Does your CMM software let you import Tolerances?
How many values do you type out in a typical inspection? 25? 250? AutoTol takes this data entry activity off your plate.
Odds are that you work from an inspection plan with your tolerances already sitting there… ready to import. Let's skip the time-consuming step of typing in nominals. Do you really want to spend hours as a glorified data entry clerk?
Current Tolerance Input Process
The current process, in most cases, involves CMM programmers being handed an inspection plan with nominals and tolerances that have been typed manually into a spreadsheet. Programmers then type those tolerances in again! After the measurements are made with CMM and other measurement tools, data from various sources get copied and pasted and typed in manually to complete the final FAI.
The Problem
Typing nominals into your CMM programs in the age of Quality 4.0 is like doing long division by hand when you have access to a calculator. For most CMM programmers, data entry tasks such as typing in nominals accounts for 2-20 hours out if every week. It takes up valuable time in your CMM software and how many people like the 'data entry' part of their job?
The Problem (By the Numbers)
Let's review the waste in the current process with an example.
100 characteristic print:
For the inspection plan and report template:
Type out 100 nominal values
Type out 200 tolerance values (if there's an upper and lower)
For the CMM program (assuming cad is used for nominals):
Type out 200 tolerance values
A Better Way - The AutoTOL Process
500 manual data entry values are now handled with a click of a button.
We're talking about a potential 500 values being typed by hand (300 for Inspection Plan 200 for CMM Program). This doesn't need to happen! There's a shortage in qualified manufacturing professionals. Why are we having some of our most valuable people spend hours, often days every week performing menial data entry tasks? To start eliminating manual data entry from your process, watch this recorded webinar.
The Payoff
Imagine the job shop that may take on 5-20 new parts per week. The AutoTOL process stands to substantially lower the cost structure of the inspection process and make these shops more competitive.
There are software tools (see video) that extract nominals and tolerances from 2-D prints and create excel based inspection plans and corresponding ballooned prints with a single click of a button. Similar technologies existed in the past, but the quality of GD&T extraction developed by experts in GD&T has evolved to a point where it's an invaluable tool for reducing the time costs of creating inspection plans.
The next step is for the CMM companies to create software plugins to read the inspection plan data and eliminate the typing of nominals altogether.
To see if your CMM software uses the Quality 4.0, AutoTOL process, visit www.MFGNext.com. While you’re there, you can also download the AutoTOL whitepaper as well.
Brock LaHart, founder of the AutoTOL movement, has spent his career delivering next generation technologies to manufacturers. He is the founder Manufacturing Next, LLC. Manufacturing Next focuses on advancing and delivering Quality 4.0 technologies and processes. Brock also provides professional coaching in the area of Sales and Marketing (Individuals or Teams). One day a week, he volunteers with the Dale Carnegie of Michigan organization to help people realize their full potential.
Contact Brock at: 734-417-5799 or brocklahart@mfgnext.com