Transport brackets for old CMM (Mitutoyo BH504)

I have just bought and old manual but fully functioning CMM for low money. There are transport brackets but no instructions about how to put them on. Anyone knows the procedure? Picture shows the machine with the transport brackets at the point the previous owner bought it.



Or can I transport it just locking the axes with the knobs? I will transport it my self and it is not far.

I did call Mitutoyo, it was not so help full. They insist that a technician should do this and much more. The total cost for the move if involving them will be too much.

This machine will not go in a climate controlled room and I do not expect full accuracy from it.

/Staffan

I would not recommend moving the machine without the support brackets in place, but I don't know your particular circumstances, nor your skill level at rigging, or even the road conditions between your place and where the machine is. In general, the support brackets are designed to keep the moving parts from moving, and to keep the air bearings from getting damaged by a shock. I'm familiar to some extent with Zeiss machines, not so much with Mitutoyo, but if I were guessing, there is likely a home position for the machine where the brackets all line up with features on the machine.

I hope someone else can give you some more details on how the Mits CMMs are secured; I know this isn't much help.

specfab said:

I would not recommend moving the machine without the support brackets in place, but I don't know your particular circumstances, nor your skill level at rigging, or even the road conditions between your place and where the machine is. In general, the support brackets are designed to keep the moving parts from moving, and to keep the air bearings from getting damaged by a shock. I'm familiar to some extent with Zeiss machines, not so much with Mitutoyo, but if I were guessing, there is likely a home position for the machine where the brackets all line up with features on the machine.

I hope someone else can give you some more details on how the Mits CMMs are secured; I know this isn't much help.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your answer, I feel that a general knowledge about CMMs and air bearings will help me a lot.
The thing with these transport brackets is that it seems they are tensioned in place (takes the load of / shares the load with the air bearings), to me it seems that I could damage the machine if trying to put them on incorrectly. Also Mitutoyo said that the machine had to be readjusted when the brackets are removed.

Rigging will be easy, I'll lift the top part of the stand and put it on a pallet. It will be moved within the city on paved roads in good condition. The whole process will be gentle.
So I figure may by the locking knobs for the axes will be enough?
Or I'll put the transport brackets on without tensioning them in place?
What do you think?

/Staffan

I have moved two cmms, mind you I am just about to recommission them now.

Anyway there is no way that they are pre tensioned against the brackets, also the air bearings are strong as hell. All the brackets are there for is to stop things moving and bouncing around.

Good trick if you can just get air on the machines and you can manually move all the axis real easy.

You can figure it out from that pic, easy once you have air on and can move things.

Like SR910 notes, there shouldn't really be any tensioning of the parts when the brackets are mounted up. The brackets should be fitted to hold the bridge/gantry in place, so that the tall parts don't slide or flop around when you slam the brakes on. I'm not sure how the Mits machines secure the Z-axis, and you may need to look at that carefully. The axis lock, with some sort of safety strap/zip-tie/duct tape/comfy pillow may be sufficient if the probe head is removed for safekeeping.

Give some thought to how you will assess the performance of the machine once you have installed it and have it operating. The main function of the CMM technician is to carry the gage blocks required and to vacuum your wallet at the conclusion of the process. May not be required.

More or less ready to move the machine now. The brackets I could find a place for is in place, see the first picture. All these brackets supports the gantry which seems to be a rather fragile construction. Looks easy to knock the crossbeam out of alignment.
The tensioning comment was for the brackets shown in the second picture, I did not put tighten this hard at all.
Presently there is no brackets for Y and Z, the idea here is to secure Y against the travel stop with a strap. Z will be handled as spacefab describes.

There is air on the machine so everything could be moved around.

Presently no plan for how to check the performance once the machine is moved.

/Staffan

Good show (so far). It may be that the Y-lock was deemed sufficient by Mitutoyo once the rest of the brackets are in place to support the gantry structure. I would do as you plan also, to put some sort of strap around the Y-axis on the end where the red angle bracket is mounted.

Are you watching while the item is loaded, or will you be driving the forklift and doing your own loading? As you note, the superstructure is somewhat fragile, and momentum can be a serious enemy. "Speed kills (CMMs)"

Let us know how you make out.