Miles Platts, leading designer and manufacturer of precision technical mouldings, currently produce over 8 million units per month. They specialise in the provision of high precision, tight tolerance mouldings in engineering polymers often with zero or minimum draft.
They have particular expertise in coil bobbins & electrical insulation solutions for a variety of industries – each with unique measurement requirements. Therefore, to increase efficiency, volume of output and meet the highest level of quality assurance, they required an innovative automated solution. The AVR300 CNC Vision System from Starrett, provides the accuracy, reliability and versatility to meet these demands and Miles Platts’ ambitious plans for growth.
“The AVR300 is transformative – optimising processes and cutting down inspection cycle-times.”– Quality Manager, Jonathan Fraser
The AVR300 stood out to Miles Platts due to its versatility, an essential feature for a manufacturer meeting the differing requirements of numerous sectors. Quality Manager, Jonathan Fraser explained that for Automotive projects, the AVR300 is essential not only for Initial Sample Inspector reports but throughout the Production Part Approval Process. Black, white and clear plastics mouldings can be very challenging to inspect and measure optically. The precision lens and advanced lighting options create high contrast on surface, edge and blind hole features. Miles Platts were impressed by the accuracy of the Starrett Vision range, with capability to measure optical height and depth down to a few microns.
Miles Platts’ capability studies alone demand numerous precise measurements of 50 + parts – so the repeatability and speed of the AVR300 presents a clear return on investment. Facilitated by the powerful 3D measuring software, Jonathan explained it’s transformative impact: “This powerful feature allows me to preprogram the automated measurement of specific parts, giving capability for measurements by shop floor staff without need for training”. Furthermore, with Optimax’s UKAS accredited Service and Calibration support, he is confident that the AVR300 will continue to optimise the full supply chain process without over-burdening the Quality Control department. The UKAS accredited calibration ensures accuracy by providing a true understanding of the measurement uncertainty. This global standard is accepted across industry sectors and export markets.
“The AVR300 is everything we needed in one machine. It’s invaluable for ensuring part conformance to meet sector requirements.” – Quality Manager, Jonathan Fraser
Precise visual inspection is facilitated by the huge range of magnification, 12:1 zoom optics are standard, together with the clarity of the LED segmented, height adjustable ring light. The optional touch probe is used predominantly for accurate measurement of 3D features, including planes, cylinders and cones. The probe is fully integrated, automated, compatible with the optical coordinate system, and can facilitate measurement outside the optical sensor “line of sight”. Taking full advantage of the versatility of the probe, Miles Platts also measure gauge diameter halfway down a core hole. The AVR300 therefore provides an essential solution to Miles Platts’ diverse range of measurement requirements in one intuitive machine.
Looking to optimise your own measuring and inspection processes? Give Optimax a call at 01858 436940 – for a no obligation consultative discussion, or pop into our Midlands showroom.
