Southern Gear is meeting customer requirements for the precise measurement of increasingly complex cylindrical and bevel gears with two advanced new Keyence Image Dimension Measurement Systems, capable of measuring up to 300 dimensions on as many as 100 parts in just seconds.

Dimensional measurement with conventional instruments and measurement tools is typically a slow, tedious process requiring the setup and adjustment of multiple complex fixtures – a process that’s heavily dependent on highly trained operators to achieve accurate and consistent results. With the new Keyence IM-8000 systems, setup and operation is greatly simplified and highly automated. For example, there is no time-consuming part positioning work or datum setup required. The simple ‘place-and-press’ operation ensures consistent measurement of hundreds of dimensions on multiple parts with just the push of a button and regardless of operator skill.

“These new systems seem tailor-made for the complex precision parts we’re producing today for customers across the widest spectrum of applications,” says Southern Gear President Karen Malin. “We’re working to speed throughput in every facet of our operation; these new systems are taking significant time and effort out of these increasingly important operations.”

The addition of the Keyence systems is part of a multi-million dollar, company-wide investment in new technologies, methodologies and processes that, over the last several years, has, according to Malin, added much needed capacity to Southern Gear’s vertically-integrated shop floor.