Ensuring the quality of a car’s performance and design, FARO 3D measurement technology solutions provide simple yet accurate ways of taking contact and noncontact measurements for quality control in automobile manufacturing and assembly.

Portable CMMs such as articulated arms can be used for rapid prototyping, analyzing car body panels, or inspecting a body-in-white, while large-volume laser trackers can be implemented for part inspection, alignment, machine installation, robot calibration, or reverse engineering tasks.

FARO has recently developed and introduced new portable metrology solutions that add measurement features and capabilities to its FaroArm product family: the FARO 8-Axis system and the FARO PRIZM Laser Line Probe.

The FARO 8-Axis system delivers innovative, real-time part rotation to streamline quality inspection processes.

The FARO 8-Axis system combines the portable FARO Quantum FaroArm or Quantum ScanArm portfolio products with a functionally integrated, yet physically separate, eighth axis.

The eighth axis is a complete rotational axis that provides a natural extension of FaroArm capability. It plugs directly into the FaroArm and results in a seamlessly integrated, high-accuracy additional axis that requires no extra setup time or effort.

The eighth axis enables rotation of what is being measured in real time—meaning no difficulty reaching around the object, and no need to move the arm into different locations within the process. This eliminates wasted time and offers an easy-to-use measurement solution that allows users to focus on the actual measurement and not on the measurement processes.

The extended reach of this system via the easy-to-use part rotation functionality allows the user to scan, measure, and digitize features on both small and large parts with a single arm position. As a result, this process is up to 40-percent faster relative to a standard seven-axis arm system.

The operator can focus with minimal distraction on the actual scan or measurement of the part, since reaching around the part is no longer required. Also, this allows complex objects to be digitized, not only faster, but also comprehensively.

The FARO 8-Axis Quantum FaroArm enables up to a 40-percent reduction in the time it takes to measure parts and assemblies.

The eight-axis system is ideal for addressing a range of noncontact measurement and scanning applications, including part inspection, alignment, dimensional analysis, CAD-based inspection, prototype part scanning, and reverse engineering.

With the FARO PRIZM Laser Line Probe, high-resolution, 3D color scanning for vivid, real-world visualization and CAD reconstruction of parts is possible.

Color scans and fine details

The FARO PRIZM is the first Laser Line Probe available that includes the ability to scan in high-resolution, 3D color. PRIZM is designed to operate as a compact, tightly integrated solution with the FARO Quantum FaroArm product family and extends the FARO tradition of delivering maximum measurement consistency for both direct-to-parts contact and noncontact requirements in every working environment.

PRIZM has certified accuracy for the most demanding metrology challenges. The color scan allows users to view and manipulate a detail-rich, 3D color point-cloud model of a part or assembly on a computer screen.

This innovation enables parts and objects to be inspected for dimension and surface quality. This is ideally suited for molded parts where color and surface texture are an essential requirement of the complete inspection, or for identifying splits on stamped sheet metal not detectable with existing technologies. Fine details, including texture such as weld marks, grinding marks, sandblasting, machining patterns, and even text can be clearly extracted for identification of key features during the inspection process. The true-to-life functionality enhances productivity by supporting inspection professionals in driving out dimensional and surface character quality issues that would otherwise slow the end-to-end production process.

Scanning large objects in color is fast and simple with the 8-Axis ScanArm and PRIZM Color Laser Line Probe.