Steelceram is constantly developing products to improve the efficiency of our customers’ production processes. Therefore, we carry out studies to be able to comply with quality and durability standards in our products.
In the world of metrology, we have developed specific materials to make gauges and measuring tools in ceramics. These materials will not suffer wear against steels and have a thermal expansion coefficient that is much lower than that of any metal. In this way, we ensure correct measurement outside a temperature-controlled metrology room.
Dimensional control gauges are used to improve control and quality processes by controlling several references with the same tool and making it more efficiently, quicker, and easier to used.
There are several types of checking fixtures and each of them works depending on the type of measurement we want to perform.
Types of control gauges
Fixturing fixtures:
These properly position a part to perform a measurement by CMM (coordinate measuring machine) centring and RPS (Reference point system) can be performed in technical ceramics avoiding wear, thermal expansion and increasing the impact resistance.
Control gauges:
These tools are made to reproduces the negative of the part, controlling the clearance and flushness of the part. Different measuring systems can be installed on this type of gauge, such as dial gauges and manual control gauges. Gauges, centring gauges, RPS, pins and bushes, all these parts can be made in advanced technical ceramics, increasing reliability and durability.
Meisterblock:
Another measuring system which is a large tool in which different parts of an assembly are positioned. This allows a three-dimensional control with the CMM as a whole. As with feeler gauges, many of the components that are susceptible to wear can be manufactured in ceramic technology.
Cubing:
This is used to check that a part fits with the rest of the components of the assembly. Some of the components used in its manufacture can be substituted by different types of ceramics. Depending on their specific situation in Cubing, we have different materials that meet the most demanding requirements of the industry.
In the automotive sector, where quality requirements are at their highest, an example of the use of gauges would be the control gauges, used to measure in the most demanding way possible if the production processes are being carried out correctly. They are normally small tools that are used by an operator.
The gauges can range from simple part positioning with manual fasteners, to more complex processes where automatic operations are required to save measuring time. With the materials developed in Steelceram we increase the useful life of these gauges, as well as their precision in more extreme situations where temperature, corrosion and external agents can deteriorate the most critical components of the tools.
Contact Steelceram if you are looking for high performance ceramic solutions.
