How Schneider Electric improved tooling maintenance with Kreon’s 3D measurement system

Solving tool restoration challenges without existing CAD files

Schneider Electric has encountered difficulties in restoring its tools and molds without existing CAD files. This situation is common in older machined components, such as plastic injection molds or stamping dies. The company requires a system capable of accurately scanning these tools and recreating them through machining or 3D printing.

To meet this challenge, Schneider Electric integrated the Kreon Zephyr III 3D scanner with the Kreon Ace+ measuring arm. With an outstanding resolution of 15 μm, the Zephyr III 50 scanner can measure tiny details such as very fine edges or engravings. With extreme precision (5 μm), the Zephyr III 50, combined with the Ace+ arm, makes it possible to digitise mechanical parts with demanding geometric tolerancing. Thanks to the probe under the scanner, it is also possible to probe certain surfaces, for example, to speed up the alignment of the part with the CAD during inspection.

The Ace+ arm offers sufficient measuring volume (2.5 m) to easily inspect the largest tooling up to 1 metre wide, meeting the needs of the maintenance team.

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Before scanning, teams evaluate the function of each part, addressing questions such as:

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Once the part is scanned, a point cloud is generated and converted into a mesh and then optimised using smoothing and filling tools. The final file can then be used for fast 3D printing.

Geomagic Design X software plays a key role in this process.

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Why choose the Zephyr III 50 mm scanner with Geomagic Design X software?

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Geomagic Design X makes reverse engineering easy by transforming scanned data into accurate CAD models. After scanning, the software allows the mesh to be edited quickly (filtering, hole filling) and automatically recognises geometric shapes (cylinders, planes, free surfaces).

Powerful modelling assistants quickly generate shapes from the mesh. Whether for simple geometric shapes or complex surfaces, Geomagic Design X can handle any situation with ease. At all stages, the color mapping allows the reconstructed model to be compared to the mesh for precise validation. As a result, reverse engineering is faster and more efficient.

"The Kreon measuring arm and scanner, combined with the Geomagic Design X software, have enabled us to model parts that could not be modelled otherwise." explains Fabien Brunet. "Geomagic Design X truly allows you to model parts accurately and save time on sizing."

On this site, the maintenance teams have more than 1000 tools under management, so a highly productive solution is essential for them. The integration of Kreon's 3D scanning technology with Geomagic Design X has optimised the reverse engineering process, improving efficiency in maintenance and repair operations.

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