Vision Precision Engineering, based in Langley Mill, Nottingham, is a precision engineering specialist working from a 3,500 sq ft facility, supplying parts to the defence, aerospace and medical sectors. Over 15 years of trading, they have built a reputation that spans everything from one off prototype work to safety critical, tier one aerospace components.
Vision Precision Engineering invested in an OGP CNC 300 multi-sensor metrology machine. This has allowed them to combine optical, touch probe and disk probe inspection in a single automated process, cutting inspection times significantly while eliminating human error from critical measurements.
Project Brief:
Over 15 years, Vision Precision Engineering has continually invested in new technology and process efficiencies to stay ahead of the competition. Prior to the CNC 300, the business relied on traditional inspection methods that left real margin for error on safety critical parts.
Ian Gibson, Owner of Vision Precision Engineering, explained:
“Prior to getting the CNC 300, I wasn’t aware of the multisensor technology, I’ve seen conventional CMMs. Back using traditional methods, your bore tight gauges etc., you have got that element of error. You’ve got to set your ring gauge, your ball mic, you’ve got to set your drops and everything, your height gauge. Just a lot of margin for error, especially on these critical parts.”
Mason Moore, Precision Engineer at Vision Precision Engineering, added:
“We say its like fudging it almost, because with a vernier everyone knows. Oh, it’s only one out, you can squeeze a vernier to get it to read what you want to read. If you’re not perfectly square, it can be bigger, smaller, whereas with the OGP there’s no question of that. It’s added complete transparency and traceability to everything that we do.”
Ian explained that customer expectations have risen sharply, with clients now expecting next day delivery, full inspection reports, and confidence that the equipment used to measure their parts is itself accredited.
“The CNC 300 allows us to fulfil those demands for our customers. Literally, without that machine we wouldn’t be making the parts we’re making today.”
The Solution:
Vision Precision Engineering invested in an OGP CNC 300 multi-sensor metrology machine to guarantee accurate, reliable and fully traceable inspection across an increasingly varied parts portfolio.
The CNC 300 is a high capacity benchtop multi-sensor measurement system, combining optics, lasers and probing in one machine and switching between sensors instantly to handle parts that traditional CMMs and manual gauging cannot reach.
Mason explained how this flexibility has changed day to day inspection:
“We do a certain set of parts that have to be checked with the OGP. They have tied up Y positions, tied up angles that you physically can’t check any other way. We used to outsource the setup to another company. It would take us three days. The first time we did a production run having this in house, it took us six hours, as opposed to three full days.”
He also highlighted how the machine handles tricky materials:
“You can have parts that could be a plate or a diameter, really easy to pick up a lot of surfaces, and suddenly it’s got an undercut or it’s got a feature where certain materials, like PEEK plastic, the light does not like to play with, just because of how it reflects. Being able to quickly switch to your touch probe or your disc probe and pick up everything again makes it so much easier. There’s no walking over to another machine to check this. You can sit in the same chair, press two buttons, and suddenly everything else that wasn’t available is now there.”
The Benefits:
Investing in the OGP CNC 300 has transformed Vision Precision Engineering’s inspection process, delivering speed, consistency and full traceability across both simple and highly complex components.
Ian explained the impact on inspection times:
“Speeding up the inspection process is a game changer. Some of our parts were ten, fifteen minutes of hand inspection. One particular part, a sensor housing, it took down to a minute. So over 500 to 1000 parts, the savings soon add up.”
He also pointed to direct cost savings:
“There’s one job which we had, I think it was 5,000 parts. The inspection on that alone, manually, with this we saved like £3,000, rather than everyone having a hand in the inspection. Our quality inspector puts it on the OGP. One man, one automated process. Press go, inspect, it gives you the printout.”
Mason gave a similar comparison on a different run:
“Over a thousand parts, checking every ten, a full manual inspection with micrometers, plug gauges, vernier, took us about 12 minutes a part, whereas it takes a minute and fifteen seconds on the OGP, twice as precise.”
Both spoke to how the machine has future proofed the business:
“With our plan of future proofing the business, everyone’s got staffing issues. We don’t want to tie up an operator on inspection all the time. This takes us to the next level. Everything’s backed up on computers, it’s an automated system. It’s made our life a lot easier,” said Ian.
“If the OGP was to leave today, it’d leave us in a pretty poor situation,” said Mason. “We use it to its full capability, even down to just a simple bore. Is it round? It can check circularity, roundness, concentricity. Things you could check yourself, but not to the same level.”
The relationship has grown beyond a single purchase, with Vision Precision Engineering now supplying parts back into OGP UK’s parent company, the Carfulan Group.
“Our relationship with OGP and Carfulan Group is growing from strength to strength. They’re trusting in what we do. We’re now producing parts for them.”
“If you’re a business looking to improve your inspection, a very good idea would be to contact someone at OGP,” Mason added. “The machines are brilliant, but the aftercare is unrivalled. There’s no question, they’ll come out whenever, however often you need. They’re unbelievably helpful.”
Ian summed up the experience:
“I’d definitely recommend OGP and the Carfulan Group, from point of sale, through to ordering the machine, delivery, training. It all went seamlessly. I can’t recommend them enough.”
Why OGP UK?
OGP UK provides the best-in-class multi-sensor measurement systems, combining optics, lasers, rotaries and probes for unrivalled performance in the quality control of manufactured parts and components.
OGP UK is part of the Carfulan Group who specialise in providing the most advanced manufacturing technologies available, helping customers across their five divisions to achieve optimal performance and end-product excellence.