The ScanShark V4ix laser scanning probe works by the principle of laser triangulation. A stripe of hundreds of points is projected on the work piece and is then processed as a profile of the surface. The data is collected at over 23,000 points per second. This allows some features (such as holes and small slots) to be measured in a single pass. Laser scanning probes are useful for collecting point clouds where an entire free-form surface needs to be compared to CAD data. The point cloud can be overlaid on the CAD model, creating a visual "weathermap" of the surface, showing the deviation from nominal in different colors.

Ideal for sheet metal, soft bodied parts, and other inspection applications where throughput and speed of measurement take priority. Laser probes on a bridge CMM are best for situations where you need to repeatedly inspect similar parts, or where you need to combine free-form surface inspection with higher-accuacy tactile probing. This can be done in a single part program with ScanShark and PC-DMIS software.

Because of the fast data collection, solid mesh models can be created from the surface profiles making these probes ideal for STL generation for reverse engineering, product development and rapid prototyping applications.

Product Availability: ScanShark V4ix is a probe option on the Discovery III CMMs from Sheffield.