High-Speed Non-Contact Form Measurement From Mitutoyo: The Roundtracer Flash
Expected to become a standard measuring device in quality assurance laboratories worldwide, Mitutoyo is introducing a new product, the Roundtracer Flash. This non-contact measuring unit is expected to deliver even more speed and versatility to the Mitutoyo form measurement line.
Known as the Roundtracer Flash, this optical measuring unit is based on side-by-side two-dimensional image architecture. Due to this, the images are acquired by different sensors and are perfectly combined to generate a single workpiece image containing zero discontinuities or gaps at stitching edges.
Capable of measuring parts of up to 300 mm in length without any vertical movement of the sensors or part, the Roundtracer Flash performs these measurements almost instantaneously. Impressively fast, this machine can execute 100 static measurements in just two seconds regardless of how the measurement sections are distributed along the workpiece.
By not requiring movement along the Z-axis to capture these 2D images, the consistency of the profiles and part geometries are stable over millions of cycles. And because of this technique, the mandatory maintenance of this measuring system is kept to a bare minimum.
Standing out in the market of non-contact form measurement, the Roundtracer Flash offers something unlike many other machines producing similar measurements and analysis, ease of use. Built with the idea in mind that it shouldn’t take a metrologist to operate, the unit itself can perform a measurement with a single button push. Other than this beneficial feature, the provided GUI is also extremely intuitive and flexible, making the operator’s working processes as fast and simple as possible.
Another key factor in the development of this product wasn’t just how easy it is to use, but also how easy it can be implemented into a smart factory. Right from the start, the loading of a workpiece can be done automatically when using an external robot system, and the machine comes with 7 available ports for data output and code reading. When considering the standard ability of the machine, it is clear how big of a difference it will make in manufacturing facilities, no matter the size.