BRAUNSCHWEIG, GERMANY — Optical, camera-based 3D metrology has become a standard in many industrial areas. Far more than 4,000 of the installed 3D measuring systems worldwide come from AICON 3D Systems. For 25 years now, the company has developed, manufactured and supplied 3D metrology for various applications. AICON is one of the leading global full-range suppliers.

“In the first place, we wanted to name our company ICON. That sounded fitting, as the word means ’image‘ in Greek. Because of trademark issues, it wasn’t possible; an image processing company already carried that name. However, we liked the sound of the word. We simply put an A in front: AICON. The sound is the same, and it has an advantage: We are always on top in alphabetic company lists.” This is how Carl-Thomas Schneider and Werner Bösemann summarize the start of their company.

In 1990, they jointly founded the AICON 3D Systems GmbH, initially a spin-off from Volkswagen Research and Technical University Braunschweig. The business incubator “Technologiepark Braunschweig” provided ideal conditions - AICON was growing fast. In 2003, the company moved to their own buildings in the Northwest of Braunschweig.

In order to meet the increasing company requirements in metrology, AICON took over the scanner manufacturer Breuckmann in 2012. The joint product portfolio includes innovative solutions for universal applications: portable coordinate measuring machines for universal applications, specialized optical measuring technology for vehicle testing and tube manufacturing, as well as white light scanners for contact-free surface measurement of objects. AICON's list of customers includes renowned automotive manufacturers, companies from aerospace industry and mechanical engineering as well as research facilities and universities.

More than 140 employees work for AICON worldwide. Besides the two German sites, the headquarters in Braunschweig and the Scanner Innovation Center in Meersburg on Lake Constance, subsidiaries in China, Korea, Japan and the USA contribute to the success.

The managing directors Carl-Thomas Schneider and Werner Bösemann are optimistic: “With new technologies and systems, we will open up new global market fields and continue our course of growth.”

For more information, visit www.aicon3d.com.