scanner on the market. Giving manufacturers an opportunity to see its advanced capabilities first hand.

The event has been organised to educate key decision-makers in the industry on how CT scanning is transforming the manufacturing inspection process and the benefits it can have for them.

Taking just minutes to complete a full scan of a component or assembly, CT scanning technology is highly accurate, offering real-time scanning for fast measurements without causing any destruction to the objects. The system has a scanning volume of 180mmx380mm, ideal for scanning small to medium sized components and assemblies including plastics and composites.

The new system allows manufacturers to see both internal and external features of their components, analysing GD&T characteristics, defect analysis, and Part-to-CAD comparison.

Attendees are invited to bring their own small to medium sized components to be scanned.

Jim Mangan, Managing Director at The Sempre Group, commented: “ We understand the challenges faced by manufacturing companies in today’s fast-paced highly competitive industry. That’s why we’re so excited to be hosting this event, which will offer manufacturers an opportunity to see the latest CT scanners in action and learn how they can be used to optimise their production process, identify product deficiency without damage, and provide a solution to the challenges they may face.

We believe this event is not to be missed and will be of great value to any manufacturers looking to stay ahead of the curve.”

The event will include: live product demonstrations, presentations from key industry experts and refreshments - as well as some special surprises.

Registration for the CT scanning event is now open, and available to book on Wednesday 29th March, Thursday 30th March, or Tuesday 18th April.

Event details

Location:

The Sempre Group Ltd

The Lodge

37 Barnett Way

Barnwood

Gloucester

GL4 3RT

Dates:

Wednesday 29th March

Thursday 30th March

Tuesday 18th April

Time:

9.30am - 4pm

To secure your spot, visit the Eventbrite page today.

Metrology that’s out of this world

The Sempre Group — 14/09/2021

In September 1999, the Mars Climate Orbiter broke into pieces and burnt up because one person on the project failed to use the metric system. This one measurement mistake caused the failure of a 327.6 million dollar project for NASA and emphasised the importance of accuracy in the sector. Here Mike G John, head of engineering at The Sempre Group, explores the role of metrology in the growing commercialised satellite manufacturing sector.

The space satellite industry has traditionally consisted of large-scale research projects completed by large businesses alongside academic research teams. However, in recent years there has been a growing market for small, commercialised, lower cost satellites for data collection and communication projects.

While this industry shift has created new opportunities for manufacturers to upscale the production of satellite components, it also introduces unique challenges. Once deployed, there is little opportunity to adapt, maintain or repair a spacecraft, so manufacturers must make the most of its time on the ground to focus on quality.

Harsh conditions

During design and production, space satellite manufacturers will consider how the harsh conditions of a launch will impact components. From excessive temperatures and speed during launch, to the ever-changing temperatures and radiation once in orbit, there is no tougher environment.

These conditions amplify any minor faults with the satellite’s quality, such as components that are not fastened properly or are not manufactured to exact specifications. Carrying out extensive product testing in thermal chambers to replicate the space environment enables engineers to understand how temperature can impact operations so that they can adapt production accordingly.

Accuracy

Satellites consist of multiple intricate parts that must be correctly fastened, connected or aligned, such as the transponder and panels. Any minor faults will distort the alignment of the equipment and therefore its performance once deployed. For example, one of the most significant challenges that engineers must overcome when developing satellites is weight — developers must consider the high per kilogram cost required to break free of the earth’s gravitational pull.

By tightening tolerances, engineers can ensure that every part meets the set specifications, increasing the probability that the satellite will operate efficiently once deployed. For example, improving accuracy will remove any unnecessary material on each component, reducing the overall mass of the satellite.

Validating each part using traditional measurement equipment can be time-consuming at a time when manufacturers want to increase production speeds to help them meet rising demand. Instead, engineers should invest in high-speed, high-accuracy equipment based on each component. For example, by using the Micro-Vu optical coordinate measurement machine (CMM), manufacturers can measure within a micrometre accuracy, rather than to the millimetre, increasing precision.

Manufacturers can also use optical measurement equipment to rapidly inspect complex parts made with delicate materials without touching the surface. For example, by inspecting solar panels with optical measurement systems offers high throughput inspection of parts that must be inspected with high accuracy, while ensuring that the equipment will not negatively impact the surface finish of the panel.

Sharing data

In tiered supply chains involving multiple manufacturers, documenting and proving accuracy is particularly important. Every company must produce parts that meet the original, shared drawing so that the components fit seamlessly during assembly. Electronic quality management software (EQMS) can provide a reliable and secure way of sharing data across organisations in near real-time.

The journey to accurate quality testing includes automated data collection to improve reporting, storing and handling of information regarding product quality. By using automated quality management software, plant managers can easily improve efficiency, productivity and quality. For example, High QA Inspection Manager can automatically identify geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) from models or PDFs, identify critical dimensions, automate results and produce statistical process control (SPC) data to auto-populate reports.

Automated QMS tools offer manufacturers an all-in-one solution for quality management, collecting and storing data at every point, from drawing to final product. They eradicate the need for time consuming paperwork and filing, which means satellite manufacturers can easily communicate important quality information across the supply chain and remove the headache of manual compliance reporting. The system can check for errors in digital documents, ensuring that they are always filled out right first time.

The Mars Climate Orbiter demonstrated how one small error can be the difference between a successful or unsuccessful satellite project. By tightening tolerances, investing in the best metrology equipment for the application and digitising data management, engineers can improve part quality and effectively meet rising demands.

At The Sempre Group, we work closely with your team to understand the metrology challenges you face and build the best solution of measurement systems and software. To find out more visit www.TheSempreGroup.com/space-satellite/.

Precision measurement at the touch of a button

The Sempre Group — 26/10/2021

Industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group, has introduced the new Micro-Vu VF7 to UK and Irish manufacturers. The two-dimensional, high precisionmeasurement machine uses InSpec Metrology Software®, advanced LED lighting and a tailored design to provide clear measurement data and tolerances. The VF7 can be operated using a simple touch button system to carry out one touch reporting and automatic part identification on any orientation.

The VF7 includes a simplistic touch panel that has clear pass or fail indicators and allows the user to start measurement, get a report and produce live video in just one click. The intuitive panel also allows users to automatically search for measurement programs, execute them and display measurement results.

InSpec Metrology Software automatically records data and produces an inspection report, which can be easily communicated to stakeholders to show the quality of the product. It has programmable labels and geometric overlays, so the user can see the measurement results as they occur. The software clearly indicates if measurements are within tolerance with specific-coloured labels showing the measurement data.

“The VF7 only needs a single USB connection to link to a workstation computer and the wider metrology system,” explained Mike G John, head of engineering at The Sempre Group. “The simplicity of the new design makes achieving high quality parts easier and faster than past versions. Its intuitive nature also reduces the time needed for training or for system set up.

“For manufacturers working with complex two-dimensional parts, such as a printed circuit board, the high magnification abilities of the VF7 allows for highly accurate testing,” continued John. “The addition of a ring light and axial surface light enhances accuracy, ensuring that products meet specifications and giving manufacturers peace of mind.”

With the help of The Sempre Group’s installation and service team, the VF7 can be installed into a wide range of manufacturing sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, medical, sheet metal, precision engineering and electronics. The Sempre team offers a full suite of metrology solutions, including software and hardware, and can easily integrate new technology with existing equipment.

To request further information on the VF7 or a demonstration on any of the Micro-Vu range, visit https://www.TheSempreGroup.com/.

WEBINAR How 3D Non-contract surface measurement can improve your Additive Manufacturing process

The Sempre Group — 26/05/2021

This webinar is brought to you by Sensofar proudly partnered with The Sempre Group, for all your systems provided and supported in UK and Ireland.

How 3D Non-contact Surface measurement can improve your Additive Manufacturing process

Additive Manufacturing has quickly become an acceptable process within many areas of manufacturing. Complex designs with improved functionality are easily produced using additive methods, replacing traditional subtractive and formative processes. However, these additively manufactured parts present new metrology challenges.

Discover what 3D optical surface measurement can add to your Additive Manufacturing characterization

Additive manufacturing produces parts with unique surface textures dependent on the printing technique, material used, and process parameters. In this webinar, we will show how specific non-contact 3D optical metrology techniques can provide a complete solution for the characterization of the form and texture of additively manufactured parts. Please join us on the 3rd of June 2021!

KEY TOPICS

How can additive manufacturing processes benefit from 3D optical metrology?
Comparison of the most used techniques for surface texture measurement on additive manufacturing parts
Technology choices
How to characterize form and surface texture of additive manufacturing parts
Complete solutions for R&D and Quality Control

AIMS

Characterize form and surface texture: Full Solution Help you with the technology decision

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Any professionals that aim for more understanding of their Additive Manufacturing process.

Any professionals focused on predicting the functionality of their AM pieces.

Any curious individual that wants to know more about the characterization of AM surfaces

REGISTER NOW

Industry 4.0: the quality revolution: Approaching quality in the digital era

The Sempre Group — 24/01/2020

Historically, quality has been like Cinderella - last in line for an invite to the ball. But with the UK industry struggling to match the productivity of its European competitors, British manufacturers can’t afford to wait for a fairy godmother. In this piece Mike John, managing director of industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group, shares a model for approaching quality in the Industry 4.0 era.

British industry has a productivity problem. Compared with major competitors like the USA, Germany and France, its productivity lags. Why is this? It’s certainly not because we’re not working hard enough ― studies have shown that British workers put in the longest hours in the EU. So, if we’re working longer, but are still less efficient, where are we going wrong? From my experience, UK industry has been slow to adopt technology ― particularly quality control systems ― and this reluctance is holding it back.

To up its productivity game, British manufacturers require a high skill level, a good knowledge base and, most importantly, a willingness to adopt the latest technologies. The British Chambers of Commerce surveyed over 6,000 manufacturing businesses with more than a million total workers and found that 81 per cent had trouble finding staff with the right qualifications and experience. As the ageing workforce retires, it will be more and more difficult to find staff with the skill level, knowledge and technological mindset needed. So, the future competitiveness of the UK industry depends on improving efficiency, without expanding headcounts. It depends on technology.

I have observed many manufacturers treating quality as an afterthought, reluctant to spend money on measurement equipment, testing systems or quality infrastructure. Quality has previously been more like a policing engine than a vehicle for improvement. However, Industry 4.0 brings with it a data-driven, digital approach to quality, which manufacturers can use to glean insights and for decision making. A fully digitised approach to quality removes the challenge of integrating data from fragmented sources, reduces room for error and enables manufacturers to improve their productivity.

A model for Quality 4.0

The model we recommend for digitalised quality management is integrate, automate, connect, comply (IACC). The first point is to integrate all quality management into one unified electronic quality management system (EQMS). In a paper system, suppliers may be performing quality checks, only for the parts to be inspected for compliance again when they arrive on the manufacturer’s site. In contrast, by taking a digital approach, where the manufacturing company could simply access the relevant data on its EQMS, the extra step is eliminated.

The next component is to automate ― using programmable systems like robotics to make manufacturing and packaging processes more efficient, traceable and productive. Staff can be moved out of low value, monotonous work and into more important areas of the business, making better use of the workforce. As well as automating processes themselves, manufacturers can automate data collection. Instead of having a paper trail of data staff have written down, it is accurately recorded in the central system.

Connectivity is a central part of Industry 4.0, as it is Quality 4.0. Inspection, robotics, digital inputs and outputs, software, SQL data management and enterprise reporting can be pulled together into systems greater than the sum of their parts.

Wireless connectivity of equipment to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and portable tablets means manufacturers can easily implement a factory-wide data collection network. The manufacturer can connect suppliers, operations, customers and products with edge analytics and bring the data together into a common SQL database for all business processes.

Monitoring data collected by equipment and storing it in a central system enables manufacturers to detect trends and take proactive actions to decrease scrappage. For example, a Universal Robot UR5 could be combined with a Micro Vu Optical CMM and wireless Andon status lights. The manufacturer could then connect these through Sempre Connect software to a database, to achieve pull through reporting, monitoring and trend detection.

These steps make meeting compliance obligations easy. Manufacturers can generate reports automatically, whether it is first article inspection reports (FAIRs), initial sample inspection reports (ISIRs) or production part approval process (PPAP) documents, to comply with standard like ISO 17025, ISO 9000, 21 CFR or AS9100.

The UK’s productivity puzzle can only be solved with a cultural shift. We need to change our mindset towards quality equipment and invest in the technology required. By working with a trusted partner, implementing a Quality 4.0 approach can be easy and deliver dramatic return on investment.

For more information, visit www.thesempregroup.com or drop them an email at sales@thesempregroup.com

The Sempre Group appoints new managing director

The Sempre Group — 24/09/2021

To continue to provide innovative and localised metrology solutions to its customers across the UK and Ireland, industrial metrology provider The Sempre Group, has appointed Jim Mangan as its new managing director. The change in structure will enable The Sempre Group to continue to support its customers by having a business underpinned by great products, knowledgeable staff and attentive service and support.

Jim first joined The Sempre Group in 2019 as chief operating officer, so has an in-depth understanding of the day-to-day running of the company. Jim’s past experience as a managing director and commercial director in other companies has given him vast experience in business development across a range of sectors and managing a growing workforce.

Jim will be taking over the managing director role from the founder of The Sempre Group, Mike John, who will become technical director. Having over 30 years of experience in the industry, Mike will use his knowledge to specifically focus on providing the best metrology solutions for customers and continue to develop customer relationships. He will train and support the applications team to increase their product knowledge so that they can solve any metrology challenge presented by a customer.

“This year has been a positive year of change for The Sempre Group,” explained Mike. “We have seen growth in our Ireland division, we have our new highly experienced managing director to lead the team as we continue to grow, new employees helping expand the company and we are currently undertaking a new office revamp to make the working environment better for our employees. Jim is pushing The Sempre Group to strive forwards with its ambitious plans for the future and create a ‘go to’ culture where our customers will think of us the first time around.”

“2021 is an exciting time of change for the manufacturing industry, as it moves more towards a digitised and automated way of working,” commented Jim. “My new role is not just a title change, but a promise that The Sempre Group is making to its customers to continue to innovate and diversify its offering year on year, allowing them to stay at the cutting edge of metrology technology. Sempre will continue to deliver value to its customers with our tailored metrology solutions, which will improve customer’s productivity and quality.”

To find out more about what metrology hardware, software and services The Sempre Group offers, visit the website www.TheSempreGroup.com.

The importance of servicing metrology equipment

The Sempre Group — 04/03/2021

An unexpectedly idle production line in the automotive industry costs manufacturers over £17,000 a minute, per line or almost £1 million an hour. Annually servicing equipment by programming software and calibrating or replacing parts ensures metrology systems are running as efficiently as possible and not causing unexpected downtime. Here, Simon Atherton, head of the service at industrial metrology provider The Sempre Group, discusses the importance of servicing and advises on where manufacturers can make improvements.

Carrying out proactive, rather than reactive, servicing on equipment allows manufacturers to focus on their productivity, instead of fixing unreliable machines and managing unexpected downtime.

Irregular servicing and calibration of equipment leave manufacturers open to the uncertainty of results and expensive repercussions, such as recalling faulty products, which can have a long-lasting impact on the company’s reputation. Consider this example — a medical device manufacturer hasn’t calibrated their Micro-Vu Excel for a while, so it’s inaccurately measuring multiple stents at a time. The defect goes undetected, so these non-compliant stents are fitted into patients’ arteries and fail to keep blocked passageways open, putting the patient at serious risk. Is cutting servicing costs really worth these dangerous repercussions?

Once manufacturers have identified faulty equipment, they must act quickly to resolve the issue and avoid expensive downtime. Manufacturers may choose to use same-day or 24/7 callout engineers to solve issues quickly, but these callouts can be far more costly per hour. Alternatively, choosing to troubleshoot problems in-house and buying replacement parts when needed can further extend periods of downtime and increase maintenance costs as engineers spend time maintaining equipment and sourcing parts.

Invest in quality

Manufacturers might think carrying out their own servicing could cut callout costs but invest in an experienced service team will save more. Fewer, but timelier, calibrations prevents inexperienced engineers from accidentally damaging expensive components and reduces the number of costly emergency repairs required. Servicing metrology equipment also requires specialist calibration artefacts that can cost thousands, so manufacturers may not want to take on these costs by servicing in-house. We suggest hiring an experienced and trained servicing team, like The Sempre Group’s, who ensure that all quality management systems are ISO 9001 compliant, putting manufacturers at ease that their systems are always accurate.

Servicing explained

At a time when manufacturers want to cut costs, it might seem difficult to take the leap of faith and invest in servicing, but it is a risk that will always pay off. Manufacturers can start their servicing journey by contacting a servicing team to discuss their specific needs, from training staff on how to use equipment correctly to achieving UKAS accredited calibration on a Micro-VU. Some servicing teams, like The Sempre Group’s, offer a range of services, such as 24-hour remote support, to ensure they receive the best results and provide the best customer experience. Annual visits for calibration and servicing also ensure that the customer’s systems are running optimally.

Accurate metrology equipment allows manufacturers to assess data to pre-empt equipment issues, reduce the amount of unexpected downtime and avoid the millions of pounds that could be lost per hour. Working closely with a servicing team allows an expert to focus on ensuring equipment is reliable and accurate, while the manufacturing team can focus on producing quality goods.

To find out more about the servicing options that The Sempre Group offers, visit our website https://www.thesempregroup.com/service-calibration-support/.

Bringing metrology solutions to the Irish market

The Sempre Group — 19/08/2021

To provide better local support and metrology solutions to Irish manufacturers, single source metrology specialist, The Sempre Group has opened an office in Dublin, Ireland. The office will provide Sempre’s Irish customers, in sectors such as medical and aerospace manufacturing, better access to its product ranges and services.

The Sempre Group first expanded into Ireland in March 2020 by introducing metrology specialist Jason McGlynn to the team as commercial manager. Since then, the Irish team has expanded to include service and application engineer, Paul Cullen and is now opening a permanent office to further support Sempre’s Irish customers.

The new 180 square metre office will allow the Irish team to carry out contract measurement services locally, cutting down the number of days that can be lost by shipping from Ireland to England. The office will house metrology equipment, such as the Micro-Vu range, Gelsight technology and the Opticline range, in its showroom so customers can have demonstrations and see the systems before purchasing. The showroom will also act as a training centre for Irish manufacturers who require more detailed system knowledge and understanding.

“The new office in Dublin is in in touching distance from all of our existing Irish customers and just 15 minutes from the local airport,” commented Jason McGlynn, commercial manager at The Sempre Group. “The accessibility of our site will hopefully encourage more customers to pop in and let us truly understand their metrology needs in person.

“Sempre’s Irish division is a one stop shop for metrology solutions, so our manufacturing customers should find everything they need to improve data collection and ensure they are compliant with regulations,” continued McGlynn. “Going forwards, I hope to see our Irish team continue to expand as Sempre invests in its Irish customer base.”

To set up a video call to see how The Sempre Group could help solve your metrology challenges, contact sales@thesempregroup.com.

Improving machining flexibility with automation

The Sempre Group — 25/11/2021

When Hardwicke Enterprise, a subcontract CNC machining specialist needed to upscale production after it won a new contract, it needed a flexible, quick and simple solution to increase speed and ensure quality. It turned to metrology specialist The Sempre Group for support, who has been developing a new automated machine tending solution that saved Hardwicke Enterprise 52 hours of time that operators could allocate to other projects.

The Sempre Group provides a range of metrology systems and software to help UK manufacturers improve productivity, reduce human error and demonstrate compliance in quality control. When businesses cannot find an off-the-shelf product that best suits the application, The Sempre Group develops bespoke solutions. Sempre engineers regularly outsource the manufacturing of bespoke parts, such as end-of-arm tooling, to suppliers.

Hardwicke Enterprise specialises in the subcontract CNC machining of high quality turned and milled components. Established in 1967, the company has grown year on year and now operates with a team of eight to deliver precision machined components for companies in a variety of sectors, such as food manufacturing, aerospace and marine. For over three years, Hardwicke Enterprise has manufactured and supplied complex components to The Sempre Group to help it provide bespoke solutions.

Now, The Sempre Group is adding automation to its portfolio to leverage this even further and help manufacturers adopt a fully digitised approach to quality. Using the latest collaborative robotics, Sempre aims to supply easy-to-use, quick installed, flexible automation solutions with a rapid return on investment (ROI). These systems would suit businesses that want to improve productivity in quality processes, but cannot afford to automate their entire production line. So, when developing a new automated machine tending solution for smaller applications, The Sempre Group wanted to test the system with a customer to see how the technology could benefit the industry more widely.

Upscaling production quickly

Hardwicke Enterprise normally produces low volumes of bespoke parts for its clients. So, when it won a contract to manufacture 1,000 castor wheels in a short period of time, the team knew it had to increase productivity.

“To deliver this contract on time we needed to quickly find a way to increase production speed without compromising on quality,” explained Andrew Foster, managing director of Hardwicke Enterprise. “Traditionally, each team member operates a different CNC machine, moving the parts manually so that they can be measured. However, as each castor wheel is made up of around five different components and the client wanted a quick delivery, we needed a system that could operate faster and for longer periods of time.”

Automation can help solve challenges of speed and time — robots can operate faster than humans and can run for longer hours. However, automating an entire production line can take a long time to plan, set up and program before production can begin.

“We knew that introducing technology would help us deliver the contract, but we needed a system that was quick to set up, flexible and helped the team improve output,” continued Foster. “So, when The Sempre Group mentioned that it was developing a new automated system, we offered to help develop and test it.”

Delivering a quick solution

The Sempre Group designed the automated machine tending system to work alongside Hardwicke’s super mini mill CNC machine that builds the parts. The team designed gripper fingers to handle the components, modifications to the chucks and an easy-to-use pallet system. Once designed, The Sempre Group manufactured all of the parts for use as well as installing and programming a Universal UR5E collaborative robot (cobot). The system was built in one week and installed in three hours.

The cobot picks and places parts using Sempre’s own low cost pneumatic dual gripping end effector and 3D printed gripping fingers to hold the part. The team also modified Hardwicke’s existing Rohm vices for automated actuation. The robot picks the parts from a pallet, opens the door of the CNC machine, unloads complete parts from the machine, cleans the vice, loads the next part and then closes the door. Parts are then measured using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM).

“The system was quick to set up, flexible and viable — it went from van to operation in three hours. The Sempre Group also ensured that the system could operate safely around the team — the robot is able to detect humans in its path and execute a safe stop, removing the need to cage the system, which would take up a lot of space in the facility. The robot ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week and delivered the output we needed, meaning the team could work on our other CNC machines to produce other components.”

“We installed Sempre Connect software to the system to very easily and quickly connect and control other systems within the process,” explained Mike G John, head of engineering at The Sempre Group. “In this case we integrated a Vertex 251 Optical CMM to inspect the components and ensure compliance. Any dimensional issues could then be flagged immediately and the machine tool program assessed for changes. This instant quality feedback allows a proactive approach to superior productivity and quality control.”

Sempre Connect is a simple software that eliminates the need for programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and integrates the inspection system with the automated process. After measuring, the software verifies the part, checking that it meets specifications, and feeds this information to the automation solution to place the part in the correct place. This PC based control software is simpler, cheaper and easier to use than an industrial PLC, which is often a costly investment for SMEs because it can take months to learn how to use and program the technology effectively.

Saving time

The automated machine tending system had a 20-component capacity on each plate, a cycle time of three minutes 45 seconds and a takt time of four minutes 45 seconds. The Hardwicke team reported that the system saved around 52 hours of operator time that it could reallocate to other projects.

“While some businesses view robots negatively, as they think that they will replace staff, this project showed the real value in technology,” continued Foster. “Robots take people away from laborious tasks and create roles that require highly skilled people. So now, we have an expert team that can work on different tasks while robots run all day, to meet demand for higher volumes.”

“Our collaboration with Hardwicke proved the importance of investing in automation to unlock value — businesses can now use both staff and technology to their full potential to improve productivity,” continued John. “Now that we understand the value the system can add to the production floor, we can look to leverage the investment and ROI by developing and offering bolt-on applications. Manufacturers could use the system for applications such as post processing, including deburring or polishing, for packaging, including boxing or palletising, for assembly or for sorting. Manufacturers can simply reprogram the system in minutes, without the costs of introducing more equipment.”

“This project was a one off for us — the small batches that we traditionally produce will not benefit from automation. However, as we start to see businesses look for more local suppliers, demand for higher volumes of parts will increase. As a result, we expect to see more high volume contracts, which we can now confidently accept without concerns about overhauling our production line. We’re confident that The Sempre Group can quickly and efficiently install the system, upscale our production and increase our flexibility to continue delivering high quality parts, no matter the batch size,” concluded Foster.

The Sempre Group can help businesses of any size to automate their quality management processes and improve productivity. To find out what system could work well in your application, contact sales@thesempregroup.com.

Reluctance to Adopt New Technology Could be Leaving UK Manufacturing Behind

The Sempre Group — 19/10/2020

British industry has a productivity problem. Compared with major competitors like the USA, Germany and France, its productivity lags. It isn’t because we’re not working hard enough ― studies have shown that British workers put in the longest hours in the EU. So, if we’re working longer, but are still less efficient, where are we going wrong? Here Mike John, managing director of industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group, explores how the UK industry can start a quality revolution.

From experience, the UK industry has been slow to adopt technology ― particularly quality control systems ― and this reluctance is holding it back against global competitors. So, to up its productivity game, British manufacturers require a high skill level a good knowledge base and, most importantly, a willingness to adopt the latest technologies.

Traditionally quality has been an afterthought and more like a policing engine than a vehicle for improvement, so manufacturers are often reluctant to invest in new measurement equipment. However, Industry 4.0 brings with it a data-driven, digital approach to quality, which manufacturers can use to glean insights and for decision making. A fully digitised approach to quality removes the challenge of integrating data from fragmented sources, reduces room for error and enables manufacturers to improve their productivity.

A model for Quality 4.0

The model we recommend for digitalised quality management is integrate, automate, connect, comply (IACC). The first point is to integrate all quality management into one unified electronic quality management system (EQMS). In a paper system, suppliers may be performing quality checks, only for the parts to inspected for compliance again when they arrive on the manufacturer’s site. In contrast, by taking a digital approach, the manufacturing company could simply access the relevant data on its EQMS, the extra step is eliminated.

The next component is to automate ― using programmable systems like robotics to make manufacturing and packaging processes more efficient, traceable and productive. Staff can be moved out of low value, monotonous work and into more important areas of the business, making better use of the workforce. As well as automating processes themselves, manufacturers can automate data collection and accurately record data in a central system instead of having a paper trail of handwritten data.

These steps make meeting compliance obligations easy. Manufacturers can generate reports automatically, whether it is first article inspection reports (FAIRs), initial sample inspection reports (ISIRs) or production part approval process (PPAP) documents, to comply with a standard like ISO 17025, ISO 9000, 21 CFR or AS9100.

The Sempre Group supplies CNC tool correction software

The Sempre Group — 15/04/2021

Sempre now distributes the new Reaction Plan Manager Software

To help manufacturers reduce scrap and reworking with proactive tool correction, industrial metrology specialist, The Sempre Group now supplies Reaction Plan Manager (RPM) software. The automated instruction-based software analyses measurement data calculates offset and provides tool correction instructions in real-time on the shop floor. The software is compatible with any CNC machine type, so UK and Irish manufacturers in a range of industries can benefit from this technology.

Once installed, RPM software collates data directly from the coordinate-measuring machine (CMM), analyses measurement data and automatically produces a digital report on machine position. Operators can then follow machine adjustment instructions and adjust the tool offset before any parts are manufactured out of tolerance.

“Data analysis can be a time-consuming task, even for the most experienced operators,” explained Mike John, managing director at The Sempre Group. “Using RPM software is like having an extra in-house engineer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It carries out the calculations and tooling decisions on behalf of the operators, saving time that employees can use to focus on jobs that require more human intervention.”

The software works on an automated paperless system that allows process control information to be analysed by an operator in real-time, without the need for a specialised engineer to assess calibration. Data analysis can be exported as a report when required, improving communication between operators and managers and the manufacturing business and its customers.

Engineers can also link RPM software to compatible SPC software, such as Prolink, to derive more value from measurement data. By integrating this metrology software into the production process, operators no longer need to spend valuable production time analysing measurement information — the software decides for them. As a result, manufacturers can benefit from a reduction in downtime, a reduction in costs and an increase in part quality.

Want to find out more about the software or arrange a demo? Contact our team by visiting https://www.thesempregroup.com/contact-us or calling +44 (0)1452 632712.