Operating from a 38,000m2+ world class manufacturing facility, located in the heart of Staffordshire, Goodwin International Ltd manufactures components for a wide range of demanding sectors including the nuclear, defence, oil and gas, power generation, aerospace and renewable industries.
From large primary circuit reactor components standing at 4 metres in height and 5.5 metres in diameter, to machined and welded assemblies of up to 100,000kg in weight, Goodwin International is able to manufacture a multitude of large, high-specification components. In addition, the company also produces mall speciality items such as non-return valves with a diameter of 105mm, weighing just 3kg.
Working on a 3-shift pattern - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Goodwin International’s 300 strong workforce has access to more than £30 million worth of high precision CNC machines. The company’s impressive plant list includes advanced, large capacity CNC milling and turning capabilities and the latest, multi axis machining centres.
Goodwin International is an established ISO 9001 accredited business. The company’s continuous improvement system is used to constantly monitor all processes to ensure that maximum efficiency gains are achieved and to help guarantee the delivery of quality in all aspects of the business.
An extensive range of advanced quality control equipment is used for functions such as material verification, dimensional measurement and component performance confirmation. All production and inspection processes are managed through a comprehensive library of procedures that dictates the use of accurate inspection and testing processes.
As a result of the huge size and the demanding dimensional tolerances of many of its manufactured components, the company makes use of one of the largest capacity Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs) in the UK. The impressive Gantry CMM has the ability to measure components of up to 5m x 3m x 2m (x, y, z).
Given the problems associated with transporting large heavy workpieces to the company’s static CMM, to ensure that accurate dimensional inspection of components can be undertaken throughout the manufacturing process and to confirm that all components are manufactured to the standards demanded by its customers, the company uses a range of advanced FARO portable CMMs with both tactile measurement and scanning capabilities to perform regular in-process checks.
A growing order book and the increasing need for the scanning and dimensional inspection of large components and comparing them to CAD models, recently prompted Goodwin International to purchase a 4 metre version of FARO’s recently launched QuantumM FaroArm, used in combination with a FAROBlu Laser Line Probe HD (High Definition). The resulting FARO QuantumM ScanArm offers best-in-class scanning capabilities.
Goodwin International Quality Control Manager, Mark Woolmer explained. “Our advanced facilities allow us to manufacture components for a wide range of sectors including the nuclear, defence, oil and gas, power generation, aerospace and renewable industries. Our world class manufacturing facility, together with our wide range capabilities, enables us to deliver machined and fabricated components for projects such as new build and retrofit power plants.
“Given the nature of the challenging sectors that we serve, we are able to demonstrate full traceability of our materials and processes and to provide detailed quality reports that are tailored to our client’s and their projects. To ensure that we meet the requirements stipulated to us for each project, meticulous inspection routines are undertaken throughout all stages of manufacture.
“Although we make use of a wide range of advanced inspection and testing equipment, our growing collection of portable FARO CMMs are particularly useful for carrying-out high-precision, in-process dimensional inspection routines. Given the enormous size of many of the components that we produce, it helps that our FARO equipment has an advanced, non-contact laser measuring capability and can carry out a precise, in-depth inspection of the largest of our components.
“As our portable FARO CMMs are used for in-process inspection on our shop floor, in addition to their accuracy and ease of use, it helps that they are extremely robust and able to make the required accurate dimensional checks quickly. This speed of use enables the work that has been carried out up to that time to be quickly verified and subsequent manufacturing process to be immediately commenced.
“In addition to many other duties, my role includes ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of inspection related technology. As a requirement for another large capacity, portable CMM recently occurred, given my continuous search for improved ways of performing inspection tasks and procuring the best available quality control equipment, I began looking at a suitable model.
“Although our FARO equipment continues to perform extremely well and we have received excellent service from FARO UK, as I was aware that other metrology manufacturers could have made progress in the field of portable CMMs, I did consider other brands. Having compared several similar options, I came to the conclusion that FARO’s 4 x meter QuantumM ScanArm was the ideal portable CMM for our needs. It shares many of the qualities of our existing FARO portable CMMs, the new QuantumM ScanArm boasts the latest FAROBlu Laser Line Probe HD and delivers even faster scanning times.
“As our new FARO portable CMM will be used throughout our production areas, it helps that the QuantumM is much lighter and easier to manoeuvre than our existing models. Also, as we have to wait for our current FARO portable CMMs to warm-up before use, it helps that the QuantumM needs no warm up time and is ready to use immediately after we turn it on.
“Now installed and fully operational, our new FARO QuantumM ScanArm is making an excellent contribution to our crucial inspection operations. Whereas in the past we needed to make several scanning passes to capture all of the required data related to a large component, the 4-metre FARO QuantumM ScanArm with FAROBlu Laser Line Probe HD is able to complete the same scanning routines in just 1 – 2 passes. In-fact its speed and ease of operation mean that, without compromising on accuracy, we have cut our scanning inspection times in half.”
Ideal for companies that want to maximize their manufacturing productivity, reduce scrap levels and improve their quality control functions, the QuantumM FaroArm is an advanced portable coordinate measuring machine (PCMM) that meets the most rigorous ISO 10360-12:2016 measurement standard in the world, while the accuracy specifications for the complete Quantum FaroArm product line with FAROBlu are certified according to ISO 10360-8 for non-contact CMMs.
The robust QuantumM FaroArm has been designed and tested to withstand the harshest shop-floor environments and to deliver market-leading reliability and portability, along with plug-and-play 3D laser scanning integration with optically superior FAROBlu™ technology. The use of this next generation of blue laser technology delivers unparalleled non-contact measurement capabilities, providing the highest fidelity point cloud data at high speed. It allows operators to seamlessly scan across diverse surface materials regardless of contrast, reflectivity or part complexity without any special coatings or target placement.
The QuantumM is easy to manoeuvre and is always ready to use as it requires no warm up time. This immediate availability ensures improved productivity in user’s inspection, design and manufacturing processes by enabling operators to work longer and more comfortably.
The QuantumM enables continuous operation anywhere on the factory floor with industrial grade wireless connectivity and dual, hot swappable batteries that negate the need for external power.