Riflescope Manufacturer Hunts Down New CMM Technology to Meet Critical Precision Requirements
Founded in 1992, Nightforce Optics manufactures a high-end brand of riflescopes, popular with sportsmen, competitive shooters, and the U.S. Military. To help meet the high precision demanded in the manufacture of these scopes, the company recently turned to LK Metrology to improve its CMM capabilities.
LK Metrology Altera 'S' 7.5.5 CMM at Nightforce Optics measuring riflescopes and spotting scopes.
Headquartered in the small town of Orofino, Idaho, Nightforce Optics jumped into the highly competitive precision shooting market 28 years ago with the goal of building the best riflescopes in the world. That goal has turned into reality as the company continues to excel with advanced manufacturing and testing technologies.
Scott Johnson, quality manager for Nightforce Optics says, "Our approach continues to be designing and building top-of-the-line optics from the ground up. We serve the needs of military special forces, law enforcement agencies, serious competitive shooters and hunters who need the most dependable and best performing optics available. Much of the product line is hand assembled in the Orofino production facility. 100% of these products undergo a rigorous 70-point quality checklist that tests and verifies that each product meets the highest standards for quality and functional accuracy before leaving the facility."
Riflescopes have a wide range of precision mating parts that are all crucial to the accuracy and performance of each product. For example, scope body tubes are made from aerospace aluminum bar stock and machined by specially designed CNC multi spindle lathes. Also, complicated multiple start thread designs with very tight tolerances in adjustment parts require thorough inspections using custom made calibrated gages to ensure precision in each moving part.
Renishaw's PH20 probe head gave NightForce the touch-trigger capability for fast, infinite rotary positioning for high-speed point capture with minimal CMM movement.
"In addition, we perform 'first article' inspections that require proper documentation along with in-line inspections during the production run of parts to ensure the parts conform to the design requirements. As the expanding need for accurate and documented quality inspections is required, you need to have the best measuring equipment," says Johnson.
He further explains, "When I first came to Nightforce Optics, it was obvious we needed to reinforce our Coordinate Measuring (CMM) capabilities. Over the years, CMM technology has vastly improved and we wanted to expand our measuring capabilities."
They searched for five-axis capability and found it with a Renishaw® PH20 probe head that gave them the throughput that they needed for production requirements. The PH20 probe head gave them the touch-trigger capability for fast, infinite rotary positioning for high-speed point capture with minimal CMM movement.
Different riflescope components being measured by the LK Metrology Altera 'S' CMM.
The question then was, whose CMM would be the best fit. Nightforce talked to a variety of CMM builders and agreed LK Metrology's Altera 'S' 7.5.5 five axis CMM best fit their needs.
"We needed a modification of the CMM platform to be able to fit it into our temperature-controlled inspection laboratory, and LK Metrology was willing to work with us to meet our needs. They were willing to match a configuration with our stated desires and modify a standard set-up while supplying the necessary accuracies. In the process, LK Metrology demonstrated the CMM Manger software of the CMM and proved its capability with the PH20 probe head," says Johnson.
In 2018, LK Metrology was relaunched as an independent CMM manufacturer after several years as a division of Nikon Metrology. Headquartered in the UK. They are known for innovative CMM hardware and software solutions.
VIDEO: NightForce Optics Torture Test
The LK Metrology Altera 'S' 7.5.5 five-axis CMM is a multipurpose CMM with the most advanced capabilities in a compact CMM class. Innovative multi-sensor-ready technology allows the user to expand the capability to meet customer requirements without expensive controller updates.
"Because of recent multi-million-dollar military contracts for riflescopes that Nightforce Optics has acquired as well as continued growth in commercial sales, it looks as if the company will continue expanding even more in the years to come. I'm confident that the good working relationship we have established with LK Metrology will be crucial as well," Johnson concludes.
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