Page 16 - EDM Today Spring 2025

EDM Today Magazine
Feature Article
ON
ON-MACHINE -MACHINE
INSPEC
INSPECTIONSTIONS
EDM Today Magazine
By Brian Pfl uger
Brian Pfl uger is an EDM
Regional Sales Manager for
Makino, but has held different
positions in the Application
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Engineering and Product
Management Teams over his
20+ years at Makino. Brian
started his career as a 4th
Generation Tool and Die Maker
(interestingly a 3rd Generation
EDMer), and also as a
Machine Trades Instructor.
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Brian brings a wealth of knowl-
edge and shop experience to
our EDM Today readers, and he
is a regular contributor to the
magazine with special articles
and content. Brian’s primary
responsibilities in his current
Regional Sales Manager role
is supporting salesmen and
customers with engineered
EDM solutions.
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A measure of one’s greatness is reserved for the eye of the beholder,
utilized to validate the level and magnitude of achieved excellence. The three
primary machine performance factors that are universally understood and
however for machines, many forms of measurements exist that can be
applied to our work are: Cycle Time, +/- Accuracy, and Surface Finish. While
Cycle Time is easiest to comprehend and judge, the validation of Accuracy
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Traditional process methodology transfers a fi nished workpiece from its
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and Surface Finish requires the use of specialized tools and equipment.
machine of manufacture to a dedicated inspection device, such as a
CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) for the fi nal validation of accuracy.
While this method is sound, it requires the part to be transferred back to
the machine and set up a second time to be re-machined to correct any
accuracy fl aws, inducing undesirable added labor and time to the overall
process. To minimize this extra and unwanted manufacturing cost, basic
accuracy checks can be performed while the part is still set up in the
machine, and this On-Machine inspection can include a growing list
of high-tech tools.
concern and restrictions related to ISO Standards. While On-Machine
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Before we jump into the technical EDM-specifi c content related to
On-Machine/In-Process inspection, we need to address the primary
inspections are a useful and benefi cial tool, they DO NOT replace the
need for a fi nal validated inspection process. ISO Standards establish
three critical rules that we must follow in the machine world, which
are also part of a company’s defi ned Quality Control System:
The same machine that produces a part CANNOT be used to inspect
the fi nal “offi cial” measurements of a workpiece.
A Master Inspection Device is identifi ed in the Quality Control System that
is also regularly calibrated back to a master certifi ed specimen.
The equipment being used for inspection must be capable of
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statistical purposes. EDM Today Magazine
measurements that are ten times fi ner than the target accuracy for
BENDING THE RULES?
There is a universal desire to have an operator press the “EZ-Button” and
have the machine execute everything fl awlessly and within tolerance…all
to think or apply one’s skillsets to the process is understandable, we must
concede that reality is VASTLY different. We do want to leverage and yield
Auto-Magically! While the appeal of producing perfect parts without having
the most accurate results from On-Machine/In-Process inspections and
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trust the data the Machine Tool is providing, but ISO Standards do not
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recognize these measurements.