Product category:
Form/co-ordinate, optical and vision instrumentation
News Release from: Metris | Subject: Cross Scanner
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 06 June 2003
Noncontact scanner aids reverse
engineering
The Cross Scanner is a patented high-speed, multistripe laser sensor that enables more efficient scanning of features such as holes, slots, gaps and steps inspected in automotive applications.
The Cross Scanner is a patented high-speed, multistripe laser sensor that enables more efficient scanning of features such as holes, slots, gaps and steps inspected in automotive applications Traditionally such features are inspected using tactile probes mounted on co-ordinate measuring machines
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 28 Jan 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Scanner proves three lasers are better than one
The XC50 cross scanner is a patented high-speed, multi-stripe laser sensor targeting the inspection of features and gap and step in automotive applications.
Laser scanning provides faster measurement
Metris launches its new XC50-LS cross scanner with long standoff distance for CMM-based feature inspection and reverse engineering applications at Control 2006.
The Cross Scanner complements the tactile probing methodology with a high-speed noncontact approach for feature measurement.
Metris already offers a single-stripe solution oriented towards digitising and full part inspection.
As such the multistripe laser sensor completes Metris' unrivalled range of integrated solutions for all aspects of laser scanning.
Further reading
Integrated solution for CMM based laser scanning
Scan 3.0 software is the driving force behind Metris' range of scanning solutions integrated on co-ordinate measurement machines.
Scanner spotlights smaller samples
Recently exhibited at the Control Messe 2003 in Germany, the new LC15 scanner makes it possible to scan small and detailed objects on a CMM.
Laser scanners have already proven their uses and benefits in areas of quality control such as first article inspection, offline inspection and troubleshooting.
Compared with traditional touch probe testing, laser scanning enables fast acquisition of accurate 3D pointcloud models that can be subsequently used for full part inspection or reverse-engineering applications.
However fast and accurate inspection of features such as holes, slots, gaps and steps remains to be an inspection challenge.
The Cross Scanner introduces a patented technical paradigm that measures holes and features in one fast single scan by combining three laser stripe scanners whose planes are rotated by 120 degrees and slightly tilted.
The single laser stripe scanning method measures the intersection of a laser plane with an object from a single view direction.
This approach cannot capture information outside areas that are not viewable by both the laser plane and the viewing direction.
This characteristic of single laser stripe scanners requires that multiple scans are taken from different directions.
Objects having several features require at least three scans to obtain a sufficiently detailed digitised surface.
The patented XC cross sensor introduces a number of advantages that represent a breakthrough for laser digitising.
A higher speed and increased flexibility is obtained for real 3D measurement by avoiding the use of a motorised sixth axis (C axis).
Compared with a traditional laser scanner mounted on a Renishaw PH10, the cross sensor has an even higher speed and flexibility, avoiding the discrete repositioning of the sensor head.
Another important advantage is the better resolution of the XC scanner as the object is digitised with an optimal density in all directions.
The most important benefit is achieved by having a real 3D measurement resulting in an accurate representation of the measured feature.
• Metris: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
