Over the last decade, CNF Precision Engineering has experienced a period of remarkable growth. The business has expanded its workforce, invested in state-of-the-art machinery and strengthened its position as a trusted supplier of high-precision components.
From simple two-axis turning through to full simultaneous five-axis machining, CNF manufactures complex parts for some of the most demanding industries in the world from its facility in Aylesbury, including defence, aerospace and medical. Every component must meet the highest standards, making inspection a critical part of the business.
Managing Director Neil Fearnley, said: “We’ve always gone for the best machines we can buy on the shopfloor. So why would we not do the same with inspection? Inspection is a critical part of the business.”
Project Brief
As CNF’s workload grew, traditional inspection methods became a bottleneck. Handheld gauges, shadowgraphs and manual CMM checks were slow, particularly for small or intricate components.
Tharshan Pancharatnam, Quality Manager, said: “We were struggling a lot with especially small parts that you can’t see or you can’t measure on a CMM because it’s too small.
“We had to use handheld gauges or the shadowgraph, but with the shadowgraph you can move the X and Y, so it wasn’t always accurate. We wanted something more reliable so we knew for sure the data was correct.”
At the same time, CNF’s customers were asking for more. Many required 100% inspection and full reports for every part delivered. Meeting those expectations with existing technology was becoming increasingly difficult.
Neil said: “We have many customers that we have to do a 100% inspection on 100% of the parts. We have to create a report for every part.”
The company needed a solution that could maintain high accuracy while saving time and allowing operators to check parts quickly and consistently.
The Solution
CNF invested first in a VICIVISION PRIMA, a high-speed optical measurement machine designed specifically for turned parts.
The VICIVISION uses camera-based measurement to capture precise dimensions quickly and automatically generate reports, allowing even non-specialist operators to perform accurate inspections.
Following the success of the VICIVISION, CNF introduced a Metrios Cross for milled components. Its intuitive touchscreen interface allows operators to measure a wide range of features in 2D, with the machine even generating programs automatically.
Neil said: “We invested into the Metrios and the VICIVISION machines, purely to give us that scope to check parts at speed, at accuracy and give reports our customers are going to be very happy with.”
Together, these machines cover a wide range of the components produced at CNF Precision, from turned to milled, with fast set-up and simple operation.
The Benefits
Since integrating VICIVISION and Metrios, CNF has seen major improvements in speed, accuracy and repeatability.
Neil said: “The biggest thing for us is the time saving. We had one that we were manufacturing that required 100% inspection. Measuring that on a CMM would’ve probably taken 25, 30 minutes per part. On the VICI, we were probably looking around 35 seconds to measure that part complete.”
Tharshan added: “We check a lot of multiple parts, especially tiny ones like bolts or screws. Without the Metrios, we wouldn’t have time to check every part. Now we can check dozens at once and generate reports automatically.”
The machines also provide complete traceability, with inspection reports automatically saved in PDF format, which can be referenced years later. This supports CNF’s quality management processes and compliance with AS9100 and ISO9001 standards.
Why Carfulan Group?
Having both machines under the Carfulan Group has simplified support for CNF.
“Having Carfulan as our direct contact point is great because Metrios and VICIVISION are both under them,” Tharshan said. “If we have an issue with either machine, we know they will sort it out straight away.”
Neil added: “If you’re looking at investing into inspection equipment, definitely look at the Carfulan Group. They’ve got a massive range of equipment and they’re very helpful. It’s worth asking them if not buying from them.”