FARO Launches the World's Most Innovative Measurement Arm, the FARO Edge

LAKE MARY, Fla., April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- FARO Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: FARO), the world's leading provider of portable measurement and imaging solutions, introduces the FARO Edge and V4 Laser Line Probe, the most advanced, state-of-the-art FaroArm system ever produced.

The FARO Edge is a portable measurement arm that allows manufacturers to easily verify their product quality by performing inspections, tool certifications, CAD-to-part analysis, and reverse engineering via hard probing and non-contact laser scanning.  

The latest generation of the FaroArm product line continues to eclipse competitive models in every category. The Edge improves production, quality, and reverse engineering processes by rapidly verifying or scanning parts with confidence and accuracy. The new Arm also simplifies the user experience with improved performance, portability and reliability.

"The FARO Edge was designed with our customers' input and built with our experience," stated Jay Freeland, FARO's President & Chief Executive Officer. "It offers unparalleled simplicity for the user while maintaining all the existing benefits of a FaroArm and demonstrates our continued leadership in this space through innovative and disruptive technology."

The all new Edge features the first ever integrated personal measurement assistant.  With its built-in touchscreen and on-board operating system, the Edge revolutionizes portable metrology by providing stand-alone basic measurement capability.  A laptop is no longer needed to perform quick and simple dimensional checks, or to optimize system performance with its on board diagnostic routines.

Available in three popular working volumes and 7-axis configuration, the Edge is the perfect fit for any portable measurement application, eliminating the guess work of which length is right for the job. Seven axis of rotation ensures you always get the most flexibility out of your device.

Additional industry-leading areas of improvement and capability include:

• Enhanced Connectivity – Bluetooth, WiFi, USB, and Ethernet ready.  Multiple device management through networking.
• Smart Sensor Technology – Improved sensors warn against excessive external loads, correct for thermal variations, and detect possible setup problems.
• Ergonomics – Improved weight distribution and balance for reduced strain and ease-of-use. Patented internal counterbalancing providing comfortable, stress-free use.
• Multi-Function Handle Port – Seamless and interchangeable accessory integration. Quick-change handle. Expandable capability.

The all new FARO V4 Laser Line Probe provides unparalleled non-contact measurement capabilities. Its wider laser stripe significantly increases scan coverage without sacrificing accuracy, while variable capture rates can produce over 45,000 points per second for exceptional speed and feature definition.

Taking advantage of the Edge's multi-function, quick-change handle port, the V4 Laser Line Probe integrates seamlessly and instantly becomes part of the arm. Lighter weight, amazingly compact and completely unobtrusive, it delivers the best performance at the lowest price in the industry for a handheld laser scanning system.

"Everything about the Edge was designed from the ground up to boost productivity and deliver the best performance in a portable arm CMM," said Orlando Perez, Product Manager - FaroArm. "As the first ever smart measurement arm with built-in apps, the FARO Edge changes absolutely everything."

Also, learn more about the FARO Edge at www.faro.com/edge.

About FARO

FARO develops and markets computer-aided coordinate measurement devices and software. Portable equipment from FARO permits high-precision 3D measurement and comparison of parts and compound structures within production and quality assurance processes. The devices are used for inspecting components and assemblies, production planning, inventory documentation, as well as for investigation and reconstruction of accident sites or crime scenes. They are also employed to generate digital scans of historic sites.

Worldwide, approximately 10,000 customers are operating more than 20,000 installations of FARO's systems. The company's global headquarters is located in Lake Mary, Florida, with its European head office in Stuttgart, Germany and its Asia/Pacific head office in Singapore. FARO has branch locations in Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Japan.

SOURCE FARO Technologies, Inc.