Moving CMM

[mhesse]

Has anyone here had to move a CMM from one building to the next? We are about 3 weeks from moving into a new shop. Management has asked me to start preparing the Cmm for it's journey. I do not Know if this is a good idea. I have never seen the way a new machine is packaged to know where the shipping brackets go. I do not feel too comfortable with this situation right now, if anyone has any diagrams/instructions on what I need to do to be sure that my machine does not get damaged Please share. The machine is a B & S Global FX.
Thanks
Mike

[kbotta]

Can you contact BnS for advice? Sorry, I 've never had to move one...
Kev

[Rick Coleman]

I would try to talk your company into contracting with B&S or with one of several other contractors that specifically do this work. They will know the proper places for all the shipping widgets. They will also, or should be able to recalibrate the machine after setup and will also be insured if there's an oops.

[Mark Farren]

got the brackets??

Do you have the original shipping brackets that came with the machine? They are bright yellow. If so, there s/b threaded holes on the insides of your bridge, mount the brackets to them then line it up with the tapped holes in the granite. The Z rail mounts down to the table with one of the brackets. Hopefully it's kinda self explanitory if you have the original brackets.
HTH

[mhesse]

thanks Mark,
yes we have the yellow brackets. I will have to take a look at them. I would like to use a outside company that does this every day but managment doesn't want to. It costs money, and they don't see the need to pay to have the CMM packaged correctly. I don't like this. It could be a very expensive oops yet.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

On the old board, this was brought up once or twice, but I do not remember anything about it, other than that it was brought up. There are companies that do this, and they are insured and if something happens YOU are covered (but not sure how well or how much). You can contact B&S about moving it for you and I am pretty sure that would include the new calibration. I sure hope that the ********* were not planning on moving it, then just putting it back into service. As for the shipping brackets, if you look at the table, you should see a pair of taps that do not match the rest of the pattern, that is where the brackets go (at least on my machine). You float the machine into location, then gently attach the brackets, but tight enough to hold it in place. As for the actual, correct procedure, it will depend on the machine, and since it is not mine, I would hate to tell you how to do it and then have it not work and for you to have a pretzel when you get done moving it. That is why I think it would be best for you to hire the job out to someone who does it for a living. Why be stingy on a few thousand bucks (?) and have to invest in a new CMM? Pinching the pennies and then flushing away the dollars does not make anyone any money.

[Underspec]

It differs how the brackets go depends on what CMM you have. Your distributor (people who you bought it from) should have a manual on where to mount the brackets. If they don't have this, make them get it for you. When you purchased your CMM it should come with everything you need, including information on how to package and move it.

[Hilton Roberts]

I have moved one DEA twice and two Brown and Sharpe machines once.

I use Brown and Sharpe to supervise the rigging and transport and use our facilities folks to do the move.

We have had no problems and have gotten the machines up and running in short order.

The actual move is not as important as the preparation for the move. That part is critical to making the move trouble free.

Hilton

[Paul Sarrach]

Go with what Matt said. I have heard horror stories about not getting someone who does this for a living. You would not bring in the catering truck person in to run your programs just because they say they can do it. Everytime someone tries to say a dime it costs them ten bucks..........

[mhesse]

they understand it needs calibration, but they think we should be able to move it easily. I agree with you matt I would rather not do something as foolish as moving it ourselves. I am not qualified to be moving this thing. I'll see if there is anything in our manuals that show the bracket positions, and keep telling them it's a bad idea to try this ourselves.
thanks for the advice

[ag162]

I have one thing to say,,,,,,,CYA. Make sure that you state in an email to your mgt that it takes trained individuals to move the cmm, then if there is damage, they are the ones responsible for the repairs and you are not confident of your ability to make the appropriate preparations for a move.

A.Gore

[STANLEY]

If you don't hire somebody to move it, and you move it yourself. They will blame you if anything that goes wrong . Thats the way ********* work. I would insist on they hire someone.

[kpayne]

We have moved a Brown & Sharpe 7-10-7 from Canada to Mexico a few years back and had Brown & Sharpe take care of everything. Everything went well and would recommend them to anyone that had a machine to move.

[Paul Sarrach]

Good advice Alton. Copy all these posts and add it to your email.

[tking]

I serviced CMMs for many years, use the brackets, most systems come with info on where they go or at least how to remove them, put them on in reverse order.

One item often overlooked (costly) are the reader heads, one on each axis, these can usually be backed off from the scale (or removed, mark them as to what axis). This can prevent scale and / or reader head damage which is very costly and time consuming to repair / replace.

If the transport goes without mishap you're 90% there. A full calibration will be required to get the heads set up correctly again as well as adjusting to the machines new geometry (it will change at least to some degree).

A nice slow ride with a forklift for a block or 2 seldom caused me grief at the new site. A longer trip suggested an air ride truck.

Be there with the machine for the whole process, everyone takes more care when they know the person responsible for the machine is present.

I would have Brown & Sharpe do it given a choice, at least they can get spare parts and calibration equipment if needed.

Have fun, relax, 10 years from now nobody will care.

TK