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CGI Metrology Technology

CGI' innovative cross sectional scanning technology allows you to view your injection molded connector or medical device parts as never before. We take your part, pot it in a two-part urethane and then machine down ultra thin mold and part layers. Every time we remove an ultra thin layer, we scan the surface with a high-resolution camera. Then repeat the process until the entire part is digitized.

This metrology procedure generates a 3D point cloud of the entire part internally as well as externally. The point cloud can then be imported into software allowing a direct comparison of the point cloud to a CAD model. This type of comparison, called 3D color mapping, enables you to easily see how closely the injection molded part compares to the intended design. The benefit: a better way to shorten tool qualification, inspect tooling on routine basis or identify potential form-fit and function issues. Additionally, the point cloud can also be measured directly using CGI's proprietary Spec.Check software. This system empowers users to create virtual cross sections anywhere in the point cloud of an injection molded connector or medical part, and then utilize probe boxes to create first article inspection measurement templates.

The following links and summary will help you to visualize and understand how our 3D scanning software works. Click below to obtain the accurate and reliable data you're seeking to improve your molded parts inspection system, and injection molded connector or medical parts quality.

Watch a step-by-step complex internal 3-D geometry protptype parts inspection

Click here to view First Article Parts Prototype Inspection Reports

Small, and often complex, medical parts to be inspected are placed on a set-up frame within a standard mold. Encase-it potting material covers and fills the part. Once the mold is filled, a potting station ensures that encase-it fills all the internal and external features of the part.

	Mounting The potted medical device is mounted on an aluminum base and secured to the mill table. The system operator selects the mold dimensions and the part material.
	Milling The system uses a precise fly cutter to accurately machine away ultra-thin layers of the encased medical device. Hardened Encase-it material reinforces the part and provides high contrast between the part and the mold material, defining the edge contours of each layer.
	Scanning After each layer is machined away, the CGI 3D scanning system uses a digital camera to capture the newly exposed surface of the medical device. For example, areas that are subject to molding flash will be revealed. This 3D scan data is sent to the first of two software stages. The processing software automatically files each layer of data to the hard drive to ensure that no information is lost.
	Post-Processing The 3-D bitmap is input into the post-processing stage, creating points at the intersections of Encase-it and the small medical device or connector on each scanned Z-axis plane. Noise is filtered out, and the file is output at user-definable sample rates. Files can be output in various formats, such as IGES, ASCII or Binary Points.