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HELP!! My boss wants to SCRAP my B&S Global!

Alex B-shift
I'm going to try and get right to the point; We have a 1999 B&S Global, and the Z-axis scale is broken. In the last year we've replaced several aged air lines and JUST replaced the CPU and monitors with new units. Then, while programming a HOT part last month, the machine stopped working, and the tech told us that the Z-axis scale is broken, and HE can't fix it. He claims that it would "probably cost about $40K to fix". Not sure if that's true or not. The machine's was more-or-less handed down to us when the corporate manufacturing building in Mississauga closed down, and god only knows who they hired to move it (I wasn't at the company then), but I do know that they moved it to it's current position with our own forklifts (which likely caused some damage).

So now, we have a hot job that NEEDS a CMM, and my boss wants to scrap this thing completely, and he's looking at a Zeiss. For $180k.. Machine will run on Calypso, doesn't have a mobile joystick, and will come with a whole new CPU, but with only 1 monitor. Head only indexes in 5° increments, only has 180° motion, probe rack is smaller, all in all, it's LESS of a machine than we have now, plus all the PC-DMIS programs I've made will just be useless. I REALLY don't like it, and I'm the one who will be doing 90% of the programming on it. Also, it will take 10 weeks for delivery!!

I really need to get a WORKING CMM in a month or so. XYZCMM/CMM America has no fewer than SIX used Globals of roughly the same size (and 10 to 15 years newer), but he'd rather get the shiny new KIA rather than repair the old Mercedes. I'm desperate; I NEED to convince him to NOT buy the Zeiss! Firstly, he's looking ONLY at a Zeiss because that's what the local retailer has. If he'd just drive another 50 miles to Buffalo, he could talk with CMM America and see what kind of a deal we could get there...

Frankly, I think that even at $40k, fixing the CMM we currently have would make better sense. We have it just sitting on the floor, exposed to all the dust, oil and vibration as it is, and I can't imagine putting a new $180k machine into THAT environment. Problem is, or usual tech doesn't want the repair job, so I would need to find somebody here in western/central New York who can do the repair. So, if anybody knows somebody, please, PLEASE give me a lead here..
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  • $40k sounds like one of those numbers someone quotes you when they really don't want the job. I'm sure it could be done cheaper, but it doesn't sound like your boss is interested pursuing that. The shame is that switching over to a new software will be very costly and time consuming, probably much more that your boss realizes.

    I don't know. If I were in your position, I would certainly have mixed feelings about the matter. On one hand, re-writing all of your measuring routines for a new software would be really rough for a while. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a new/newer CMM that presumably has an analog probe. And I have always wanted to see what all the hubbub was about Calipso. Some people are really into it. I have never had the opportunity to try it. I've generally heard that it is not as versatile as PC-DMIS, but it'll probably get the job done. Getting good with another software could also open up career opportunities.
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  • $40k sounds like one of those numbers someone quotes you when they really don't want the job. I'm sure it could be done cheaper, but it doesn't sound like your boss is interested pursuing that. The shame is that switching over to a new software will be very costly and time consuming, probably much more that your boss realizes.

    I don't know. If I were in your position, I would certainly have mixed feelings about the matter. On one hand, re-writing all of your measuring routines for a new software would be really rough for a while. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a new/newer CMM that presumably has an analog probe. And I have always wanted to see what all the hubbub was about Calipso. Some people are really into it. I have never had the opportunity to try it. I've generally heard that it is not as versatile as PC-DMIS, but it'll probably get the job done. Getting good with another software could also open up career opportunities.
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  • in reply to Cris_C
    I program both PC-DMIS and Calypso at my current job. I think they both have strengths and weaknesses from a hardware and software standpoint. Two things I don't have in Calypso that come in handy are readpoint alignments and sample points (there are workarounds, but in PC-DMIS it is built in). Calypso can be easier to set up plane and freeform scanning strategies and I like using the clearance cube. I don't have a preference between the two, but there are times where one might be better than the other depending on the situation.
  • in reply to Cris_C
    , Thanks for sharing. What you said at the end there reminded me of something a prior coworker said. He had pretty much worked with all of the different CMM programs over the years. He retired just a few years ago. He summed it up as "The more programs I learned, the less I like any of them. They all have different features that I wish were in the one I am currently using." Keep in mind that he is a glass-half-empty sort of fella, but I got a kick out of what he said.
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