LK Adopts Perceptron Technology to Speed Up Sheet Metal Inspection

CMM Inspection is Three Times Faster

PLYMOUTH, Mich., June 2 -- Perceptron today announced that its 3D scanning technology has been adopted by LK Metrology Systems to provide non-contact laser inspection capability for its coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) that is up to three times faster than touch probe technology.

The new technology integrates a Perceptron laser probe and software with a CMM for the inspection of a large spectrum of sheet metal parts, such as door panels, hoods, deck lids, bodies-in-white.

"With sheet metal parts, it's common to have a variety of holes, slots, studs, edges and other features that need to be verified for presence and quality," says Jeff Walker, LK manager of marketing and new products. "We've put a laser sensor on a CMM and modified the software to control the inspection process."

Perceptron's ScanWorks(TM) Toolkit software provides the 3D scanning engine and the mathematical algorithms to extract dimensional features from a cloud of scan data, such as the location and diameter of holes and slots.

"The ScanWorks(TM) software is integrated directly into our product," adds Walker, "and we've based it on the same DMIS (Dimensional Measurement Interface Standard) commands as the touch probes, making it very familiar and easy for the customer to use."

Scanning and Touch Probe Technology Available in One Package

The Perceptron laser-scanning probe is typically installed on a horizontal arm CMM such as LK's HC-90. The laser scanner can be automatically exchanged with conventional touch trigger and analog probes, making it a popular add-on for industrial manufacturers with LK CMMs.

"Both sensing technologies are important in the manufacturing process," says Bill Corriveau, Perceptron Senior Vice President. "The primary benefit of non-contact scanning technology lies in its speed. It collects more data at a much faster rate than a conventional touch probe. Thus laser scanning can increase the throughput of CMM operations at the accuracies required for most sheet metal inspection applications. Touch probe technology is still essential for achieving very high levels of precision. With non-contact laser scanning, CMM users can now select the trade-offs between speed and very high precision."

About LK Metrology Systems

LK Metrology Systems, founded in 1963, is a premier designer and manufacturer of Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) and integrated software and hardware measurement solutions. LK is also an ISO 17025 accredited calibration laboratory. LK Metrology Systems is based in Brighton, MI. For more information, please visit www.lk-cmm.com .

About Perceptron

Perceptron produces information-based process improvement solutions for industry as well as technology components for non-contact measurement and inspection applications. Automotive and manufacturing companies throughout the world rely on Perceptron's process management solutions to help them improve quality, shorten product launch times and reduce overall manufacturing costs.

Headquartered in Plymouth, MI, Perceptron has approximately 215 employees worldwide, with facilities in the United States, Germany, Slovakia, Spain, France, Brazil, and Japan. For more information, please visit www.perceptron.com .