GeoNews - April 2008 Newsletter


GeoNews - April 2008	Edition 2008.4

Expanding our capacity to serve you better.

Controlling the quality of components used in your CMM is a fundamental belief we hold at Helmel. We try very hard not to contract out critical components such a bearing surfaces and other extreme toleranced parts. It is not an easy task as production needs push our machine shop to it's limits. For years we have maintained three grinding machines for use the in manufacture of axis ways and Z-Axis probe bars. We maintain one of the countries largest grinders for the larger CMMs we produce, see March 2007 GeoNews.

With the continued growth of CMM demand, these three grinders were pushed to the limit. In 2007 we decided to add a new grinder to replace one of our older models. We investigated many brands and determined the PERFEKT 15 from ELB-SCHLIFF would suite our growing needs. The ELB product line has been manufactured in Babenhausen, Germany for over 50 years.

During this month, April 2008, the ELB factory support group is installing the grinder. The capacity of this grinder is 1500 (59") in length, 400 (15.7") in height and 475 (18.7") in throat depth. This new grinder will expand our capacity to handle the manufacturing of probe bars with it's higher throughput and exacting accuracy over the full travel.

All our employees are proud of the commitment to you, our customer, which allows us to expand as the last USA based CMM manufacturer.

Announcements

Visit Us!

April 15/16 we can be found showing our products at the Erie Tool Show 2008 at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, PA.

Help Us, Help You!

Over the next couple of months, we are looking for suggestions and improvements to our flagship CMM software product, Geomet.

You work day in and day out with Geomet and you probably have thought of unique tools and processes that can help you to gain a better solution to your inspection needs.

Drop us a suggestion to better improve Geomet.

You can submit you suggestion here, or by contacting:

Ed Yaris by email or give us a call at:

1-800-BEST-CMM

General News

Are you taking advantage of the Stimulus Package?

This is a repeat article from the March GeoNews. With the pending money being distributed starting May, we are all looking for a few extra bucks in our pockets. But as a business, you can benefit even more. Pass this information along and let's keep the progress moving forward.

March GeoNews: All of us are anxiously waiting for our Stimulus Package rebates. Maybe the rebate will go to purchase some fun goods for the home, or maybe it will be used to pay down some debt. The news in the media regarding the Stimulus Package focuses on what the individual or family will get but there is a great advantage for for businesses as well.

The act, formally called "The Recovery Rebates and Economic Stimulus for the American People Act of 2008" offer many incentives for the business to help boost the economy. The package provides both a 50% first-year bonus depreciation for new capital expenditures - like CMMs - that are ordered and placed into service during 2008, and an increase in how much small businesses can write off under Section 179 for new and used equipment purchases in 2008.

For example, if you are planning on buying a CMM for $75,000 under the standard depreciation schedule you can depreciate 14% of its cost, or $10,500 in the first year. Under the new plan, you will be able to depreciate $48,000: 50% of the $75,000 ($37,500) plus 14% regular depreciation ($10,500).

If you company operates under Section 179, your standard expensing plan is $128,000 but under the new Stimulus Package it increases to $250,00, more than doubling!

If your company has been looking to expand your quality department or shop-floor inspection capabilities, now is a good time. After 2008, this package will expire and the benefit of depreciation reverts back to long term investments. To read about this new bill, click here.

To learn more about Helmel CMMs and the effect of the Stimulus Package, contact, sales@helmel.com.

Is your CMM Calibrated?

For years we have learned to rely on our CMM for repeated accuracy in the inspection process, but how accurate are the results being reported? Only through a proper factory calibration can you be assured your CMM is operating at its optimal capabilities.

Why a factory Calibration instead of a local service? Who is more qualified than to maintain and calibrate your CMM than the same people who build it. Our calibration service does not stop at just verifying the CMMs accuracy, they also provide a full cleaning and oiling of the precision bearing and ways to ensure smooth operations. A calibration is also a tune-up of the CMM. Give our service department a call today at 1-800-BEST-CMM.

Geomet Tip & Tricks

Neat Tools inside Geomet

From time-to-time we get calls into our support staff asking about some solution to a programming problem. Often we have tools that get very little attention that can handle most requests. During the support call we often hear "I didn't know you could do that"! Here is a collection of a few tools that just might help you.

Copy and Append. Here is a tool that copies the selected features and then appends new copies of those features to the bottom of your inspection. A very handy method to perform repeated measurements. Combine that with the One-Step Motion Tool and you can build full motion path that adjusts to a new position.

Would it be nice if you could "go back" during the self-teach mode or performing feature editing, check out the Edit History Tool, more than just an Undo.

Are you running a DCC Coordinate Measuring Machine? Try measuring a small feature that requires precise motion during the self-teach mode because the hole you are moving into is 35° tilted off the MCS natural motion. A joystick is sure a difficult tool to use in small steps. Did you know you can setup a drive vector to align the CMM motion with the feature? Check out the Joystick Vector Drive Tool.

Are you making the most optimized motion path for safety? It is easy to miss a leading IP before a feature, or use a standoff distance that is too small for safety. Let Geomet's Motion Path Test Tool look over your inspection before it runs.

These are just a few of the tools that Geomet has embedded within. Often they get over-looked. We hope you take some time to just look through the Geomet On-Line Index page and stop at a new or unknown topic, you just might be surprised at Geomet has to offer.

Need Help or Suggestions?

To help you to learn about the power of Geomet, we are launching a series of tutorials and programming examples. Do you need a specific example? Please submit to us a request to include a tutorial or programming example in future GeoNews editions.

Helmel Engineering Products Inc./strong> 6520 Lockport Road Niagara Falls, NY 14305 Phone: (716) 297-8644 Fax: (716) 297-9405	© 2008 Helmel Engineering Products, Inc.	Helmel West 2324 North Batavia Street Orange, CA 92865 Phone: (714) 637-9378 Fax: (714) 637-5266
www.1-800-BEST-CMM.com • www.Helmel.com • www.iGeomet.com