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Any experience with Helmel CMM's ?

Milacron

Milacron

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Dec 15, 2000
Location
SC, USA
Since 1973 and supposedly the only CMM made in USA...Niagara Falls, NY. Just wondering if their small manual CMM's are good bang for buck. $13,500 for the smallest one (12x12x10) and aprox $17,000 for next size (16x20x14) including probe and Geomet Junior 3D software.

checkmaster001.gif


www.helmel.com
 
Well, I guess not... I can tell you they are unique in that they don't use air bearings....
 
I used one a long time ago. They are not among the 'big' players and that is a plus sometimes. You can get a better response. Their GEOMET software has been around a long time and is proven software. I first started using it in 1984 and obviously it has gone through some updating but it is solid software.

Mark Boucher
 
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Helmel CMM

I could use a little help with getting started. I use a Mitutoyo Bright-M at my day job.

I'm doing a bitt of part time work at a local shop in Hanover, Pa.

They have a Helmel "CheckMaster" 216-142 with Geomet Junior Plus 7.01.051.

Like any new machine it takes some time to get comfortable with.

Can someone give me some pointers on “How to get Started”?

Thanks

Michael [email protected]
 
We have 2 Checkmaster 320-151's both using QC5000 software. I have found them to be fairly intuitive to use, providing you understand the basic concepts of how to use a CMM (setting up proper alignments, probing techniques, etc.) Both machines are in our Inspection area, so I'm not certain how they would do in a "shop floor" environment. They do seem fairly robust, and the software is pretty stable. (Program crashes / lockups are rare.)
Just my $.02 worth....
 
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We have MicroStar DCC 30x60x30. It uses linear bearings and linear motors. We changed from GEOMET to CMM Manager to get offline programming. We have had it about ten years. We could not work without it. It runs two or more shifts every day.
 
Does anyone have a feel for what a used Helmel Check Master 220-151 with Renishaw probe and Metronics Quadra-check 3000 readout is worth? under power in good shape with current software and calibration? Trying to put a value on it,[not for sale]
 
I finally landed one... a 2011 Helmel Phoenix 112-RB, DCC CMM with Geomet 301 software....so nice to have one that isn't leaking air the whole time it's being used.
 
The new shop floor model from B&S also doesnt use air bearings...but I doubt you can get them for anything near the price you listed a few years ago for the Helmel.

Charles
 
Edster said:
Just curious was this the one that was posted in the for sale section of pm a couple days ago?
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Yepper... from a medical device manufacturer probably not far from Charles in Marietta, GA. Got a few pix of their facility I need to post here...amazing place...almost new Mazak Integrex's, Swiss CNC turn centers, $650,000 EOS 3D printer. They sold the Helmel as they have changed over to all Starrett video type inspection instruments. Which I didn't realize have flip down probes as well.
 
Edster said:
Nice score! I saw that one the other day and thought it was a good deal.
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It has some options such that it cost them over $26,000 new just two years ago. One of those "Helmel CMM and the Compair rotary air compressor have to be out NOW" to get a screamin toofer deal, so I was lucky it was in driving distance and both items fit in a pickup truck.
 
Did the air compressor come from the same place? If so thats an awesome score.

I'll have to admit I thought about picking that cmm up when I first saw it, but then I thought how would I get it to my shop without damaging it. I've got an ad clipped out from one of the trade mags when the base model of that cmm was on sale for around 16k. Seems like the best value out there for a smaller cmm.
 
Edster said:
Did the air compressor come from the same place? If so thats an awesome score.
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Yeah, I didn't really want it but they basically ended up paying me to take it ! Except for a chip in the fiberglass cover Compair looks like new (compressor, tank and air dryer all on one metal skid connected together) and supposedly only 3,200 hours. Then again, unlike the CMM, I wasn't able to see the 2002 Compair L11 under power so for all i know it has 32,000 hours.... will find out sometime this week.

I'll have to admit I thought about picking that cmm up when I first saw it, but then I thought how would I get it to my shop without damaging it. I've got an ad clipped out from one of the trade mags when the base model of that cmm was on sale for around 16k. Seems like the best value out there for a smaller cmm.​
Click to expand...
Yeah, getting a CMM from point A to point B is always a problem unless you can go get it yourself or willing to pay Hexagon $$$$ to deal with it for you. I've even bought them at auctions where I was there and it still was a problem because someone bought the air compressor and disconnected it before got got the axis locked in position with ship brackets. In one case like that I had to beg the guy to hook the compressor back up for a few minutes before he loaded it on his truck ! At least with the Helmel that is not an issue.

Re 16K price, the model I bought was originally touted as the first DCC CMM for under $20,000. But that didn't include any probe head and was with basic Geomet 101 software. So I presume the price was $19,995 and thus $16K sounds like a "middle of recession, we are desperate" price indeed.​
 
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