Ian Hutchinson is a magnificent addition to the Made to Measure team!
Born in England, Ian has traveled the world and lived on 3 of 7 continents in his lifetime. As a passionate traveler, woodworker, and boat enthusiast with a eye for perfection, Ian keeps himself busy in his free time! Holding a degree in Mechanical Engineering and 40 years of experience, including Rolls Royce Aerospace division, Ian is a strong provider of technical knowledge and excellent customer service. Previously, he worked around the world for many Large CMM manufacturers, installing, calibrating, repairing and even building some of the machines on-site at the customer’s facility.
Ian believes the science of measuring, better known in the field as metrology, is very important to the future of manufacturing development and quality. We asked him a couple questions about his experience with CMMs —
What do CMM’s provide to a manufacturing/engineering company?
A reassurance that the part is correct before shipping
What makes a quality CMM?
Apart from the material’s in construction and the person that assembled it and made the error map. Location, Temperature and the Operator also play very influential roles.
How do I start choosing a CMM? What do I need to know before searching the market?
Know what tolerances you have on your part and what is the machine capable of measuring to.
How important is training to running a CMM? Can anyone do it?
Very important to have training to understand alignment, datum’s, measurement of elements and thermal affects. Most people can run a CMM in operator mode with a minimum of training
What are your skills as far as CMM’s go?
- Calibrations and Maintenance of measuring equipment.
- Installation, integration, and support of CMM Products.
- Retrofits of used CMM equipment, hardware, and software.
- Preventative maintenance as well as corrective repairs.
- Troubleshooting mechanical and electrical problems.
- Knowledge of various OEMs including, Zeiss, Brown & Sharpe, & Mitutoyo to name a few.