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About Fred V Fowler
Catalogue Pages
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Machine
Manufacturer Puts Fowler Tools
&
Technology to the Test
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| Hydromat
uses Fowler Metrology Equipment for Hi-Volume Production Machines
and Specifies it for its Suppliers... |
| St. Louis, MO
- For both its large and smaller rotary transfer machines, Hydromat,
Inc. relies on high precision measuring equipment from Fowler
not only to manufacture these versatile machines but also to
supply metrology systems to its extensive group of customers
across the country that allows them to make their own quality
checks. |
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In its own production
of transfer machines Hydromat uses the Fowler
Trimos height gages primarily to verify its own process
consistency. “This instrument is unique,” says Quality Systems
Manager Dan Ammons, “because of its point-to-point height
verification capability, its ability to self-calibrate, and
to fix center lines of diametrical locations. Because less
calculating is involved, we save a lot of time when you compare
the results with the standard height gages we used to employ.
He also commented
on the device's 2-axis, X/Y capability, and the ability to
check both squareness and perpendicularly as well as depth.
Heart of the unit is a Sylvac non-contact capacitative measuring
system. “Another advantage for us,” he continues, “is to be
able to use the height gage as a presetter for tooling.”
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Hydromat has become
increasingly concerned with overall quality, Ammons says,
and has taken great pains to install a company-wide calibration
system for all measuring and test equipment used to verify
machine components and output throughout its various processes.
Just now, certification
is underway to the QS/TE 9000 supplement, which the company
expects quite soon. It will make Hydromat the first US machine
tool supplier so registered, Ammons claims. “This should greatly
enhance our industry reputation,” he adds, “beyond the ISO
9001 registration we achieved two years ago.”
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Fowler/Trimos Vertical 3
height gage is used by Hydromat primarily to verify its own
components' process consistency. |
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Extremely useful
for parts with as many as 20 holes have been the Fowler/Bowers
HoleMatic pistol grip bore
gage and the Sylvac electronics installed in fixtures for
checking inner and outer diameters, respectively, the latter
particularly for checking runouts and concentricity's, Ammons
added.
As a supplier of rotary transfer machines to companies such
as Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, and many production
houses across the country, Hydromat relies strongly on the
reliability and maintainability of its equipment and has new
plans to protect its position as a quality leader.
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ami
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Improved accuracy of machining