CMM environment

[[Cl...]]

I may have asked this question before, but what is the potential damage
to be done to a Contura that is on the shop floor. This machine sits next
to a production cell with centerless grinders that expel an oil mist.

Does anyone else have a large Contura that is not in an environmentally
controlled room? I try and keep it a clean as possible, but the X ways are
exposed. I haven't had any problems, yet.

[[To...]]

http://bfy.tw/JdEn

[[Cl...]]

Oh, we have several quotes, but they (management) are not in hurry to write the check.
I have told them repeatedly over the past two years, it needs one. I'm worried about
long term damage from the oil mist.

[[To...]]

Write a check now, or write a bigger check later. Many of them.

[[Me...]]

I have only experiences with Prismo and Accuras when our air conditioning failed.

We couldn't keep the environmental requirements of the temperature. When the air conditioning broke down the temperature increased up to 30°C over a few hours. Then it varies with outside temperature. And when the air conditiong has been fixed, the temperature decreased down to 20°C in 3 hours.

The consequence was that the CMMs where deformed in Y-Direction. The CMMs where outside specification and we needed new calibration of the CAA-field (this is the calibration with the laser, I don't know the correct English word for that).

You can find this out, if you measure a gauge block (I am using 620mm or 1000mm length) in two different heights parallel to the Y-axis. If you have a high difference in the results between them, you are in trouble.

The abrasion of the air-bearings will increase. So you have to clean the guide rails every day/shift. Talk to the service guy during next maintenance, than you can have a look if it's worse or not. Maybe you have to shorten the servicing interval.

[[Ow...]]

Probably equal to buying a $250,000 Ferrari and parking it in a Walmart parking lot its entire life, should've bought a tank.

We had an LK air-bearing CMM on the shop floor for 10 years at a place I used to work. It was stationed away from most of the cutting machinery, cutting mostly aluminum and all of the machines were CNC's with with closed doors, a pretty clean environment most of the time. We did had a very stringent cleaning protocol, all open way's wiped clean 3 times per 8 hours shift.

It would help if the salesman who sold the equipment was responsible any warranty cost and it was taken out of their paycheck but, that's not how it works.

[[Cl...]]

Thanks for the input everyone. I spoke with my global quality manager
today about this. He told me that a P.O. has been cut for the room.

[[Ch...]]

Does anyone have any document from Zeiss that has a recommended cleaning shedule?

[[Ri...]]

Chad, the short answer is "more often then you think". The longer answer is "it depends". Is your machine sitting in a environment that is well controlled for temperature, humidity, and dust? If so, once a month with denatured alcohol and a lint free wipe on exposed bearing surfaces might be sufficient. If your machine is sitting out in the open, next to a grinder spewing dust and coolant, going over the machine and controller cabinet at the top of each and every hour would not be enough.

[[Ch...]]

Thanks Richard,

We keep our lab extremely clean and I keep my CMM's white glove clean. We just have document freaks here who want everything defined and documented.

[[Ri...]]

Chad, nothing wrong with that. If you need something written down on paper with a Zeiss letterhead then you could call the hotline and ask to speak with the Service department. Get their recommendations in writing and now you have a document you can reference in your procedures and work instructions.