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Delta Research Corporation was founded in 1952 by Alex Sakuta, a former automotive transmission engineer. Since that time, the company has successfully built a reputation as a precision parts manufacturer that has the vision to make the kinds of investments in advanced manufacturing technology that powertrain products require.

Like many entrepreneurial-based family-oriented companies, the company continues to use many of the tried-and-true engineering and manufacturing philosophies that were by-products of its founders. One of those perspectives is that all granite CMMs are the sturdiest types of CMM machines and provide the most accurate and most repetitive measuring capability. For that reason, when Delta purchased their first CMMs 20 years ago, they bought a Federal CMM; some years later added another albeit pre-owned. Most recently, they added a new Wenzel LH 12.20.10.

Robert Sakuta, Delta Research president and son of the founder, says, "If you study the design of CMMs you will discover that many of the older machines – those built with thick granite bases – are manufactured to a higher degree of precision than some of today's new ones. The accuracy is already there, what continues to change and improve is the software and the controls that operate the CMM."

Sakuta adds, "We're heavily reliant on our CMM measuring capabilities to insure the precision and consistent high quality of our gears and gear related products, which in many cases can very sophisticated. At the same time, as an ISO 9001:2000 contract manufacturer, we have critical production and delivery schedules that have to be maintained. So, in the production process, we have to be cognizant of improvement opportunities, and eliminate any potential bottlenecks. For the CMM operations, that means retrofitting with software upgrades."

"For example," Sakuta explains, "ten years ago, we worked with Keith Mills, then president of International Metrology Systems, to provide Virtual DMIS, the forerunner to OpenDMIS, as an improved software upgrade for our two Federal CMMs. When Mr. Mills formed Xspect Solutions, Inc. , he continued to keep us informed of technological CMM advancements, and when his company became the wholly-owned subsidiary of Wenzel GmbH, he knew of our preference for granite-based CMM equipment and invited us to visit their new Wenzel North American manufacturing facility in Wixom, Michigan to see the Wenzel equipment. We ultimately purchased a new LH 10.20.10 bridge-type machine with new OpenDMIS software and equipped it with an SP25 Renishaw scanning probe that has enhanced our capabilities by adding reverse engineering competency and in-depth analysis of critical features."

Delta Research Corporation, 32971 Capitol Street, Livonia, MI 48150, 734-261-6400, Fax: 734-261-0909, www.delrecorp.com.

Xspect Solutions, Inc., 47000 Liberty Drive Wixom, MI 48393, 248-295-4300, Fax: 248-295-4301, www.xspectsolutions.com.