Over the last decade, CNF Precision Engineering has experienced a period of remarkable growth. The business has expanded its workforce, invested in state-of-the-art machinery and strengthened its position as a trusted supplier of high-precision components.
From simple two-axis turning through to full simultaneous five-axis machining, CNF manufactures complex parts for some of the most demanding industries in the world from its facility in Aylesbury, including defence, aerospace and medical. Every component must meet the highest standards, making inspection a critical part of the business.
Already benefitting from the use of a VICIVISION PRIMA optical measurement machine for turned parts, CNF made the decision to further enhance its inspection capability by introducing the Metrios Cross from Metrios UK.
Managing Director Neil Fearnley, said: “We’ve always gone for the best machines we can buy on the shopfloor. So why would we not do the same with inspection? Inspection is a critical part of the business.”
Project Brief:
As the business grew, so too did the pressure on its inspection processes. Traditional methods such as handheld gauges, shadowgraphs and manual CMM inspection were time-consuming and, in some cases, not accurate enough for the tiny, complex parts CNF was producing.
Tharshan Pancharatnam, Quality Manager, said: “We were struggling a lot with especially small parts that you can’t measure on a CMM because they’re too small.
“We had to use handheld gauges or the shadowgraph, but with the shadowgraph you can move the X and Y, so it wasn’t always accurate. We wanted something more reliable so we knew for sure the data was correct.”
At the same time, CNF’s customers were asking for more. Many required 100% inspection and full reports for every part delivered. Meeting those expectations with existing technology was becoming increasingly difficult.
Neil said: “We have many customers that we have to do a 100% inspection on 100% of the parts. We have to create a report for every part. The Metrios has been a game changer for that.”
The Solution:
When it came to finding the right solution, CNF looked at several systems, including Keyence. What stood out about the Metrios Cross was its ease of use, intuitive design and speed of measurement.
Neil said: “When we first started looking at machines we had a few demonstrations. Our general feeling was the Metrios was much more user friendly.
“My initial demo was at MACH Exhibition in Birmingham, and then [the Metrios] team came to our factory to show all the staff. Most of them were blown away by the ease of use and the speed of getting dimensions out of the part.”
The touchscreen interface quickly won over Tharshan too.
“I think Metrios is one of the most user-friendly machines I’ve ever used,” he said.
“The touchscreen capability is amazing; it’s just like using your phone. Everyone nowadays knows how to use a phone, so it’s that easy.”
It wasn’t just ease of use that made the difference. The Metrios Cross brought with it the ability to measure multiple parts in one cycle, transforming throughput.
“We check a lot of multiple parts, especially bolts and screws. We lay 10 or 20 parts in one hit. Within an hour I can check a thousand parts easily and make sure everything is good for the customer,” said Tharshan.
The Benefits:
Since integrating the Metrios Cross into its processes, CNF has seen major improvements in both speed and consistency. Parts that once took an hour to measure manually can now be inspected in seconds, and shopfloor staff are able to carry out checks with minimal training.
Neil said: “It was all about ease of use for us, because we knew the inspector himself wouldn’t always have the time to use it. We needed people on the shopfloor to be able to use the machine as well.
“In some cases, the machine even finds the program for us and gives us a fully comprehensive report. It’s saving us a lot of time.”
For Tharshan, the biggest benefit has been the ability to guarantee repeatability across every job.
He said: “Repeatability is one of the key factors in our workplace. We want to make sure the first part and the 500th part are the same quality.
“The Metrios makes that possible and with the automated reporting, we can attach traceable PDFs to our job docs and still access them five years later.”
By combining the Metrios with their VICIVISION PRIMA, CNF now has the flexibility to measure both turned parts and more complex components, meeting customer requirements with confidence and efficiency.
Why Metrios UK?
For CNF, the technology was only one part of the story. The service and support provided by Metrios UK and VICIVISION UK, both part of the Carfulan Group, has been equally important.
Tharshan said: “The service and support has been amazing. With the VICIVISION and Metrios it’s instant help. Much better than most.”
Looking back on the decision to invest, Neil sees it as a natural part of CNF’s commitment to quality.
“I would definitely recommend Metrios and VICIVISION machines to any other engineering company,” he said.
“They give you speed, accuracy and the ability to provide customers with comprehensive reports and confidence in what you’re making. For us, it’s been a game changer.”