To sum it up in one word: money.
A typical 3-axis machine has roughly 21 geometric errors. Thats at least 21 possible reasons the part you're machining is losing quality.
Accurate geometry of a machine tool is ensured by measuring straightness and squareness. Measuring straightness or parallelism will show where there is a misalignment or bend in the machine guides, either due to wear and tear, an accident, or a poor or sinking foundation. If a machine is not sitting flat on its base, it may shake and vibrate, causing distress to the machine frame and axes. Measuring squareness or perpendicularity will ensure your axes are all in the correct location and able to form a perfect 90ª angle.
Inspection grade granite squares and indicators can be used to measure the parallelism and perpendicularity of your machine relative to its motion. This should always be done after a machine has been repaired or during recalibration as a part of your regular preventative maintenance program.
If you have more questions on how to measure your machine's geometry, or would like our technicians to teach you during a preventative maintenance visit, please fill out our Contact Us form here.
Some machine tool builders know that precision machining requires exceptional XY positioning accuracy and good thermal stability, but also the basic geometric accuracies like straightness, squareness, and flatness. Kitamura Machinery sets an industry standard on all machines, and are committed to achieving exceptional precision through their meticulous hand scraping techniques. By employing some of the world's most experiences machine tool technicians, Kitamura ensures that all critical machine contact surfaces are hand scraped, resulting in perfect fit and optimal performance.
The process of hand scraping can take anywhere from weeks to months for machine assembly depending on the size of the machine.