Engineered for depth. Measured with precision

When engineer John Partridge founded an underwater acoustics consultancy in a small town in southern England in 1971, he had a vision. He wanted to make operations beneath the waves safer and more efficient. Driven by technical curiosity and a desire to solve real-world challenges, his company, Sonardyne, has gone on to provide effective and trusted solutions to successive offshore, scientific and marine industry challenges.

Over five decades, Sonardyne says it has repeatedly set new benchmarks in underwater positioning, inertial and optical technologies, with products such as Compatt remaining a global byword for acoustic transponders. From deep-water offshore structures to historic wreck surveys, tsunami detection and live submersible video broadcasts, Sonardyne’s history is defined by industry firsts.

Sonardyne’s product range is operational from shallow coastal waters to the greatest depths of the oceans. In recent years, the company has experienced growth in autonomous and uncrewed vehicles. Autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles and uncrewed surface vehicles are increasingly being used offshore to carry out inspection and survey work.

Martin Gregory first got in contact with Aberlink in 2008. The need to improve in-house quality control of high-precision parts manufactured for underwater navigation systems, combined with Aberlink’s reputation for offering the easiest-to-use CMMs on the market, led Martin to make contact.

“Our equipment relies on precision to ensure the best positioning and navigation possible,” he states. “It’s designed to operate in the harshest environments, at depths exceeding 8,000 m below the sea’s surface. Every measurement in the manufacturing of our products matters. It is a testament to Aberlink’s excellence that we’re now investing in our fourth Axiom CMM, which meets our exacting standards for quality.”

Since the purchase of its first Axiom CNC CMM in 2008, Sonardyne has gone on to acquire another three Aberlink CMMs to keep pace with the demands of the business. The latest purchase is the third-generation Axiom CNC CMM.

The new Axiom CMM reflects Aberlink’s commitment to in-house design and manufacturing, a philosophy that has driven the company’s success from its base in the picturesque Cotswolds. This latest iteration features a brand-new right-hand bridge assembly with increased Y-axis air-bearing separation, delivering enhanced stiffness and greater accuracy.

Improved drive assemblies enable the new Axiom to measure parts up to 25% faster than its predecessor, while the latest linear encoders significantly improve dirt immunity, ensuring reliable performance in demanding shop-floor environments. The new Axiom also matches the sleek, contemporary appearance of Aberlink’s Halo and Horizon CNC CMMs, bringing it visually in line with the rest of the range.

Aberlink delivers value through its fully integrated manufacturing model. By machining all CMM components in-house and applying intelligent design-for-manufacture principles, the company produces reliable products without unnecessary costs. All CMMs are assembled on-site in Gloucestershire, where the software is also developed. Aberlink is a fully integrated company with minimal external costs, which is why it can offer value for money.

Summarising how Aberlink has supported Sonardyne on its CMM journey, Martin says: “I first became aware of Aberlink while working in Chicago in 2008. The Aberlink distributor for the US, Masters Precision, helped us move an Axiom CMM to Boston. The move went without a hitch, and this typified the service and support I would later receive in the UK when I started at Sonardyne.

“Since 2017, we’ve purchased another three Axiom CNC CMMs and I just love them. The software is so easy to learn, and I can share my knowledge quickly and easily with new members of staff in our quality department.

“We also have a Baty SM350 shadowgraph using a branded version of the Aberlink software, so we only have one software package to learn.

“The reliability of the Aberlink CMMs has been faultless. We have Aberlink visit every year to carry out servicing and recalibration, and they update our software to the latest version free of charge during the service visit.

“We’re able to load multiple parts onto the bed of the CMM and measure them all in a single run. New Aberlink hardware has enabled us to fit a camera system with CNC collimated light on our latest Axiom CNC CMM.

“Aberlink’s Programming from CAD software enables us to create inspection programs before new parts have even been manufactured, minimising any bottlenecks when they arrive for CMM inspection.

“Visiting customers are always very impressed with the CMM. I cannot fault our Aberlink CMMs or the technical support I’ve received. It’s an absolute pleasure to be able to pick up the phone and speak directly to their technical support team whenever I need help or advice.”