A new way of measuring missile components helped a small company keep a major customer happy and comply with the requirements of the aerospace market.

Devon-based R&R Precision supplies defence contractor Tritech Alkast with high-specification nose cones for an anti-tank missile. Its contract states that a whole month’s production can be rejected if the dimensions of a single component are not accurate.

This risk to the business was of obvious concern to R&R management, but traditional manual methods of specification testing were painstakingly slow and left machines idle.

After observing R&R’s inspection process On-Machine Measurement, on behalf of the National Measurement System, arranged a demonstration of a co-ordinate measurement machine (CMM) which proved it could cut inspection time from an hour to ten minutes per component.

“The CMM gave us more accurate and stable measurement and is definitely a piece of kit in which we’d like to invest,” says R&R owner Rob Warren.

A CMM also avoids the need for duplicate measurement and provides a permanent record for quality assurance.

New CMM measurement practices would enable R&R to reduce annual reject costs by £72,000, save more than £10,000 a year in machine downtime and substantially protect its business with a critical customer. 

Having a CMM in its equipment portfolio also aids the company when bidding for new work.
The company believes the measurement device could pay for itself inside six months.

Quick facts

In high-specification manufacturing industries, rejection of faulty components poses a serious risk to business and customer relations.

Co-ordinate Measurement Machines can dramatically cut inspection time and  provide more accurate and stable measurements.

Use of accurate measurement equipment can help a small business to bid for and win new contracts.

Download the Case Study (80KB - PDF format).

Image © Crown Copyright/MOD.