Case Studies
In 2005, the engineers at the University of California’s Lawrence Livermore Labs needed a high precision air bearing system, a target assembly station with a position accuracy of 4 millionths of an inch – that’s 0.0000004 inches (or 0.01 microns!). The alignment of the two half shells of the target was very critical for the [Read More]
The Challenge Design an inspection system for a European high-speed rail system – that must function accurately in harsh conditions while moving 75 mph. The Design Solution We designed a set of three high-speed air bearing spindles that were synchronized for the 3-dimensional image scanning and inline inspection. To inspect the track, switches, tunnels and [Read More]
Increasingly tighter part tolerances on transmission parts made it more difficult for typical off-shore sourcing channels to meet the quality standards being demanded by the major automotive manufacturers. To solve this international sourcing logistics problem, a leading manufacturer of OEM automotive parts contracted ABTech to design and manufacture a turnkey work cell. The objective [Read More]
OptiPro Systems, a well-respected optical machine manufacturer, contacted ABTech thinking that they simply needed a supplier of air bearing stages to enable them to develop a prototype metrology station. When the dust settled, they left with a complete motion system. The reason was simple: core competencies. We didn’t set out to up-sell OptiPro. We set [Read More]
NASA needed a machine that would safely and quickly produce optics for their long-delayed NuSTAR X-ray telescope. So the scientists as NASA challenged ABTech to develop a multifunctional machine that would act as a grinding lathe, an indexing tool for raster grinding, and an assembly station – all in one. ABTech met the challenge. The [Read More]
Researchers at Princeton University needed a large diameter ultra-precision rotational axis with a motor drive. Sounds routine. But there were some catches that made this project more than a bit unusual. First, the entire research project needed to be installed on the top of a rotary table. Second, they needed to run their tests continuously [Read More]
According to the Quality Team at Fives Giddings & Lewis, “At Fives Giddings & Lewis, we have always prided ourselves in inspecting part pieces and assemblies to an extremely high degree of accuracy.” Over the years they have employed high-speed spindle assemblies and precise part pieces to ensure that goal was continually achieved. The company [Read More]
The application was ultra-precision optical grinding but with a twist. The manufacturer wanted the spindle design to be robust enough to overcome catastrophic crashes that were frequently experienced with their primary supplier. The solution: design a spindle with high accuracy and stiffness at speeds up to 10,000 RPMs, with low air consumption, liquid cooling and [Read More]
A major US engine manufacturer had a unique metrology requirement: in order to determine wear patterns and evaluate new materials and coatings, they needed a gage that could measure thickness variation on engine bearing halves before and after Dyno testing. The gage needed to have an accuracy of 0.25 microns or better, and a resolution [Read More]
The GE9X is one of GE Aviation’s latest engine developments. The engine itself is as wide as a Boeing 737 fuselage. Designed to power Boeing’s 777X – the biggest twinjet ever – the GE9X is cleaner, quieter, and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor the GE90 and is critical to help maintain GE’s leadership position in [Read More]