Hexagon Metrology Inc. is supplying a Leitz PMM-G “ultra-accurate” coordinate measuring machine to Milwaukee Machine Works, a producer of precision-machined components for wind-energy systems ranging in size from 1,000 mm to 2 meters. Milwaukee also supplies major off-highway and agricultural manufacturers with 500-1.600-mm components in significant volumes, and with exceptionally tight tolerances.
Hexagon develops high-precision measurement and inspection devices it supplies under numerous brands, including Brown & Sharpe, Cognitens, Leica Geosystems, ROMER, Sheffield, PC-DMIS, DEA, Leitz, and TESA. It has an installed base of more than 1.5 million handheld, stationary, and portable measurement devices, and over 35,000 seats of PC-DMIS metrology software.
The Leitz measuring machine has a “supersized” measuring capacity of 3 m wide × 4 m long × 2.5 m high, and customized for the large-scale machined components that are Milwaukee Machine Works’ specialty. The PMM-G is a gantry configuration machine that allows large-scale parts up to 30,000 pounds to be moved easily inside, for precision measurement. It also boasts the highest accuracy specifications for its size, enabling ultra precision measurements to be made for case, cover and housing parts for the wind, off-highway and mining segments.
The new Leitz PMM-G is set to come on line at Milwaukee Machine Works during the second quarter of this year.
“This new machine is a huge enhancement to our capabilities,” according to Milwaukee Machine Works general manager Mike Manna. “We are known for tackling the toughest, highest precision, turning and machining jobs in the business—jobs that other shops just don’t have the capability or expertise to handle. Now we will have a measuring machine with the size, capacity and accuracy to handle the very largest parts we are capable of making—single parts that are the size of small cars.”
Milwaukee Machine Works is pursuing ISO/IEC 17025 certification and plans to use the new CMM to offer contract inspection services to other manufacturers in the area. “Not everyone can have a machine with this capability, so when we’ve got available machine time, we’re also going to offer high accuracy inspection services to the local manufacturing community,” according to Manna.
“Milwaukee Machine Works has always been a good customer of Hexagon Metrology, and represents the best of what American manufacturing is capable of,” stated Hexagon Metrology vice president Jack Rosignal. “We are pleased that the first PMM-G Coordinate Measuring Machine to be installed in America is going to a company like Milwaukee Machine Works, that has the commitment to precision manufacturing and the highest quality standards.”
