Member Article

Blum-Novotest invests £150,000 in launch of new LC-Vision software

High value manufacturers will be given a machining boost after Blum-Novotest announced the launch of LC-Vision.

The company, which is one of the global leaders in production metrology, has invested over £150,000 into bringing groundbreaking new software to market that will help firms get the most out of the LC50 DIGILOG laser measurement system.

Experts from the East Staffordshire-based business will be rolling out the innovation that visualises measurement results covering 3D ToolControl, SpindleControl and GrindControl.

This means users from automotive, aerospace, medical and renewables will know sooner about wears and defects on the tool cutting edges, visualisation of spindle wear to improve preventative maintenance and detailed representation of issues with the grinding wheel.

David Mold, Managing Director at Blum-Novotest, commented: “We launched the LC50 in 2018, the next generation of the laser and the latest addition to the hugely successful DIGILOG family.

“After listening to our customers, we are delighted to introduce LC-Vision, which will give machining firms the ability identify wear and defects in the cutting tools and grinding wheels quicker – they can then compensate for them whilst still in the machine.

“By utilising a ‘Best Fit’ feature, tools can be modified so parts are machined much more accurately than before so every component coming off should be good. Scrapping or re-working should be a thing of the past with this software.”

The plan will be to include the LC-Vision software on machines fitted with Blum-Novotest’s DIGILOG LC50 laser measurement system free of charge.

Every application will be shown on the software, but only those purchased will be active, with customers able to purchase additional features as part of a licensing agreement. The company’s expert engineers will be available to deliver full training so the client can get the most out of the software.

Future development will eventually cover the rest of the DIGILOG range, including probe, roughness gauge probe and the bore gauge system.

David went on to add: “LC50 evaluates the analogue signal rather than the digital one, meaning we can take thousands of measuring values of all cutting tool edges per second, resulting in highly dynamic measurement of tool parameters. In essence, this technology is 60% quicker than conventional in-machine measuring.”

He went on to add: “Interest has been huge and we have retrofitted the technology on to a lot of machines. LC-Vision is a natural evolution of the solution and will give the customer even greater control.”

About Blum-Novotest

Blum-Novotest, which has 95% of the global machine tool market for laser measurement technology, employs 534 people and boasts sales of over £77m across its 16 subsidiaries.

Its UK operation was founded in 2000 by David and originally started life in a small office in Lichfield. As the firm’s reputation grew in aerospace and automotive, sales started to increase rapidly and a move to bespoke offices and a state-of-the-art demonstration room in Burton-upon-Trent followed in 2015.

Today, the company delivers its solutions to some of the world’s largest aerospace primes, car manufacturers and a host of CNC machine tool suppliers, including the Engineering Technology Group, Whitehouse Machine Tools, Mills CNC and Yeovil Machine Tools.

For further information, please visit www.blum-novotest.com or follow @Blumnovotestuk on twitter.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .