Trends in measurement

Abstract

In the engineering industries today there is a shortage of skilled labour and at the same time high unemployment. Looking towards the next decade, is the answer to this problem to reduce or eliminate the traditional skilled activities and substitute the machine and computer for the man? The trend in production has been to introduce extremely sophisticated machine tools: up to a few years ago however inspection personnel had to rely on conventional equipment, some hand adjusted, such as micrometers and verniers. This equipment was invented in the middle of the last century when the developed countries were emerging from the days of the stage coach and product interchangeability was a mere dream. Since about 1945 there has been a steady development in the consumer requirement for quality and reliability. This demand can be achieved by producing components at or close to the design optimum, thus reducing the tolerancing of component parts. Conventional measuring equipment, which has considerable measurement uncertainty, is not capable of consistent control of close toleranced parts. The introduction of the new range of machine tools transfer lines, NC and CNC has imposed a further burden on the inspection groups. Extremely complex components can be produced on machining centres faster than the inspection floorto-floor time. The machine tool's prime function is to add value to a component, in the minimum time, at the requisite quality and at maximum utilisation. Therefore for the 1980's there will be requirement for: • Countering the shortage of skilled labour • Improving the measurement standards • Rapid assessment of the products from the machine tools Increasingly, production engineers will have to accept the responsibilities for not only the most efficient methods of