Imagine the combustion engine of an Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro. From the exhaust manifold to the connecting rod holding the crankshaft in place, every piece has to be intricately built. Before the invention of digital cross scanners, the manufacturing of cars had to be done solely by hand. But now, with advancements in 3-D Metrology, time-consuming activities such as automotive component inspections have become perfected.
With the ability to have fully automated scanning and inspection, Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) have revolutionized the capture of complex features and surfaces. CMMs have redefined areas of study such as biology, human anatomy, anthropology, and even infrastructure.
Examples of Coordinate Measuring Machines in Modern Companies;
• LC15Dx: High resolution, high accuracy scanner for smaller field of view, suited for compact or detailed objects
• XC65Dx(-LS): Digital cross scanner that captures all 3D details of features, edges, pockets, ribs and freeform surfaces
• K-Scan MMD: Walk-around scanner for portable application in larger work volume
• MCAx – Manual CMM Arm: Portable 7-axis measuring system built for high accuracy, and utilizing Wi-Fi data transmission
• MMDx/MMC: Handheld scanner for ultra-productive scanning and one-click analysis
With Nikon’s ongoing advancements in tactical and non-contact CMMs, their continued use of 3-D metrology will gradually build, generating more demand for their use.