GF AgieCharmilles Partners with Alicona; Worldwide Collaboration Allows Customers to Master Full Process Chain
GF AgieCharmilles, a leading supplier of high precision machines and automation services, and Alicona, an expert in high resolution optical 3D measurement, have established a worldwide collaboration. With Alicona's optical 3D measurement system InfiniteFocus, GF AgieCharmilles is now able to offer a solution that allows their customers to master a full process chain.
The partnership was founded in GF AgieCharmilles’ business field 3D laser texturing and will be continued in all technology areas of the Swiss machining and automation supplier. This includes EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining), HSM (High Speed Milling) as well as HPM (High Performance Milling).
Jean-Paul Nicolet, Head of Marketing and Sales Support for New Technologies & Automation at GF AC, explains how the partnership originated: “We were looking for a solution to scan and digitalize natural texture, for example leather or silk. This texture should then be reproduced on a mold. With InfiniteFocus, we managed to measure the natural material and design a digitalized 3D model of the real pattern. This re-created surface texture was then successfully applied to a mold.”
The ability to offer not only high precision machines for laser texturing, but also to provide a solution to create a 3D model of the “real” surface texture is a valid benefit for GF AgieCharmilles. “With InfiniteFocus, we are now able to offer our customers solutions to master the entire process chain, from the natural texture up to the final part. Unlike our competitors we also have the expertise to digitalize required surfaces, following by offering high precision laser engraving machines”, the sales expert continues.
Alicona´s InfiniteFocus is a high resolution optical 3D measurement system to measure surface roughness in combination with its form. Users achieve a vertical resolution of up to 10nm also across large measurement fields and volumes. The system can be applied to any solid material as soon as there is a surface roughness of only a few nanometers. Based on the technology of Focus-Variation, InfiniteFocus is worldwide commonly used for quality assurance in e.g. tool and mold making as well as micro precision manufacturing. The robust technology enables stable measurements in both research and production.
These various measurement possibilities open a number of additional applications in all business fields of GF AC including EDM and Milling Technologies. Consequently, Alicona is regarded as the “worldwide partner in all 3D surface measurement issues” in the framework of the world application network. This is valid for both research and development activities and global sales operations in all application and technology centers.
InfiniteFocus in GF AC EDM and Milling Technologies
GF AgieCharmilles has complemented existing measurement equipment with the high resolution optical system by Alicona as it moves continuously into micro and eventually nano applications. “And it is almost impossible to go to this level without InfiniteFocus when operating in these dimensions”, states Jean-Paul Nicolet. For GF AC the system is a valuable tool as it delivers high resolution form and roughness measurements even at complex forms including steep flanks and varying reflection properties.
This opens up new possibilities in tool optimization and makes research and development processes more efficient. “For our customers, I am convinced that at the moment there is no better instrument available. It offers the opportunity to verify the micro-geometry of their machined parts and components, which shows in return our competences in manufacturing high precision machines”, states GF AC. Nicolet: ”Another benefit that is offered by the system is the possibility to verify form deviations. It is a real interest to understand the deviation between two sets of data and further to take measures to increase process reliability for process optimization. This in combination with other measurement possibilities from Alicona is opening up other opportunities with EDM and Milling Technologies for 3D surface and micro shape measurement.”
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