How To Handle Down CMMs?

Thanks for the advice. That is what I figured we would have to do in the event our CMM goes down. 

We have what is called "Positive Recall". Like BigMac, we tag all sample parts for later run on the CMM. Parts in production are tagged/placarded as Positive Recall. They can continue in production if all other inspection checks/criteria check out OK. They can't be shipped until the CMM verification on the tagged part(s) check OK. A down CMM is a rarity. Calibration/verification only takes three or four hours. So down time is minimal. Repairs, if they are needed, are usually due to worn out probe bodies and heads. Any other repairs usually inidicates that the CMM is being abused, neglected or not being properly maintained/cleaned on at least a weekly basis. Our "newest" CMM dates to 2005 and is working on its third PH10 and second set of oil separators. It's never required a major repair. Our other two CMM';s date to 1985 and 1991. All three are in great shape and not being operated in true "lab" environment.

We have what is called "Positive Recall". Like BigMac, we tag all sample parts for later run on the CMM. Parts in production are tagged/placarded as Positive Recall. They can continue in production if all other inspection checks/criteria check out OK. They can't be shipped until the CMM verification on the tagged part(s) check OK. A down CMM is a rarity. Calibration/verification only takes three or four hours. So down time is minimal. Repairs, if they are needed, are usually due to worn out probe bodies and heads. Any other repairs usually inidicates that the CMM is being abused, neglected or not being properly maintained/cleaned on at least a weekly basis. Our "newest" CMM dates to 2005 and is working on its third PH10 and second set of oil separators. It's never required a major repair. Our other two CMM';s date to 1985 and 1991. All three are in great shape and not being operated in true "lab" environment.

What kind of schedule "properly maintained/cleaned on at least a weekly basis" do you work on?

We used to clean the ways on our CMM every day. That was when smoking was allowed in the lab. It was a nightmare keeping them clean. I now clean then every Monday morning when I arrive. Dirt and dust is almost non-existant and zero nicotine since smoking was banned. The table (or the ways) of our CMMs are cleaned whenever I see someone put their grubby oily hands on them. Our sister plant in Detroit spent nearly $15,000 refurbing their CMM. The repair tech said the machine was being neglected. I then drove the 350 miles there and spent the day teaching the operators AND the plant manager AND Quality manager how to properly clean and maintain the CMM. They only use it once a week and they now clean it before they use it.

Dude I could never imagine a world where smoking in the QA lab was okay. That sounds like a wild time. My facility has 300, 500, and 1000 ton Injection molding presses that make a ton of dirt and dust fly all over the place over time. We have so much dust caked up in the rafters 100 feet up I don't even wanna think about it. Luckily we are in an enclosed office space with a controlled temperature environment.

When I was little, grocery stores had an ashtray at end of every other isle, and smoking was allowed in high school, with parental permission slip on file.

I have a vivid memory of when I was a kid in the early 90's and going to Pizza Hut, and practically any restaurant and they had smoking sections. I've seen pictures of kids smoking at schools in what looked like a "smoking section" for the kids. It's so crazy to imagine.

I work in a fabrication facility, there is a robot welder literally 30' from the rollup door leading to my CMM. We are in an enclosed room but it's not airtight, nor positive pressure which results in the finely atomized iron from the welding fumes all over the building permeating our entire lab. Any and all surfaces somewhat rapidly acquire a dusting of brown magnetic dust. Maybe someday they will invest in a better system, but it's been 15 years already, so I doubt it. Meanwhile we will keep the feather dusters handy to brush off our machines exposed scales.  At least they are perpendicular to gravity so the dust can't really settle on them as much.  

How often do you or your colleagues clean the scales? :)

Rarely. But I am in a nearly dust-free environment

it has been stated/reported that you should NOT clean the scales unless you are having a problem as you can do more damage than good by cleaning them 'all the time'

(edit) BTW, I have NEVER cleaned the scales on either of my machines, and the old Validator was in a 'gritty' atmosphere for decades, and that is for over 35 years

When they need it. 

If we ever come back online from this big refurb, we are about to hit 2 weeks overdue... We will start up doing weekly calibrations again and hit them with the feather duster before we start that.