Scan Contours in Less than a Minute: Quick and Easy Surface Profiling Leads to Quality Parts
Contour measurement stands out as a major method for surface profiling, crucial for evaluating angles, radii, and distances across a workpiece. Bruker Alicona's latest contour scanning technology is faster and more intuitive -- identifying deviations from a component's nominal profile, ensuring that manufactured parts adhere to stringent quality standards.
In the manufacturing process, components are subjected to contour measurements to verify their suitability for use and to detect any variations in processing conditions.
These measurements are vital for identifying discrepancies from design data, thereby preventing the repeated production of components with sub-optimal performance. By establishing pre-defined pass/fail criteria, contour measurement systems can effectively reject parts that do not meet the required standards, maintaining high levels of quality control.
Understanding Contour Measurement
Contours represent the nominal shape of a surface, excluding irregularities such as roughness or waviness. Characterizing the contours of a surface profile is complex, as it involves distinguishing waviness from the overall form. Contour measurements are qualitative, utilizing best-fit data to assess surface profiles with a high degree of accuracy.
Comprehensive contour measurement typically requires broader gauge ranges to map the surface in all planes.
In the tactile world of metrology, a contacting stylus is employed to capture various dimensions of a profile, including distance, horizontal, vertical, radial, diametrical, and angular measurements. But Bruker Alicona has an optical solution for contour measurements -- one that delivers 3D data with non-contact probing.
Introducing Bruker Alicona's Contour Scanning Feature
Bruker Alicona has introduced a new era of efficiency and flexibility with its latest contour scanning feature, powered by its Focus Probing technology.
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This innovative application is available for both the Bruker Alicona µCMM and InfiniteFocus G6 systems, significantly enhancing the speed and ease of contour scanning while offering extensive automation options. With this new feature, scanning contours is now faster and more intuitive than ever before.
Key Benefits of the New Contour Scanning Feature
- Flexible Contour Scanning of Larger Areas: Easily and intuitively capture metrically correct contours on larger areas, providing greater flexibility in measurement tasks.
- Intuitive Operation Using Waypoints: Define scan areas using waypoints with just a few clicks in the live view, simplifying the setup process.
- Automatic Illumination: Utilizing Focus Probing technology, scans are performed along the defined path with optimized illumination settings automatically, ensuring consistent and accurate results.
- Process Simulation for Optimization: Visualize the measurement process in advance and make flexible adjustments, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of the scanning process.
- Automatic and Robust Data Acquisition: Simply click "Start" to obtain robust data that integrates seamlessly into your measurement plan, streamlining the workflow and reducing the potential for errors.
How to Use the Contour Scanning Feature
The new contour scanning feature takes no more than a minute to inspect the contour of your component. No matter whether you use the coordinate measuring machine µCMM or the InfiniteFocus G6, it is only six easy steps:
- 1 Clamp the Component
- 2 Choose the Contour Scanning Feature
- 3 Place the Waypoints along the Contour
- 4 Check the Position of Waypoints in MetMaX
- 5 Select the Objective, if needed
- 6 Start Measurement
Focus Probing Technology: The technology behind the quick and easy Surface Measurement
Bruker Alicona's Focus Probing technology is a groundbreaking advancement in surface measurement, enabling precise and repeatable measurements of complex geometries.
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This technology is based on the use of a partial light cone, where the lens captures individual light rays diffusely reflected from surfaces. This allows for the traceable and repeatable measurement of intricate features, which was previously challenging with optical methods.
Bruker Alicona's µCMM and InfiniteFocus G6, combined with the innovative Focus Probing technology, provides a comprehensive solution that addresses the unique challenges of contour scanning. This advanced technology offers manufacturers the tools needed to ensure both efficiency and precision in surface measurement.
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