FARO Technologies Inc. has redesigned the rotation of its FaroArm in response to a recent court ruling against the company. ROMER CimCore filed suit against FARO in November 2003, alleging that FARO’s use of infinite rotation technology in the FaroArm articulated arm and two gages illegally infringed on ROMER’s patent. A Southern California District Court ruled in favor of ROMER.

FARO reports that the redesign required it to remove only a minor feature of the inspection device by eliminating the infinite joint rotation feature in its U.S.-based products. New FaroArms reduce the rotation capability to 50 rotations. FARO CEO Simon Raab reports that the company will send upgrade packages for the design-around to all U.S. customers.

Hexagon Metrology, which owns ROMER CimCore, has threatened to seek an injunction for monetary damages against FARO, but Raab says that the design-around should prevent that.

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