First article inspection

First article inspection consists of checking the prototype of a future series to test its dimensions, material integrity, and whether it conforms to its nominal definition or CAD.

The reverse engineering services of Tomo Adour enable the partial or complete digitisation of the part you want to check and to investigate certain of its characteristics such as :

Its material integrity using tomography (see CND), the dimensions and positioning of both internal and external geometric characteristics by means of a 3D model (see CND), its conformity compared with its CAD image by directly comparing the results (2D or 3D) with the CAD file that you will have provided.

There are a number of stages involved in the long phase of product design, from the writing of specifications, the choice of team and the design itself, all in all an enormous amount of work.

There then follows the long job of testing new developments to ensure that they match specifications (with respect to tolerance, dimensions, thin walls) that the product is monitored as it evolves, and that it performs well in its future setting ( the simulation and computation phase).

Against this background Tomo Adour suggests getting involved early on in your developments by :

- automatic search of thin walls on your CADs (see below for the formats dealt with) to highlight zones to be corrected before construction to avoid fracturing or leaks under stress.
- comparing your different CAD developments with each other in order to follow how they evolve with the adding or taking away of material, the shifting of geometries and shapes or the modification of dimensions.

These services will enable you to quickly check for conformity to specification as well as providing you with a clear view of how your products evolve.

supported formats:

1. Acis solid model (.asm)
2. Catia v4 and v5 (.model / .exp / .dlv)
3. Iges (.igs)
4. Parasolid (.x_t)
5. Pro/engineer assembly file (.asm)
6. Pro/engineer model file et parts file (.prt)
7. Step (.stp)
8. Unigraphics part file (.prt)
9. Vda (.vda)
10. Vrml (.vrml)

Potential comparisons:

Between all the aforementioned formats.

Potential for post-processing:

1. 3D comparison (external and internal geometries)
2. 2D comparison (in sections)

Some possible applications:

1. Checking adherence to specification requirements in terms of thin wall thickness.
2. Simulating changes in internal geometry.
3. Monitoring CAD evolutions in respect of top-half car engine parts (BE).

Comparison to the CAD involves superimposing the point cloud (whatever its source) of an object or a part onto the surfaces which constitute its nominal definition (CAD).
We are then able to provide you with a colour mapping (2D or 3D) The latter translates the distances between the points measured and their theoretical surfaces . It is then possible to quickly check for dimensional compliance and positioning (in the case of foundry cores for example).

Potential comparisons:

1. STL / CAD
2. STL / other STL
3. CAD / CAD

Post-processing options::

1. 3D comparison (external geometries only)
2. 3D comparison (external and internal geometries – digitised by tomography.
3. 2D comparison
4. Simulating the balancing of the cloud point on the CAD
5. Distance measurements on the cloud points
6. Point distance statistics

Some possible applications:

1. Evaluation of a fixing part
2. Checking the positioning of a pipe
3. Balancing simulation
4. Mapping of gaps or thickness

CAD import format : Catia v4 or v5, STEP or IGS

NB : we will test all files before undertaking any job as some formats can create import anomalies.

Measurement import fomat (cloud points) : binary STL or ASCII.