Bestech has supplied high performing laser profile scanners from Micro Epsilon on the Australian market for more than a decade. Manufacturers’ Monthly finds out the latest developments.
Bestech Australia introduce the newest development for its laser profile scanner for advancing local manufacturing. The new scanCONTROL 2500 is ideally suited for high volume manufacturing applications, while the scanCONTROL 3000 offers a high-resolution scanning for challenging applications and measurement on difficult surface.
The introduction of the entry level, compact scanCONTROL 2500 has made it possible for large scale manufacturing industry to consider integrate this high-tech system in their process. It provides measurement resolutions of 192,000 points per second, with a maximum measurement speed of 300 samples per second.
The introduction of several new models means that scanCONTROL will be more economically feasible for applications that do not require high precision measurement such as for OEM clients.
High resolution profile scanning technology
The new scanCONTROL LLT3000 scanner offers the highest performance scanning in terms of accuracy and measuring rate. It has a high-resolution sensor matrix that allows measurement of profile data up to 5.5 million points per profile to reliably detect the finest of details in an object.
This advanced scanner is also available in high-speed version to offer a maximum sampling speed of 10kHz for dynamic measurement task. This new scanner can generate accurate results on surfaces with inhomogeneous structure as the exposure of its lens can be simultaneously adjustly without time offset.
“The wide selection of range and capability of the scanCONTROL laser profile scanners open a possibility for integration in industrial manufacturing process, from mass production, 3D printing or research,” said Bestech’s national applications manager, Arend Wieringa.
“The SMART version of the scanner can do automatic calculation of profile properties such as edge angle or gap and it can also be used to determine surface topology in 3D printing process.”
The new scanCONTROL LLT3000 model is equipped with high dynamic range acquisition mode, which improves the exposure of the sensor matrix for measurement on difficult surface and for high-speed dynamic process. Therefore, it can reliably measure the profile of fast-moving object with high precision.
“We have encountered an application where the end-users require a wide range profile scanner to measure on the conveyor belt,” said Wieringa.
“Currently, our profile scanner has a maximum measurement range of 200mm. There is an ongoing R&D activity to improve the performance of the sensors, which we hope to introduce to our customer in 2021.”
Controlled intelligence
There are two versions of the sensor: COMPACT and SMART. The SMART version of the sensor is integrated with intelligent controller to enable automated calculation of the profile without performing complicated analysis.
When the customer enquires about a laser profile scanner, they will think about the sensor that are capable of detecting the object profile.
The SMART profile scanner that we supply from Micro Epsilon provides additional measurement capability that can be interfaced with PLC to streamline their production process. The laser profile scanner is particularly suitable for manufacturing applications that require automated calculation of profile properties such as gap, edge angle, groove or depth.
“Edge angle detection is crucial in plasterboard manufacturing process to fit in the building specification,” said Wieringa. “The SMART version of the sensor can be mounted on the production line and automatically measure the edge angle which makes the production process more efficient.”
The production of roof tiles requires high demand of measurement and testing to ensure the quality of the product. The demand for accurate profile measurement is crucial in roof tile applications as even a minor error in the tile sizing means that the tiles will not fit into the entire roofing section.
The high precision measurement capability of the laser profile scanner enables reliable measurement of the surface roughness of the roof tile. In addition, the advancement of 3D printing and additive manufacturing technology also requires a high precision profile sensor to reliably measure on the 3D-printed surface.
“We have continuously improved the products with the introduction of new feature, ranges and measurement capability to meet the demand of the manufacturing industries,” said Wieringa.
About Bestech
Bestech Australia specialises in supplying, designing and manufacturing sensors and instrumentation for measurement of physical parameters, data acquisition systems and technical teaching equipment. One of the fastest growing companies in Oceania, it provides efficient solutions in the form of an individual product or a complete turn-key system.
Bestech provides full technical support, including consulting, design, implantation, test and commissioning as well as integration to support customers with high-end test and measurement requirement.