Quality Increased – Measuring Time Shortened

Jamco Aerospace is a manufacturer of complex, structural components typically used in the aerospace industry. The company is a full-service machining and airframe sub-assembly facility. Some of their larger customers include Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems and the US government. In 2006 Jamco decided they needed more efficient quality inspection equipment Their existing CMM and manual gauges were no longer effective; they needed a new CMM with better measuring technology.

After an in-depth review, Jamco decided that a ZEISS CONTURA with scanning technology was the best fit for their inspections. The CONTURA is robust and the right size for their parts. The articulating probe is designed for measuring small features and lots of angles. The scanning technology allows them to get much more information in a shorter amount of time than with their previous CMM, a feature that brings down manufacturing costs by improving efficiency. Typical parts for Jamco are structural bulkheads or fittings used in aircraft which they measure for in-process and final inspection. The increased efficiency has resulted in more orders over the years although most of their parts require 100 percent inspection. As the number of parts and orders grew, the company knew it would need an additional CMM.

The ZEISS systems have helped Jamco gain more customers with their improved quality inspection accuracy and efficiency. Their previous touch-trigger CMM collected about 100 points in 2 to 3 hours while the ZEISS scanning CMM gathers about 1000 points in just 1 to 2 minutes. Jamco currently measures approximately 30 parts a day. For larger orders of about 40 parts, they like to use the AutoRun feature so entire lots of parts can be inspected automatically. The ZEISS systems have given Jamco the confidence in their ability to do more inspections and projects. “Quality assurance throughout all of our manufacturing processes has brought new confidence to us and our customers,” states Dr. Jack Lee.