Compass Company Can Now Detect Microscopic Defects Digitally
Charlotte, NC – January 17, 2023 – Gray Manufacturing Technologies announced Tuesday that it has installed a high-definition digital vision system to enhance detection of microscopic burrs and other defects not easily visible to the human eye. Gray Manufacturing is an operating company of Compass Precision, a Charlotte-based manufacturer of custom, close-tolerance metal components for mission critical applications.
“Gray manufactures highly complex metal components,” explained Jacob Trahan, General Manager of Gray Manufacturing. “Many of these parts are used for mission critical applications in space where failure is not an option. Our new microscope vision system further improves our ability to detect microscopic defects before parts leave our facility.
“After considering many options, we selected Vision Engineering’s EVO Cam II high-definition digital microscope,” stated Gray’s Quality Manager Luke Honbarger. “It is easy to use and allows us to quickly check for hidden burrs and other possible tiny defects while we are inspecting parts.”
Gray Manufacturing’s new microscope vision system differs from a conventional microscope. Rather than squinting through an eyepiece lens, users view magnified images on a large LED monitor. In addition to allowing several people to see a magnified image simultaneously, the EVO II system significantly reduces user fatigue, leading to improved productivity, greater yield, and improved product quality.
“There are many advantages to our new inspection vision system,” said Evan Grose, Gray’s Operations Manager. “But by far the most important is our greatly enhanced ability to spot tiny burrs often undetectable by the human eye. Nearly everything we make goes into space. Stuff just can’t fail up there. We make sure ours doesn’t.”
Gray’s purchase of the EVO Cam II high-def digital microscope represents a continuation of aggressive investment that Compass has pursued since its formation in October 2019. In the past three years, the company has purchased nineteen CNC machining centers from manufacturers such as DMG Mori Seiki, GF Machining Solutions, Doosan, Nakamura, Milltronics, and Haas plus two high-end coordinate measuring machines from Zeiss.
“Our customers consistently bring us new production opportunities,” explained Compass VP of Sales Jim Miller. “We are adding new customers, too. Meeting these needs requires new capacity and capabilities. That’s why we invest so much.”
Gray Manufacturing operates from a 25,000-square-foot facility in Denver, NC, which is 30 miles northwest of Charlotte. The company focuses on manufacturing complicated-shaped components, often made out of difficult-to-work-with materials such as titanium and Inconel.
Gray was founded in 2013 and grew nicely until being acquired by Compass Precision in 2020. Since that time, Compass has applied its management and financial skills to position Gray for accelerated growth in the aerospace & defense and space markets which it primarily serves.
Compass Precision was created in 2019 when it simultaneously acquired three Charlotte-area precision machine shops – Advanced Machining & Tooling in Salisbury, NC; Quality Products & Machine in Charlotte, NC; and Tri-Tec Industries, also in Charlotte. Following the add-on acquisition of Gray Manufacturing Technologies in August 2020, Compass also acquired Douglas Manufacturing Services in Winona, MN (March 2021); R&D Machine in Oldsmar, FL (April 2022); and Strom Manufacturing in North Plains, OR (July 2022).
For more information about Gray Manufacturing Technologies and Compass Precision, please contact Gary Holcomb, Compass CEO at [email protected].