United Precision Services, Inc., a leading provider of turnkey medium to large CNC machine tool solutions, is offering MicroStep’s dome-cutting technology to the North America fabrication market. The MicroStep beveling tool station allows CNC gantry-style cutting machines to measure the true shape of 3D objects (such as a dome) and use this measurement to help guide the cutting process. In this way, contours and openings can be cut with the highest degree of accuracy in compliance with production requirements including beveled edges for weld preparation.
3D metal processing is essential to the production of pressure vessels, boilers, and similar equipment. United Precision Services National Sales Manager, John Prevish explained that the challenge facing fabricators is to make the process fast and easy to setup while providing accurate results that won’t require further, often manual, processing.
“It is not uncommon for the actual shape of a dome to differ from the ideal shape by several centimeters,” said Prevish. “By allowing the actual dimension of a dome to lay within allowed tolerances, MicroStep’s 3D scanning technology greatly increases accuracy. Conventional methods of positioning corrections via control of plasma arc voltage are not applicable with 3D cutting. Employing a scanner, however, allows users to create a model of the actual surface and use the model to analyze the dome’s shape, locate its center, and define the exact toolpath above the surface.”
Delivering Results
Thanks to the modular structure of MicroStep machines in terms of dimensions, types, cutting zone locations, and tool station configurations, United Precision Services can provide a machine according to the exact requirements of a customer´s product. This allows a single gantry with a bevel tool station, 3D scanner and marker to be used for processing domes as well as flat sheets.
Since the first machine was installed in 2003, MicroStep has delivered more than 60 CNC cutting machines with dome cutting capabilities. mScan was introduced in 2016, today more than 40 dome cutting solutions are operating throughout 15 countries.
In 2021, MicroStep further advanced the 3D cutting process with the introduction of CAMLive. This novel approach to cutting 3D objects makes it possible to scan the true shape of 3D objects such as dome segments, cast or formed parts, and adjust mCAM-generated cutting paths accordingly to the object’s true shape. As a result, the scanning process is no longer limited to domes and beams. Together with the optimization of the scanning process, CAMLive makes advanced dome processing more user friendly.
About United Precision
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, United Precision Services, Inc. is a 22-year-old organization representing some of the highest quality and most reputable CNC machine tool builders in the world. The company represents specialized builders in the medium to large part machining segment of the industry.
The working showroom at United Precision is one of the largest in the world. Today, we have import and distribution rights for HEXRAM (USA), MTE (Spain), BOST (Spain), HURON (France), MATEC (Germany), ROMI Heavy Duty Lathes (Brazil), MAUSA (Brazil), and MicroStep (Slovakia).
Our partners and dealers throughout North America are trained on the products we bring to market and in many cases aid in the support of the machinery through their life cycle.
Learn more at: www.unitedprecisionservices.com.
