250153 Contract for the supply, delivery, and installation of a high accuracy, high performance, multifunctional, large volume co-ordinate measuring machine for the automated inspection of large volume, high value manufactured components

Queen’s University of Belfast want to procure a high accuracy, high performance, multifunctional, large volume co-ordinate measurement machine for the automated inspection of large volume, high value, manufactured components for local aerospace, civil, maritime and green technology industries. The co-ordinate measuring machine will be used as an all-purpose flexible CMM for the dimensional inspection of large components for general industry. Typical products expected to be inspected are tooling and fixturing, machined parts, composite structures and assemblies for the aerospace industry. It will need to have the capability of accessing deep features as well as scanning and measuring complex free form shapes. The machine will need to provide flexibility, high throughput, high accuracy, as well as high reliability with minimal maintenance. The machine will be installed in a dedicated climate-controlled metrology laboratory, but we require the machine to be equipped with temperature compensation system and protection from airborne contaminants. The machine will need to be equipped initially with an automatic indexing probe head and with tactile probing and tactile scanning capabilities. The machine connectivity, controls and software will need to be able to support the addition of other sensors in the future, such as laser scanners, non-contact sensors, optical sensors or surface roughness probes. It will need to have the ability to support the provision of automatic interchange of multiple sensors and styli. The machine will be utilised primarily for research purposes, resulting in lower hours run compared to a manufacturing environment.