LK Metrology, the Derbyshire, UK-based coordinate measuring machine (CMM) manufacturer, is celebrating its 58th anniversary this year as a fully independent company again, following a change of ownership in 2018. The company pioneered CMM technology and its name is linked to numerous innovations such as ceramic bridge design, air bearing and granite guideways, carbon fibre composite spindles and horizontal-arm coordinate measuring. 

The new proprietor, Angelo Muscarella, who also runs Italian firm ASF Metrology, is keen to share the progress that LK has made in the short time he has been in charge. He said, "We are delighted to find ourselves entering the fourth year of operation in April 2021 with a healthy order book. Revenue met budget in the last financial year and we even made a profit, despite incredibly difficult trading conditions due to the pandemic. Machine service and upgrade activities actually performed ahead of budget every month since July 2020."

LK has made great strides growing its product portfolio in the last three years. In 2020 it entered the articulating-arm 3D metrology system sector with the launch of a range of six different FREEDOM arms with six size options. Earlier introductions included the SCANtek 5 version of the ALTERAM CMM with Renishaw REVO-2 probe as well as a new product, AlteraC 10.7.5, in three sizes. The latter range lowers the price of entry to LK CMM multi-sensor inspection technology and has recently been further improved in terms of accuracy and speed of measurement.

Two notable introductions have been made on the software side as well. The company's DMIS-based CMM programming software, now called CAMIO 2021, has been given enhanced features in five important areas, helping to increase inspection productivity, improve the quality of data collected and gain better insight into the components being measured. 

Prior to that, LK introduced the Metrology Gate portal, a web-based platform consistent with the aims of Industry 4.0 that enables inspection activities performed by connected metrology devices to be monitored and controlled around the clock from anywhere in the world. A new MTConnect adapter has just been made available to allow users to add their LK CMMS to existing dashboard applications in their factories that previously were only able to display information on machine tools. Learn more at the website below: