Rapid progress in all technical areas has made the design process more complex. To create many parts, special molds are used. Increased requirements for product quality and control over the state of molds entail new problems in production.
Traditional mold measurements are performed manually using contact measuring instruments such as micrometers. These tools can measure only a limited set of parameters – the width, height and depth of the form. Measuring the curvature of surfaces or the depth of recessed parts is very difficult, so mold making and quality control is a time-consuming process.
That is why mold measurements with 3D scanners have become one of the main ways to ensure high-quality product inspection. In this article, we’ll take a look at how large molds are measured using 3D scanner.
Table of Contents
Initial data
The mold factory made a 1.5m x 1m aluminum mold according to the customer’s requirements. Due to differences in production technology and equipment used, the mold may not achieve the required accuracy after manufacturing. For this reason, it is necessary to measure the finished form and determine its compliance with the required parameters.
Due to the large size of the form, manual measurement methods can be inefficient and do not provide accurate information. To solve this problem, the mold company decided to use a portable 3D scanner.
Measurement and verification process
The company chose the hybrid scanner with laser and structured illumination for measurements. Thanks to different lighting scenarios, the equipment allows you to solve almost any scanning task. Portable, easy to use and fast, the scanner can be used even in difficult production environments, greatly increasing its efficiency.
Step 1: Labeling
The mode of laser scanning was chosen for work. Before work, reflective marks were applied to the workpiece.
Step 2: 3D Scan
In the selected operating mode, the scanning speed is 480,000 measurements per second. The operator spent 10 minutes to completely scan the part and get the necessary data.
Step 3: 3D measurements
In order to check whether the mold meets the accuracy requirements, the data obtained as a result of the scan is exported to the Geomagic Control X program. After matching the coordinates, a comparative analysis of the deviations was carried out using a chromatogram. The application then automatically generated a verification report. Check for more info right here.
In this study, we introduced the new scanner, which operates in scanning mode with laser illumination. The process of scanning an aluminum mold took less than 30 minutes from placing marks to receiving a report from the program. This method saved a lot of time compared to traditional measurement methods and solved problems that manual equipment could not do.
Benefits of hybrid scanner
The hybrid scanner can use two types of illumination for operation, which allows you to take advantage of the advantages of each type of scanning: the speed and efficiency of structured light and the high accuracy and detail of a laser. Hybrid scanner is a versatile device for scanning objects with different types of surfaces.
In addition, when you select the fast scan mode with blue structured light, you can save time on marking. This increases the speed of data collection and reduces the time for measurements and reverse engineering.
Laser scanning technology provides amazing performance when scanning reflective and dark objects. In addition, the minimum dot spacing of 0.05 mm and an accuracy of up to 0.04 make it suitable for reverse engineering and geometric measurements.
Thus, it is a powerful scanner for applications such as automotive, shipbuilding, mechanical engineering, mining and scientific research.
A team was looking for a device that could help them create 3D models of complex surfaces for the reengineering of their mining equipment. So they compared 3D scanners and CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) devices and found 3D scanners to be the most efficient, reliable and cost effective companion.
