Changes in the field of metrology have changed the way things are done all over the world. Nicolas Tanala, International Business Development Manager for New River Kinematics (NRK), shared some reflections on the changing market.

In Europe, there’s a huge interest in understanding and adopting portable metrology because it’s not easy to verify quality without it. Larger pieces can’t be taken to a stationary metrology device, so portability is a critical feature. “Portable metrology is used more often to replace bulky jigs and also more integrated into manufacturing to save time and money. This is what we call ‘Metrology Guided Fabrication,’” said Tanala.

SpatialAnalyzer, the industry-leading software for portable metrology in the USA, is extremely efficient in helping manage part assembly for clients all over the world. For example, Airbus, the European aeronautics leader, uses SA in their manufacturing process. Any change that Airbus makes causes ripples as they change their assembly process to be more decentralized.

Change is a constant as manufacturing sectors see the value in improving their technology. That includes changes in materials as well. The A350 aircraft has a significant increase in the amount of composite material used. “Therefore, the entire way Airbus manufactures has also changed – that includes processes, tolerances, and material behavior. Due to SA’s measurement plan, it’s particularly adapted to this automation, especially because of its ability to handle multiple portable instruments,” Tanala said.

As even more changes happen in the industry, the ripple effect continues. The increased use of composite materials has brought new material suppliers into the fold of portable metrology by raising the bar for precision and compatibility
with other components being shipped in from all parts of the world.

Besides aerospace, portable metrology is invigorating other industries by adding precision to their large-scale projects. Even the scientific community is adopting portable methods for particle accelerators, space shuttles and groundbased satellite dishes. Accelerator rings, a highly specialized enterprise, are a growing field for portable metrology. Tanala said because of the massive scale and highly sensitive experiments conducted on site, the need for accuracy and certainty is paramount. “When the client measures on this scale, there are a huge number of instrument stations. SA contains the USMN module, which allows the user to assess the whole network uncertainty and therefore to get the very best measurement accuracy in such a complex configuration,” he said.

China, India and other emerging markets have more basic immediate needs—their priority is transportation, in order to continue growth. And the current direction is to create jobs and products by nationalizing the manufacturing of cars, trains and construction equipment.

“Emerging markets are starting to widely use portable metrology for large scale measurement. SA can help them to set up the best practices and avoid wasting money in heavy and expensive jigs. The priority, for any business, but particularly for emerging markets, is to make things simple, quick and accurate,” Tanala said.

Rick Cole, NRK Sales Director, added his perspective to the growth in emerging
international markets.

“Basically, anything that needs speed can benefit from more precision in the manufacturing process,” Cole said. “Originally, the United States and Europe shipped products to emerging markets. But now, they can create those products on their own soil, but they still need technology to make that happen,” Cole said. As a result, these emerging markets are becoming a huge consumer of metrology now.