LK celebrates 60th anniversary
Established in 1963, LK Metrology (www.LKmetrology.com) has an impressive heritage dating back to the birth of coordinate measuring machine (CMM) technology. Founded by former Rolls Royce engineer and CMM pioneer Norman Key and his father-in-law Jim Lowther, the company is credited with many innovations in the CMM industry. In 1972, in partnership with Rolls-Royce, Mr Key worked alongside the person who would co-found Renishaw a year later, Sir David McMurtry, who today its executive chairman, to develop the now industry standard Renishaw touch-trigger probe.
Other industry firsts accredited to LK include successive introductions to the market of the bridge-type CMM, inspection software, exclusive use of air bearings and granite guideways, carbon fibre composite spindles, microprocessor-controlled drive systems, true thermal stability of the measuring platform, and a high-accuracy horizontal-spindle CMM.
With its headquarters, product development and CMM manufacturing facility in Castle Donington, UK, the company is headed by owner and CEO Angelo Muscarella, whose ASF Metrology group bought the company in 2018. It now not only manufactures CMMs, but has also added to its product portfolio a range of FREEDOM branded portable measuring arms and many metrology accessories. They include a new range of laser scanners, a surface roughness probe, stylus cleaning and sensor changing equipment, an indexing table and a checking gauge for CMM calibration. First written in 1977, LK’s renowned CAMIO measurement, programming, analysis and reporting software is continually enhanced to provide industry-leading functionality, with the new CAMIO 2023 revision due in July.
