CMM Enclosures: Why the Machine Environment Matters
If you’ve spent good money on a coordinate-measuring machine (CMM), it makes sense to protect it. Even the best of equipment can be vulnerable or make mistakes in the wrong conditions, especially when you’re dealing with machines with tight tolerances. This is where CMM enclosures can help, as they give your machine a quiet, clean, and stable place to do its job. In this article, we’ll cover what a CMM enclosure is, why controlling environmental conditions around your machine matters, and why modular enclosures are the best fit for CMMs.
What Is a CMM Enclosure?
A CMM enclosure is a room that houses a coordinate measuring machine. The purpose of adding an enclosure in the first place is to help protect the machine from a few factors, including temperature changes, humidity, vibrations, and small particles; though these may seem minor or insignificant, such factors can affect the accuracy of measurements.
If you don’t have the right environment, the best CMM machine in the world can deliver the wrong data, which could mean a disaster for your manufacturing processes. A CMM enclosure simply creates a stable space for your machine to work as it should.
The Importance of Environmental Conditions for CMM Enclosures
As we alluded to already, CMMs are sensitive machines, and this is due to the fact that they deal with very tiny parts and extremely tight tolerances. An unexpected or small shift in conditions can lead to inaccurate readings/results. Here are a few environmental conditions that are controlled to keep your CMMs working properly:
Temperature
CMMs work the best at around 68°F (20°C), with only minor fluctuations of a degree or two. But anything outside this tight range (even a difference of one degree) can cause big problems.
Because the parts being worked on are so small, even slight thermal expansion or contraction can affect measurements. CMM enclosures, as a result, often make use of insulated wall panels and HVAC systems.
Humidity
Furthermore, humidity can also be a problem for CMMs. It can lead to condensation on metal parts, or else cause damage to your machine over time.
As a result, most enclosures try to keep a relative humidity of 40% to 60% (and sometimes slightly higher). In CMM enclosures, HVAC systems can help control temperature, and often include dehumidifiers to help keep humidity within range.
Vibrations
Since CMMs have to read parts with such tight tolerances, small vibrations (caused by forklifts, moving materials, other machines, etc.) can affect the machine’s readings. CMM enclosures can help reduce the negative effects of vibrations by creating a barrier that absorbs them.
Airborne/Suspended Particles
Finally, CMMs can also be thrown off by tiny airborne particles. As a result, many CMM enclosures need sealed wall panels, HEPA filters to help trap the dust, as well as positive air pressure to keep lower-quality air (and the particles along with it) from seeping into the space.
Benefits of Modular CMM Enclosures
If you’re forced to decide between traditional construction and modular for your enclosures, there isn’t much of a choice. Modular enclosures are a much more practical way to guard your CMMs, and here are a few of the biggest reasons why:
Faster Installation
Modular walls are built off-site in a factory and then assembled at your location. This means that your enclosure can go up in days rather than weeks. There’s no need to deal with multiple contractors, no drywall or framing, and no long delays. By working with a single modular manufacturer, you can make sure your enclosure goes up quickly and with few disruptions.
Custom Fit
No matter what kind of CMM, whether bridge, cantilever, gantry, or horizontal arm, modular enclosures can be built to fit around them. Modular manufacturers like MachineEnclosure.com can also create sliding doors, machine access hatches, removable ceiling tiles, glass observation panels, and much more.
Flexibility
Further, if you need to move your enclosure later, or expand to include more space for materials, a small team can disassemble and reassemble the panels easily. With traditional construction, this would be near impossible, but with modular you have the ability to change as your business does.
Lower Costs
Last but not least, modular enclosures cost less to build and install than traditionally built enclosures. Because modular panels are pre-fabricated, and therefore require less labor, savings are passed on to the customer.
Also, given the flexibility of the enclosures, you’re able to get a much better return on investment than you would with traditional structures.
The Bottom Line
If your manufacturing process uses a CMM, then the environment around it matters just as much as the quality of the machine itself. Modular CMM enclosures give you control over the conditions that surround the equipment, and this in turn helps your CMM create reliable results.
Interested in setting up CMM enclosures to protect your machinery? Reach out to the experts at MachineEnclosure.com to get a quote on new buildouts.
FAQs About CMM Enclosures
1. Can a CMM enclosure include lighting or electrical outlets?
Yes, absolutely. Modular CMM enclosures can include integrated LED lighting, electrical outlets, data ports, and much more. The placement of these can be chosen to your exact requirements during the design phase.
2. What kind of maintenance do modular CMM enclosures require?
One of the perks of modular enclosures is that they tend to require very little maintenance. You may have to do routine cleaning of wall panels, air filters (if installed), and some inspections of door seals or joints from time to time. And if a panel is damaged, it’s simple to replace it without having to take down the whole wall/building.
3. Can CMM enclosures be installed in active production floors?
Yes, they certainly can be. Modular enclosures can be brought in through normal doors and built right on the production floor, with few if any disruptions to normal work.
