Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Business Area today unveiled new laser-guided solutions that make it possible – in some cases for the first time – to automate inaccessible and large-scale quality inspections in labour-intensive operations such as aircraft assembly, shipbuilding and wind turbine manufacturing.
A new AI-based computer vision capability called FeatureDetect that is available for the Leica Absolute Tracker ATS800 that automatically locates circular features such as bolt holes and mating points using its onboard camera. In a precision manufacturing context, the measurements are usually taken based on the CAD file, so this innovation drastically reduces setup time before laser scanning even begins. For companies that perform contract inspection, MRO, or need to measure large ‘raw’ castings hot from the forge, this software adds to the time savings already achieved through direct scanning.
Automation-ready
The ATS800 is a light, portable battery-powered and mounted onto a tripod or rack by a single person for use in multiple locations onsite with 6 hours to 12 hours (with 2 batteries) operating time between charges. From a single vantage point, its zooming lens assembly and panoramic view finder allow it to assess features and surfaces within large structures at high resolution.
Using Hexagon’s patented PowerLock technology, the ATS800 automatically and immediately ‘locks on’ to a fixed reflector and tracks its movements in real time, providing an absolute position reference. The ability to measure target reflectors also greatly simplifies robotic automation processes, providing precise position referencing within a wider coordinate system when the tracker is mounted on a linear rail or an autonomous mobile robot (AMR).
Smart factory and overnight automation
The tracker’s built-in Wi-Fi enables remote operation, means users can perform safer measurements even in hazardous or hard-to-reach areas. It also enables automated processes using autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Using FeatureDetect and PowerLock, the ATS800 can quickly identify and ‘lock on’ to a sphere target in a new area to establish its position in a coordinate system and begin measurement unattended.
Rodrigo Alfaia, Laser Tracker Product Director at Hexagon commented, “With FeatureDetect we are bringing automation into the process before measurement begins, and with the measurement capabilities the ATS800 offers we anticipate far more applications for static-mounted and mobile applications. The ATS800 is having significant impact on production cycles, cutting inspection times from multiple days to hours.”
