Horizon CMM Case Study
FeTu Limited, based in Elland, West Yorkshire, is the company behind a novel positive displacement low-velocity turbine that combines the characteristics of radial, axial and reciprocal designs into a single unit built with just two moving parts. Described by FeTu as a genuinely new energy architecture, the technology targets applications across power generation, pumping, compression, expansion and thermal propulsion, and has been developed and validated in collaboration with partners including the University of Bath, the Manufacturing Technology Centre and Innovate UK.
As an Innovation Driven Enterprise, FeTu's work sits at the sharp end of engineering development, translating a fundamentally new mechanical concept into hardware that performs reliably and repeatably in the real world. That translation happens in the company's manufacturing facility, headed by Steven Howes, where new machining processes and manufacturing techniques are trialled and refined for the extremely tight tolerance parts the FeTu technology depends on.
With features on some components requiring profile tolerances down to sub-10 micron levels, Steven and his team needed an inspection capability that could keep pace with an R&D environment: fast, dense, highly accurate feedback while different machining approaches are being tried and refined, not just a pass/fail check once a process is already locked in.
That meant a CMM capable of capturing large volumes of scan data without compromising on accuracy, paired with reporting that could turn that data into clear, visual feedback the machining team could act on immediately.
""I looked at a lot of options before choosing Aberlink.
What stood out was the combination of accuracy and dense scanning data from the SP25M. With some of our tolerances sub-10 microns, we needed both. Aberlink 3D's graphical reports make it easy to see what's happening with a feature, whether we're trialling different machining methods or just adjusting a tool offset. It's given us fast, reliable feedback in an environment where we're constantly refining our processes." – Steven Howes | Director of Manufacturing"
Steven carried out extensive research before choosing Aberlink, and settled on a Horizon CNC CMM fitted with a Renishaw SP25M tactile scanning probe, Aberlink's most accurate CMM configuration with a base specification of 1.5 microns.
The SP25M's dense tactile scanning gives FeTu the volume of data needed to properly characterise a surface or profile, while retaining the accuracy margin required against sub-10 micron tolerances. Aberlink 3D's graphical reporting then presents that data in a form that is quick and easy to interpret, whether the team is comparing the form of a feature across a few different machining methods or carrying out a straightforward position check to adjust a machine tool offset.
The Horizon and SP25M combination gives FeTu's R&D team the accuracy and data density to inspect with confidence against some of the tightest tolerances in the business, supporting a development process where the manufacturing technique itself is often still being proven. Fast, clear graphical feedback from Aberlink 3D keeps that process moving, helping the team iterate on machining approaches without inspection becoming the bottleneck.
As FeTu continues advance the commercial and industrial adoption of it’s technology, the Horizon CMM is set to remain central to how new processes and techniques are proven out on the shop floor.
The best way to show you how quick and easy the Horizon is to use is to arrange a demonstration at your factory, measuring your parts. Please get in contact via the info request button if you would like a demonstration of the Horizon CMM.