The ATOS 5 for Airfoil expands the ATOS 5 series in the measuring area for small parts. This machine adds to the existing all-rounder ATOS 5, which performs a range of tasks in measuring areas from 170 to 1,000 mm in length, and the ATOS 5X, which is effective when used for large surfaces and parts due to its strong, focused light. The ATOS 5X demonstrates its applicability in sector’s such as automotive, where even entire car bodies can be digitised quickly.
Gas-turbine products operate in harsh environments exposed to large forces and the extremes of temperatures. In particular, the performance and demands on aerofoil components are critical. Characteristics like edge radii, edge thickness and throat area are monitored during production, maintenance and repair.
With the introduction of a 3D measuring machine for small parts with a size of 100 by 70 mm2 to 400 by 300 mm2, GOM closes the gap in the lower measuring area. At the same time, the ATOS 5 for Airfoil is particularly suited to the inspection of turbine components produced for the aerospace industry, like blades, blisks and air-conducting structures. The complex edges and surfaces on such parts have been a challenge during 3D digitisation, until now. The ATOS 5 for Airfoil sensor is also said to excel during the maintenance and repair of nozzle guide vanes. The costs associated with the MRO sector are large – replacing turbine blades can exceed €10,000. Using ATOS technology, partnered with techniques such as additive manufacture and adaptive machining, can lead to considerable savings.
Along with the introduction of ATOS 5 for Airfoil, GOM offers a corresponding software update. The 2019 releases of ATOS Professional and GOM Inspect Professional feature newly developed modules that, among other things, make it easier to analyse demanding edge geometries.
All ATOS 5 scanners offer high digitising speed. A scan in one measuring position takes only 0.2 seconds. A total of 120 images per second can be triggered. The sensor transmits the data via fibre optic cable, which means that a turbine blade is completely digitised in 3 minutes, and a complete blisk in about an hour. The resulting point cloud can directly be compared in the GOM software using a surface comparison with the CAD model, or data from previous measurements. Within a short time, an easily understandable overview of the dimensional accuracy of the just produced, maintained or repaired part is created. Due to their robust design with protected optics, encapsulated electronics and a self-monitoring sensor, the systems are also suitable for use in harsh industrial environments.
All sensors of the ATOS product range operate according to the triple-scan principle. The sensors project precise fringe patterns on to the surface of an object, which are recorded by two cameras. As the beam paths of the cameras and the projector are calibrated in advance, 3D surface points from three different ray intersections can be computed. The result, even with reflective surfaces and complex-shaped objects featuring complicated undercuts, is a mesh of complete measuring data without holes or fault points. Since the sensors work with narrow-band blue light, interfering ambient light can be filtered during image acquisition.
