The manufacturing sector in North America is only going to get more competitive. Everyone from small shops to multi-national manufacturers are worried about the fate of NAFTA renegotiations as representatives from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico run into political impasses, threatening supply chains across the continent. Meanwhile, the manufacturing sector is in a “slow growth” phase, with an output increase of only 3.4 percent in 2017, where businesses can make marginal gains in new customers, but any major improvements in their bottom line will come from finding new efficiencies. None of that has changed major technological investments in other parts of the world, as Japanese and German manufacturers continue to invest in automated manufacturing and data-driven systems.
Despite the uncertainty, there is one thing manufacturers can predict: increased efficiency and higher quality is the only path to success in today’s manufacturing sector. One of the simplest places for many shops to start is by investing in, or upgrading, their coordinate measuring machines. This kind of metrology equipment is widely used in automotive and aerospace industries, and it continues to grow in a variety of verticals. Asia Pacific countries like Japan, China, South Korea, India, and Thailand are some of the biggest purchasers of coordinate measuring machines right now, and the leading vendors include Hexagon Metrology, Mitutoyo, Zeiss, and others.
If you’re worried that you’re not able to keep up with your customers’ demands for quality and precision, it’s time to upgrade your metrology equipment with a new coordinate measuring machine. They offer a range of advantages that are getting harder for modern manufacturers to ignore.
#1 Coordinate Measuring Machines Save Time and Money
Metrology dealer Canadian Measurement Metrology (CMM) says that the leading reason their clients invest in a coordinate measuring machine is to save time and money making more refined precision measurements. Client expectations are on the rise and many won’t even consider awarding contracts to shops without coordinate measuring machines. Taking parts to a dimensional lab is an expensive process that adds hours and dollars to the manufacturing process. New software, laser scanners, and other new technology have also made automatic measuring an option that enables shops to measure more components in less time.
#2 Save Floor Space with a CMM
Floor space in any shop is a precious commodity, especially if you’re in the business of making large components. Portable coordinate measuring machines like portable arms and laser scanners help you economize space and quickly and reliably measure large components.
#3 Flexibility and Reliability
The days when coordinate measuring machines could only be used in an air-controlled lab are over, now that a wide range of portable and shop-floor ready coordinate machines can be deployed on the floor and in cell manufacturing. They offer unparalleled reliability on the shop floor and they’re flexible enough to meet your goals.
If you need a source for new and used CMM machines, visit an independent metrology retailer that can also take care of your training, software, contracting, repair, and retrofitting needs. Coordinate measuring machines aren’t complicated when you have the right support backing you up. Talk to an expert today about investments that will improve efficiency and make your company more competitive.
