Aberlink is delighted to announce the appointment of Rensi Finland Ltd as Exclusive Distributor for Aberlink in Finland and Estonia.

For more than 17 years Rensi Finland Ltd has established itself as a one-stop shop for manufacturing. Vesa Siren, Managing Director Rensi Finland Ltd, explained "The Aberlink range of CMM's, vision machines and measurement software compliments our current range of metrology equipment perfectly. We can now offer a complete range of portable, fixed, manual and CNC measuring machines and scanners for a wide variety of applications."

Other products from Rensi include; SurfCAM, an advanced multi-level 3-axis machining package and Finland's most popular PC based CAM software, an impressive portfolio of manual and CNC machines tools includes milling, boring and turning for metal and wood plus sheet metal forming, routing and engraving.

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Chris, who has been responsible for Aberlink Sales in the South West for 11 years, enjoyed tremendous success in 2010, increasing his regional sales by 35% to win the title.

Presenting the award Gavin Bailey acknowledged, "It takes drive and determination to deliver exceptional results, and Chris has both in abundance. As an exemplary member of the sales team Chris fully deserves to be acknowledged for his tremendous achievements over the last year. Knowing him to be a serious cyclist we have chosen to present him with a professional titanium off-road bike from qoroz bikes in recognition of his hard work."

Accepting the reward Chris declared, "It’s an absolute honour to receive this award, and a fantastic way to mark what has been a terrific year for me. It’s a real joy working with Aberlink, customers instantly connect with the products and this makes my job so much more enjoyable."

The Aberlink award, in its inaugural year, is a head-to-head competition based on sales performance. This year runners up were Michael Purdue, representing the South East, in second place and Tony Smith, representing the North, in third place.

About qoroz:

qoroz offer a range of road, track and special purpose titanium frame bikes for discerning and professional cyclists.

For more information visit: www.qoroz.co.uk

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ABERLINK Innovative Metrology, the largest UK-owned manufacturer of coordinate measuring machines, vision systems and measurement software, is celebrating a record year.

The Eastcombe company exceeded its sales targets by more than 50% in 2010.

Aberlink saw demand soar for its 3D measuring machines and software which are used to accurately measure the shape and size of virtually every type of manufactured part-from a small rubber seal to an aircraft engine.

A company spokesman said: "Our products are renowned throughout the world for being cost-effective, easy to use and, above all, providing manufacturing with reliable, high-accuracy measurement results."

Aberlink Innovative Metrology was formed in 1994 by Marcus Eales and Gavin Bailey who were previously mechanical engineers and former employees of Renishaw, the Wotton-under-Edge metrology experts. Since the introduction of its first coordinate measuring machine Aberlink has seen average year-on-year growth in turnover of over 28% with 80% exported to 35 countries worldwide.

Unlike earlier models, today’s CMMs are sophisticated high-tech systems capable of measuring a huge range of manufactured parts quickly and accurately while being easy to use.

As a relative newcomer, Aberlink uses the latest principles of design for manufacturing and innovation. As a result, Aberlink has been able to successfully challenge the established brands and establishing itself as a brand leader in the volume sales sector.

The use of aluminium honeycomb, a material widely used in the aerospace industry and F1 racing cars. This is due to its lightness and compression resistance properties, has enabled Aberlink to improve the performance of its CMMs over that of its rivals while, at the same time, lowering the end user price.

Another unique technology is the Aberlink CMM camera system enabling the measurement of small parts. The automotive and aerospace industries in particular use CMMs to measure the 3D geometry of precision parts, such as engine, transmission and suspension components, and the software for this is the jewel in Aberlink’s crown.

The company has some very high profile customers including Briton Richard Nobel’s record-attempting 1,000mph Bloodhound SSC supersonic car. The CMM will be used at the project HQ in Bristol to measure high-precision parts destined for the car. "Being a one-off project and not being CMM specialists, it was vital our engineers could quickly grasp how to correctly measure the various types of parts required for the car," said Conor La Grue of the Bloodhound project. "The technical support and expertise we gain from our partnership with Aberlink is simply first class."

In November 2010, Aberlink completed an ambitious project to incorporate a large CMM into the production line of a global provider of water handling and treatment solutions in Sweden. And last September Aberlink shipped its biggest ever CMM to a large multinational US steel company.

Gavin Bailey, Aberlink’s commercial director, said: "Our recent move to a new company headquarters, which boasts four times more manufacturing capacity than our previous premises, should guarantee we are able to keep pace with the growing domestic and overseas demand for all of our products."

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Returning to UK ownership, the quintessential and most famous of British motorcycles brands, Norton Motorcycles are now building motorcycles and developing a new race bike in the UK.

Enthusing about the many benefits the new AXIOM TOO had brought to the company, Stuart Garner, CEO of Norton Motorcycles reports. "Our Aberlink CMM has allowed us to move our World Super Bike, rotary engine development program forward much more efficiently. With great ease, we can now very accurately and equally importantly, measure the effects of testing on our engines. After measuring all the 3D geometry of our components before we assemble them into an engine, we put the engine under test. This may be an endurance test, a simulation of a range of various environments, race conditions tests, or any number of other scenarios. On completion of the tests, we strip the engine down and return the components to the CMM, allowing the machine to very accurately determine any dimensional variations caused by wear or distortion. This invaluable information is then fed back into our computer based design process, enabling future improvements to our engine design, with the overall goal of achieving maximum performance potential. The main benefit the Aberlink CMM brings is the ease, speed and accuracy in which we can now complete these important stages of our engine development process. Our experienced engineers are specialist in engine design and development, therefore we require a system which is user friendly, gives rapid streams of pertinent information, while offering all the advanced functionality we need."

Right: Stuart Garner breaking the World Speed Record at the Bonneville Slat Flats on the Norton NRV588 rotary engine development bike.

"We are rapidly increasing production and working around the clock to meet orders for the new 961 Commandos. When the Aberlink CMM arrived we had a backlog of parts to inspect, but because the machine’s software is extremely user friendly, it took very little time to create all the required inspection programs. As our AXIOM TOO is a full CNC machine, we can now simply put follow-on batches of parts on to the machine bed and they are inspected automatically. Although I have little previous experience programming a CMM, I have been amazed at how quickly I have been able to master even relatively complicated measuring procedures." - Steve Bower, Manufacturing Manager, Norton Motorcycles.

More information about Norton Motorcycles: www.nortonmotorcycles.com

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With a proud history stretching back nearly 90 years, the family who founded this renowned company continues to be instrumental in its operation today. This enduring continuity ensures the steadfast application of the founders guiding principles, including an unswerving devotion to service, constant striving for innovation and an absolute commitment to quality. It is O’Neal Steel’s insistence on the highest standard of quality products being delivered to their many customers that instigated the order for the large Aberlink ZENITH TOO CMM. Having examined the many alternative CMMs, impressed by the outstanding attributes of Aberlinks ZENITH TOO and local Aberlink support team, the machine was ordered and delivered to O’Neal Steel in Indianapolis, Indiana.

As a full-line Metals Service Centre with a vast array of products, scores of US and international locations, and advanced multi-stage processing capabilities, O'Neal is able to provide fabricators, job shops, and a wide variety of OEMs with exactly what they need, when they need it. The company carries massive inventories of both ferrous and non-ferrous metals and is able to provide complex welded sub-assemblies and intricately processed parts. The large size and demanding dimensional specifications of many of the company’s fabricated and machined parts instigated a search for a suitable CMM in early in 2010.

Gavin Bailey, Aberlinks Commercial Director, enthused, "Growing global demand for this class of CMM, together with the range’s innovative features, competitive performance and aggressive price tag has ensured the success of the ZENITH TOO."

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The new name reflects the driving force behind the company's product design philosophy of "Innovative Metrology" and builds on its high levels of "Aberlink" brand recognition in both domestic and global markets, whilst the change of company structure to an LLP gives the flexibility that Aberlink will require to manage their continued growth in the future.

Discussing the reasons for the name change company Sales Director, Gavin Bailey explained, "Through their positive experience of using our products, our existing customers already associate the Aberlink brand with advanced, easy-to-use measuring machines and measurement software. Our name change to the more descriptive Aberlink Innovative Metrology LLP, from the previous Aberlink Ltd, will enable all potential customers to instantly understand the ethos of our company and products. For nearly fourteen years, the name Aberlink has been synonymous with innovative products and world-class service. Our prolific R&D programme will continue to develop products and services to better serve our global customer base and to help satisfy the increasing demand for our cost-effective metrology systems."

The name change takes effect on 1st November 2010.

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Aberlink is delighted to announce the appointment of Sonatec Ltd. as exclusive distributor for Aberlink in Russia.

Sonatec Ltd., founded in 2009 with headquarters in Moscow, is a young dynamic company with an impeccable reputation. The company philosophy is to provide clients with high quality processes and equipment, the highest levels of service and an individual approach. Sonatec Ltd. has recently extended it sales and support network into the other CIS countries, offering high-tech imported equipment, machinery, tools, engineering services, leasing and project management.

More information about Sonatec: www.sonatec.ru

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Dave Robinson, Business Development Manger of Aberlink, explains, "We are delighted with the appointment of Trimos Metrology, India is a very important market for us. Over the past few years we have seen a sharp increase in the level of enquires from India. We know our products are well positioned for this market and now we have a committed local distributor I am confident we can realise our sales potential in India.

Trimos Metrology (i) Pvt Ltd, with its Corporate Headquarters in Mumbai, was founded twelve years ago and has since established a first class reputation in the field of test and measurement. A national sales and support network, operating in fifteen cities across the country, is supported by six regional sales offices and technical centres located in key industrial areas. With the addition of the Aberlink products, Trimos Metrology (i) Pvt Ltd will be able to offer its customers a comprehensive range of dimensional metrology, metallurgy, leak testing, software and non-destructive testing products and services.

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"A tangible example of the show's success was an off-the-stand CMM sale to Kalstan Precision Engineering Ltd.

Gavin continued "While at the show Kalstan Director, Stephen Kalmar, compared the merits of our CMMs to those of our major competitors. His decision to select Aberlink once again underlines our competitiveness when compared with the larger brands, makings this a particularly gratifying order to receive. Another off-the-stand order was the sale of our recently launched portable arm software to a leading F1 Team. This product will allow them to standardise on one software package for their mix of portable measuring arms. Applying our normal enquiry conversion rates, anticipated sales directly attributable to our MACH attendance will easily top six figures. The up-beat mood of the show confirms Aberlink's experience over the past 12 months, both in the UK and worldwide, in terms of improved levels of business and our increase in the global CMM market share. As sales of our Axiom Too and Zenith Too bridge CMMs are currently booming, our UK manufacturing plant is working at full capacity to satisfy our full order book. Consequently, turnover within this fiscal year is more than 50 per cent above target and we are now actively recruiting production and development staff."

For more about MACH2010 visit www.mach2010.com

For more about Kalstan Precision Engineering Ltd visit www.kalstanengineering.co.uk

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The Aberlink range of CMM fixture kits offer a quick, simple and flexible approach to CMM fixture design. The patent pending t-slot and t-nut technology allows infinite positioning of the fixture components in any direction. Support posts, clamps and locators can be precisely positioned to accuracy and securely support the component during measurement. Each kit consists of a solid base and selection of multipurpose components manufactured from anodized aluminium and high-quality stainless steel. High accuracy laser engraved reference scales assist with component positioning, faster repeat setups and high-precision fixtures builds.

Download a CMM Fixture Kit Datasheet

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These high injection pressures are absolutely essential to enable engines to meet current and future emissions legislation, but require incredible manufacturing tolerances - often in the sub-micron region. Delphi's EUI systems incorporate full electronic control, with pilot injection reducing noise. Ensuring optimum operation efficiency, sensors located around the engine feed a continuous stream of data to the engine control unit (ECU), which calculates the exact amount of fuel to be injected and the timing of its delivery. An international truck manufacturer recently challenged Delphi Stonehouse to tighten the geometric tolerances on the interface between the EUIs from 100 to 30um.

Exceeding drawing requirements and beyond the inherent capability of the processes involved, the new increased tolerance demanded a revaluation of the manufacturing and inspection methods. A manufacturing and inspection strategy was embarked upon for the high-volume injectors. An inspection bottle-neck was quickly identified as a major potential difficulty. In consultation with Chris Gay, one of the Delphi Stonehouse's preferred inspection-equipment suppliers, several potential gauging solutions were explored. Having deemed dedicated fixtures as being too inflexible, an ideal solution was found, in the Axiom Too Coordinate Measuring Machine from Aberlink.

Will Johnson, quality manager at Delphi Stonehouse, said: 'Within a two-week period, working closely with Delphi personnel, Aberlink ran injector measurement trials, made minor modifications to its software, successfully completed arduous RandR trials and installed two Axiom Too CNC CMMs within the Stonehouse facility. 'Mindful of the urgency of our requirements and to further expedite the procurement process, we took advantage of Aberlink's Lease Hire Scheme. 'As the Aberlink operator interface is relatively simple, we have enjoyed the benefits of a reduced training time, while the high speed of our new Aberlink CMMs will enable us to keep up with the current unit-inspection volume of 2000 units per week and our projected throughput of 3000 units,' he added.

Always at the forefront of CMM innovation, Aberlink has recently completed installation of several specialist machining centres at its worldwide headquarters in Gloucester. Every Aberlink CMM features a high-grade aluminium bridge incorporating premium-quality air bearings, ensuring optimum performance across a range of environments, including less than perfect shop-floor conditions.

Integration of the machine electronics into the CMM frame, rather than a separate desk unit, has resulted in Aberlink machines boasting the smallest footprint of any equivalent-sized machine. Aberlink's 3D measurement-software provides the user with a powerful yet easy to use interface, substantially increasing new users' component throughput. Aberlink's flexible 3D metrology software package has been developed as a multi-platform solution. In addition to supporting both manual and CNC CMMs, it can also be used on portable arms, vision systems, video machines and profile projectors.

Further information: www.delphi.com

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Managing Director Nigel Davison explains: 'In the medium to long term, we expect that our planned increase in business will largely depend on our ability to manufacture large complex parts from difficult-to-machine materials, and in our capacity to strengthening our position in industry specific supply chains - such as oil and gas, renewable energy and aerospace. To realise these company ambitions, and to help maintain our current competitive advantage, we have recently made a number of significant changes to our business.'

'Having previously been operating at full capacity, the first phase of our expansion programme, an 18,000 sq ft factory extension, means that we now have room to grow. To ensure the quality of the output from our large capacity horizontal machining centre, we have purchased a Romer Sigma Measuring Arm and Aberlink 3D software. Mindful of the size of the components to be measured, and their demanding tolerances, we consulted Northern Metrology. After considering the range of large capacity measuring tasks to be performed, Tony Smith the owner of NM, suggested employing a combination of two complementary technologies, a 2.5 metre Romer Sigma Measuring Arm, linked to Aberlink 3D Measuring Software. Now fully employed our new measuring arm/software combination is proving both easy to use and able to meet our stringent geometric part accuracy specifications.'

One of the lightest measuring arms in its class, the Romer Sigma offers total flexibility through the use of the wireless communications, optimum rigidity and its infinite rotation ability. The Sigma series provides total compatibility with all Romer accessories and equipment, including both contact and non-contact sensors and laser digitisation equipment. Aberlink's 3D measurement software can be used with almost any measuring arm. Featuring automatic shape recognition, a bi-product of an Aberlink 3D inspection routine is that a picture of the measured component is created simultaneously on the system's computer screen. Dimensions between the measured features, mirroring those that appear on the component drawing, are then picked off as required. This software package represents an 'intelligent' measuring system that can automatically recognise and define the various features being measured. Aberlink 3D is claimed to be the easiest to use, most intuitive measuring arm software available; such that a complete novice can usually perform relatively complex measurement routines after just 5 minutes product training.

Further information: Express Engineering

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After a period of extensive product development, the latest version of Aberlink's easy to use measurement software, Aberlink 3D, can now be employed with portable measuring arms. FARO have always supported an open architecture philosophy, and following successful test at customers sites in both the UK and Germany, decided to make Aberlink 3D software available as an option for the FARO Gage for their European customers.

Aberlink's measurement software package was designed around an intuitive user interface that creates an interactive 3D image of the component as it is measured. In essence the software package represents an intelligent measuring system that is able to automatically recognise and define the various features being measured.

Software features developed specifically for FARO measuring arms ensure the on-screen image is always correctly orientated to match the measured part. Other innovations allow the arm to be used to control mouse functionality and the arm buttons to retake points and accept features. High speed scanning enables a standard fixed probe to be used to collect a high density of touch points using time and distance based point spacing.

FARO's David Homewood, Area VP Sales, UK, France & Distribution, said: "The software solution from Aberlink offers an excellent fit for our FARO Gage. The software offers simple functionality and visual representation of the parts being measured. Combined with a professional reporting package the Aberlink software adds new capability to the FARO Gage."

About FARO

FARO develops and markets computer-aided coordinate measurement systems and measurement software worldwide. The portable measurement equipment from FARO permits high-precision 3D measurements and 3D comparisons of parts and complete systems within production and quality assurance processes. They are used for inspecting components and component assemblies, production planning, and inventory documentation, as well as for the investigation and reconstruction of accident sites and crime scenes. They are also used for digital scanning of historical sites.

Today, approximately 9,500 customers worldwide with more than 20,000 installations have put their trust in the company's measurement systems (NASDAQ: FARO). Global headquarters is in Lake Mary, Florida/USA, while the European headquarters of FARO is located in Korntal-Munchingen near Stuttgart, Germany. FARO maintains other branch offices in Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK.

Further information: www.faro.com/uk

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