Hexagon helps PFS perform fast, accurate large-scale measurements in minutes, not months
By Doug Honig, Product Marketing Manager, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division
Accelerated precision with advanced technology
Engineering Reality 2024 volume 1
Accelerate Smart Manufacturing
Driving industries forward: The legacy and Innovation of Primary Flow Signal, Inc.
Primary Flow Signal, Inc. (PFS) is a full-service engineering expert and manufacturer of the world’s most reliable flow measurement products, along with a broad range of manufacturing capabilities serving contract fabrication and machining needs for a vast array of industry sectors. PFS has more than 35 years of providing solutions and services to industries that include industrial, municipal, cryogenic, oil & gas, automotive, and U.S. defense. PFS employs more than 150 people, including its in-house engineering design and fabrication teams, at the company’s 70,000 sq ft manufacturing site in Cranston, Rhode Island. PFS has additional locations in Texas, South Carolina, and Canada.
Challenge
Before working with Hexagon, PFS’s measurement capabilities were limited due to its inability to perform detailed large-scale measurements. “We had table CMM capabilities in place that allowed us to measure standard sizes — anywhere from an eighth of an inch up to maybe 20 inches — anything that could fit on a standard CMM table,” explained Fred Hannon, lead quality inspector at PFS. “But when we had the opportunity to take on some military contracts with larger articles — items up to 24 inches in diameter and 300+ inches in length — we didn’t have the means in-house to accurately and consistently measure tight tolerances over distances that great.”
PFS started researching large-scale measurement options and hit a roadblock. “A lot of the systems we looked at provided the level of accuracy we needed but were extremely and prohibitively expensive. Without guaranteed long-term, large-scale measurement work on the horizon, that investment wasn’t something we could commit to. We continued searching for a large-scale measurement solution that was both accurate and within the budget allocated for our present needs,” Hannon said.
Figure 1. Primary Flow Signal’s high-volume manufacturing facility uses Inspire metrology software with a portable measuring arm meticulously performing inspection checks, embodying precision and efficiency in action.
Solution
Hannon and his team continued vetting potential solutions, ultimately partnering with Hexagon. “We did a demo, and Hexagon seemed like a great fit. We appreciated so many things about the company and its products. The demo went above and beyond other demos in showcasing the features of Hexagon’s Absolute Arm and Inspire inspection software, helping us understand their versatility,” Hannon shared.
He continued, “The arm’s sealed IP54 rating was also a big plus — we work in a dirty environment, so having equipment that can stand up to real-world use was key. And Hexagon equipment’s portability made sense for our business; the ability to mount the arm to tables or machines and inspect in real-time without any interruptions to the machinist helped boost efficiency and streamline workflow.”
PFS also appreciated Hexagon’s responsiveness. “PFS’s owner is very big on supporting domestic manufacturing in the US, especially here in Rhode Island. Hexagon is right down the road from us, which means we receive unparalleled service — if an issue arises, Hexagon’s service is lightning-fast.”
Hexagon helped ensure success by helping Hannon and his team get up and running quickly. “We needed the portable arm quickly, and Hexagon worked with us to give us a great deal, immediately providing us with a rental unit that we could use until we received our unit. And the training was great! I’m familiar with multiple CNCs and CMMs that run different software — they’re all similar but have unique things that set them apart. Inspire is super user-friendly. After a brief training to get familiar with Inspire’s unique features and learn shortcuts to use the software to its full ability, I was able to use the arm within the same week,” said Hannon.
He continued, “Inspire allows me to “go back” to a project — for example, I may have a large project that takes an entire day to measure. With Inspire, I can save the data and have the ability to return to that information and reassess the data or show a customer how something was created, so it’s very useful.”
With the Absolute Arm and Inspire in place, PFS can quickly and accurately measure anything. “The arm is so mobile — it isn’t a time-consuming or cumbersome process to move it from point A to point B. And the machine’s downtime is completely minimal. If I have something that needs to be measured, it takes me 15 minutes max to set the machine up and then break it down,” he shared.
The Absolute Arm and Inspire mean that PFS is able to work on all of the common equipment one expects to see in a full-service manufacturing facility, as well as large pieces of equipment that benefit greatly from the ability to directly inspect while rigged and fixed onto the machine. For example, PFS can now measure a vertical bridge mill with an envelope of 10ft x 20ft x 3.3ft with no disruption. Additionally, PFS has measured a 340” engine mill, a 96” vertical boring mill, and other equipment and related parts, realizing the benefits of in-process digital inspections, which were previously impossible.
Results
PFS and its customers have been delighted with the results that Hexagon’s equipment and software have been able to deliver. With the Absolute Arm and Inspire in place, PFS has been able to measure large-scale articles quickly and accurately.
“We used to have to outsource large article inspections, which meant we had to work with another provider’s schedule — and that meant we may have to wait weeks or even months to get a piece measured. Using Hexagon’s Absolute Arm and Inspire, we can perform measurements in-house within minutes,” said Hannon.
PFS’s ability to perform accurate, large-scale measurements in-house has enabled the company to expand its business offerings. “Clients have brought us products they have manufactured elsewhere because they can’t measure something of such a large nature. Our ability to measure large-scale objects has opened up a new revenue stream for us, and it benefits the customer because we can do it quickly and accurately, and they don’t have to outsource the piece — we can come to them,” he shared.
Hexagon’s upgradability enables PFS to grow its measurement capabilities as the company’s needs and offerings evolve. Hexagon’s Inspire is a modern portable metrology software designed to be both fully capable and easy to use for probing and scanning applications. Inspire offers everything needed in one package, including interfaces to all supported devices and native CAD imports. No further options or add-ons are required.
“Inspire has helped us improve in other areas of our business. While we bought the software mainly for specific projects of a larger nature, it’s been a huge boost in other areas. Being able to bring the Arm and Inspire software off site has allowed us to verify articles in the field, reducing shipping downtime and allowing us to verify critical measurements in front of the customer,” he said. With Hexagon solutions, PFS doesn’t have to choose between measurement accuracy and speed; it can achieve both. “We’ve had absolutely no issues as far as deviations or discrepancies between the measurements we’re providing and the customers’ measurements. And Hexagon Inspire’s ability to retain measurement data means that I can measure a piece once, then go back a month later and check another distance or recheck a particular feature in another way. I can interact with the data after the fact, which is really helpful,” Hannon concluded.