Talleres Artificio Halves Inspection Times with SHINING 3D Scanner
Chilean mechanical engineering firm Talleres Artificio has adopted SHINING 3D's FreeScan Trak Nova, significantly reducing inspection times for mining equipment and enhancing data quality.
Mechanical engineering firm Talleres Artificio, based in Chile, has integrated the SHINING 3D FreeScan Trak Nova into its inspection processes for mining equipment. This adoption has reportedly halved the time required for certain ball mill inspections and improved the dimensional data quality.
Previously, Talleres Artificio relied on conventional hand-held instruments for dimensional readings. The company found this method to be slow and inconsistent when applied to large, complex assets like ball mills and their bearing systems. Issues included difficulties in verifying alignment and concentricity, undetected wear patterns and deformation, and data gaps that could lead to downstream design and fabrication errors.
The company's search for an alternative was prompted by demonstrations of industrial 3D scanning at Chilean technology exhibitions. The ability to capture a complete digital representation of an asset, rather than discrete measurements, was a key attraction. After evaluating market options, the FreeScan Trak Nova was chosen due to its dynamic point cloud tracking via video photogrammetry, certified measurement modules, and a favorable cost-to-capability ratio.
Engineers now capture point cloud data directly at the equipment, using the resulting digital models for analysis, reverse engineering, maintenance planning, and quality control. The scanner's ability to evaluate geometric characteristics such as cylindricity, even in areas with limited physical access, is a notable advantage over traditional tooling. In a recent ball mill project, the scan data enabled the quantification of shaft misalignment and bearing housing wear, directly informing maintenance decisions.
Talleres Artificio reports that the transition has led to faster inspections, more reliable measurements, and increased confidence in engineering conclusions. The firm views portable, high-accuracy scanning as an increasingly essential component of maintenance engineering for mining operators focused on maximizing equipment availability.
The adoption of the SHINING 3D FreeScan Trak Nova by Talleres Artificio highlights the growing trend of bringing metrology-grade scanning directly to industrial assets. This move democratizes advanced inspection, enabling faster, more comprehensive data capture for complex machinery, crucial for sectors like mining. It aligns with the broader additive manufacturing push towards digital twins and in-situ quality control, reducing reliance on traditional, time-consuming methods.
Edited by the news editor with AI from the original report — please refer to the original source.