Creaform to Introduce New MetraSCAN-RTM Robot-Mounted 3D Scanners

New scanner to be used for automated inspection of parts on and off the production line

LÉVIS, QC, May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ - Creaform, leader in portable 3D measurement solutions and 3D engineering services, has launched today the MetraSCAN-R series of robot-mounted optical CMM 3D scanners for automated inspection on and off the production line. The devices will be world-premiered at the CONTROL tradeshow next week in Stuttgart, Germany (Hall 5, booth #5108).

Manufacturers trying to remain competitive are facing major challenges, as they have to answer to a demand for more complex and superior quality products and deliver them within ever shortened turnarounds and production cycles. In this context and with existing measurement technology, they are struggling to achieve high levels of accuracy when inspecting their parts to guarantee fabrication quality.

Creaform addressed this issue and is now presenting manufacturers with a robot-mounted scanner that can inspect a wide range of parts directly on the shop floor, thanks to the TRUaccuracy^TM technology and extensible measurement volume. The device's scanning speed and the fact that is it robot-mountable make it possible to inspect directly on the production line.

"There was a definite lack in the manufacturing industry for accurate and reliable devices to carry out automated on- and off-line 3D inspection processes on complex parts, explains Jean-François Larue, product director for the MetraSCAN-R series. High-rate serial production processes require fast 3D measurement systems that can inspect a part and deliver a conformity status within a typical cycle time. For us, it was obvious that a scanning device insensitive to shop floor conditions was the way to go."

Solution for automated 3D inspection on the shop floor

With the MetraSCAN-R series, Creaform is expanding its range of solutions for inspection applications dedicated to the industrial/manufacturing sectors. The scanners are offered in two versions (70-R and 210-R) and designed for automated and robotized inspection applications such as on-line inspection in mass production (up to a few hundreds parts a day), on-line inspection of parts ranging from 0.5 to 3 meters in size, part-to-CAD analysis, supplier product quality inspection, conformity assessment of 3D models against original parts / production tooling or manufactured parts against originals.

Benefits of the MetraSCAN-R 3D Scanners

Fast: Inspection of up to a few hundred parts per day, directly on the production line.

Highly-accurate measurements: The TRUaccuracy technology guarantees accuracy of up to 0.085 mm in shop floor conditions (no matter instability, vibrations, thermal variation, etc.). Accuracy is determined by the optical CMM scanner and independent from the robot.

Dynamic referencing: With the C-Track's dynamic referencing mode, the coordinate system can be literally "locked" onto the part being measured, thus maintaining part alignment during the entire scanning process.

Automatic alignment: Instant and reliable alignment phase. Optical reflectors allow automatic detection of the part alignment.

Versatility:  The solution can be fully configured and programmed (inspection programs) to meet inspection automation projects requirements for parts of various sizes and shapes.

Compatibility

As for now, the MetraSCAN-R is compatible with robot KR5 Arc / KRC4 from KUKA and Metrologic®'s X4 iRobot software only. Efforts are ongoing to expand the range of compatible hardware and software.

About Creaform

Creaform develops, manufactures and sells 3D portable measurement technologies and specializes in 3D engineering services. The company offers innovative solutions such as 3D scanning, reverse engineering, quality control, non-destructive testing, product development and FEA/CFD. Its products and services are intended for industries such as the automotive, aerospace, consumer products, heavy industries, manufacturing, oil & gas and power generation.

Creaform has developed and sells the Handyscan 3D portable, self-positioning 3D scanners, the HandyPROBE optical portable CMM, the MetraSCAN 3D optical CMM scanners and robot-mounted version MetraSCAN-R and the Go!SCAN 3D white light scanner.

The company employs more than 325 people worldwide, and has offices in Lévis, Montréal, the United States, France, Germany, China, India and Japan. The company's head office and Quebec-based offices are 9001 : 2008 ISO certified.

SOURCE CREAFORM