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Spencer in NH

Stainless
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Location
Southern New Hampshire
I have a small shop, with a SHARP SV2412S machining center and Haas TL-1. I am talking to a client about making a prototype which will have a parabolic surface (we design antennas) which will need to be accurate to about 0.002-in. in aluminum. This surface will be made on the lathe.

I am thinking about the inspection process, and how we will verify the surface.

Would you recommend securing contract CMM services for this type of work?

If I take the part off the lathe and put it on the mill table, can I probe it, assuming I buy the right probe? (The SHARP's specs are +/- 0.0002-in in position)?

What would you recommend?
 
What are we talking about here, like an 18" dish for X-Band?

IMHO that tolerance is absolutely ridiculous for an antenna if it's to be used outdoors.

- Leigh
 
Initially, the size is 9-10 inches in diameter, thickness not yet determined. And yes, the required tolerance is about +/- 2 mils.

I had a nice conversation with Renishaw, and a system that would integrate right into my SHARP VMC is about $11K. For this first project, that's too much.

(Oh, and Leigh: this ain't consumer junk.)
 
You're talking about a spherical surface? I can slap it on our Zeiss Contura and take tens of thousands of scanning points. We charge $100 an hour for that machine for outside work. If the only thing you need inspected is that surface, I can't see it taking more than an hour. Just a thought...
 
You're talking about a spherical surface? I can slap it on our Zeiss Contura and take tens of thousands of scanning points. We charge $100 an hour for that machine for outside work. If the only thing you need inspected is that surface, I can't see it taking more than an hour. Just a thought...

And a fine thought that is!! Shoot me a PM with your contact info, please.
 








 
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