Zeeko- World's most accurate CMM

So I am modifying an optical lathe-British built, Schaublin spindle, to grind polycrystalline diamond single point tools. I come across a company I had never heard of. In addition to producing 7 axis free form optical machining centers, Zeeko produces the most accurate cmm available, or so they claim. Interesting website.

http://www.zeeko.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=147

Definitely written by a marketing guy "the much admired" NANOMEFOS. 'The most accurate of its kind'. I suspect it is the only one of its kind. Nevertheless, its verily interesting. It looks like it is a niche market for optical grinding.

Mark Boucher

Lots of questions arise when the Zeeko website is viewed in detail. Example- company claims to offer 7 axis optical cnc grinders since 2003. Yet all pdf files and related marketing info shows only low pixal density cad drawings-poor quality even 10 years ago. After 5 years there should be at least one functioning unit some where in world. I cannot find evidence that any machine exists. Another concern- company claims affiliation with cmm firm in Vermont. On the US company website- Olympic Precision, Inc, no mention of Zeeko.

I am happy to retract any statement if evidence to contrary is offered.

http://www.olympicprecision.com/

If you're grinding Single Point Diamond tools you might consider Monocrystalline instead of Polycrystalline. I've been Diamond Machining for more than half my life- mono is far superior than poly for making lenses- poly doesn't give as nice a finish.

I contacted them about some of their literature for CMM Quarterly. They did tell me that they do have a facility in West Lafayette, Indiana.

So I'll let you know more after they send me some articles. I'll publish them in the magazine for everyone to see exactly what their product line is. I'm interested to know if it is a niche market product.

Mark Boucher

I met one of their reps (Zeeko) at a meeting a couple of years ago in Rochester, one of the OSA annual shindigs. Their products are indeed aimed at niche markets, mostly the optical fabrication industry, and like many of these kinds of companies, the actual existence of a "product line" is a bit tenuous. It isn't so clear from their description what is going on as far as actual principle of measurement, but it is characterized as optical non-contact, so my guess is that maybe there is some kind of IR interferometry occurring via a microscope optical system. The uncertainty spec (30-90 nm) is sort of a give-away that they must be using the capacitive gaging for making the distance-to-object setup and keeping the head normal to the surface, even though they claim 1 nm resolution. Note the isolation pylons at the corners. Can't get that 1 nanometer resolution on the shop floor, for sure...

specfab
Did you come across any info regarding the multiaxis cnc grinders Zeeko offers? My gut feeling is these folks are mostly software oriented and probably kept viable by defense research grants.

A few years back I spent a couple of days at the Primary Standards Lab at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Norco, CA. I was told by one of the calibration technician/engineers that Moore Precision Tools made the most accurate CMM. I can't remember where they said it lived, but they claim it's so sensitive that it's completely enclosed in it's own room while the operator sits outside to run it. The room is almost completely dark, with the exception of a few indirect lights, in an effort to eliminate thermal expansion due to the lights.

Diamond cutting tool shape--Hijacking the thread.

I've been Diamond Machining for more than half my life- mono is far superior than poly for making lenses- poly doesn't give as nice a finish.

Click to expand...

I know nothing about diamond tooling, except for what I've seen on TV. What is the shape of the cutting edge?

Just curious, is all.

Thank you.

Orrin

J Holland -- I don't have any specific info on the CNC grinders. You are probably correct about the software emphasis on the part of Zeeko, although like many smaller companies, they probably have some arrangements with hardware builders (if they don't do any primary manufacturing) to produce components and subassemblies, then those items are integrated into complete systems by Zeeko. My guess, FWIW.

The diamond tools which I use are monocrystlline natural gem quality. The front clearance angle, top rake and radius all vary according to the job. The form of the curtting edge is precisely controlled.

I get them from Contour- no connection with them, just a happy customer. Here, if you wantany more info

http://www.contour-diamonds.com/HTML/electrooptic.html

Oh Apex do them as well and a few other companies. They aint cheap though my lasty "special" tool was around 700 quid.