In the not-too-distant past, measuring large parts and complex assemblies was a difficult, cumbersome task. Often that meant extensive personnel hours spent onsite, intensive manual labor and the ever-present risk of human error, leading to costly rework and unwanted delays.
The FARO® Vantage Laser Tracker has helped transform that narrative by enabling on-site measurement and reducing inspection times by up to 75%, accurately measuring 3D coordinates in real time and comparing that nominal data to CAD schematics.
Recently there have been two exciting updates for the Vantage Laser Tracker family of products, including the E/S/E6/S6 models. First, they have all been certified to the most rigorous, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. Second, the recently released 6Probe 2.0 not only speeds up measurement, but has been shown to meet the challenge of accuracies of under 50 microns, allowing the measurement of even the tightest tolerances.
ISO Certification
Specifically, the FARO Vantage E/S/E6/S6 Laser Trackers are now being certified to ISO 10360-10:2016. This change updates the Laser Tracker to the latest and most rigorous international standard versus the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standard. The result for the end user is improved confidence that the delivered tracker will meet the customer’s most rigorous requirements.
The new ISO standard is more exacting than the ASME B89 standard for several reasons:
- Four additional geometries – that stress the laser tracker in unique ways and can reveal some issues that otherwise would go undetected.
- Exceeds typical scale bar measurements of ASME B89 – ISO 10360-10 includes a measurement that probes a sphere with an SMR, revealing errors that would not be caught in the on a scale bar.
- Failure is (almost) not an option – in the ASME standard, it is possible to fail all measurements on the first attempt, but if subsequent measurements pass, then the unit receives a passing certificate. The ISO standard only allows for 5 out of 105 measurements to fail on the first attempt.
It’s standards like these that, for end users, add up to higher quality and throughput that ultimately increase revenue and profitability.
A ‘Probing’ Look at 6Probe 2.0
The 6Probe is a fully integrated hand-held device for easily probing hidden, hard-to-reach features in challenging locations and is ideal for every measurement need, large and small.
FARO’s latest 6DoF probe makes it faster than ever before to perform inspection, alignment, and assembly tasks. The 6Probe features a retroreflector to measure the position of the probe, a series of LED lights that are analyzed to determine the probe orientation and a calibrated probe tip. These pieces are all combined so that a user can quickly probe a part that is beyond the line of sight of the tracker.
For the most accurate results, the probe’s orientation can be kept constant between measurements. With common orientation, a 2.3m scale bar can typically be measured to less than 46-micron error at 2.5m, and 73 micron at 10m.
By adding a 6DoF probe into manufacturing, a typical user saves more than 30 minutes a day compared to an SMR. This allows users to inspect, align or assemble more product every day, allowing them to catch more quality issues and generate more revenue.
With a 6DoF probe, users can:
- Measure “hidden” points up to 15 meters away without the need to relocate the Laser Tracker
- Inspect tight spots that can’t be measured using an SMR and tooling nest
- Swap probe tips on the fly and continue measuring without losing accuracy thanks to self-identified kinematic probe tips
- Measure in hard-to-reach locations with the device’s wide 30-degree acceptance angle
Together, the 6DoF probe and Vantage Laser Trackers provide users with a more precise and easier-to-use metrology solution. Consider the latest ISO certification as proof of FARO’s ongoing dedication to unmatched measurement quality and customer success.
If you have questions, get in touch with a FARO representative to learn more here: faro.com