Customisation and high-resolution scanning comes to PartInspect automation platform

Update of Hexagon’s automated structured light scanning solution delivers HiRES turnkey cell along with user-definable system versatility.

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division today announced an update to the PartInspect automated structured light scanning inspection platform. Expanding on the PartInspect L turnkey cell released in 2019, the expansion of the ScanControl software that powers the PartInspect platform now allows for manual fine-tuning of measurement plans as well as custom-built automation setups configured by dedicated third-party integrators. Alongside this announcement comes the release of a new high-resolution version of the PartInspect L turnkey cell.

The new HiRES version of the PartInspect L cell is powered by the high-resolution 16-megapixel StereoScan neo structured light scanner, allowing the cell to deliver X,Y resolution to within 58 microns alongside its class-leading measurement accuracy of to within just 10 microns.

Improvements across the entire PartInspect range have been delivered through updates to the ScanControl and OfflineProgramming platforms, the software platforms custom-designed for controlling automated structured light measurement systems that are at the foundation of PartInspect. Among a range of usability improvements, the standout new feature is the Manual Teaching module that gives users more freedom to define measurement plans within the turnkey cell, as well as providing the basis upon which advanced users can build custom PartInspect automated inspection setups.

“We’ve been looking at ways to allow users more flexibility in creating a system specifically tailored to their individual use case,” says Dr Dirk Rieke-Zapp, Commercial Product Manager for Structured Light Scanners, Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division. “Integrating the highest-resolution StereoScan neo system within the PartInspect range was an obvious step forward, as was expanding the range further with the introduction of configurations based on the mid-range 550-millimetre field-of-view version of the StereoScan neo. But that was just a first step – improvements we’ve made to the ScanControl platform put customisation options directly in the hands of PartInspect users.”

PartInspect L turnkey systems will continue to enjoy the productivity benefits delivered by Hexagon’s unique OfflineProgramming tool, which delivers automated scan planning, robot path generation and collision avoidance based on CAD data and can produce complete measurement plans up to 15 times faster than manual planning methods. New features within OfflineProgramming include new interactive planning functionality, including improved path generation, quick pose definition and virtual scanner positioning, along with a selection of new settings parameters that make defining a new measurement plan more intuitive. For advanced users looking to combine the productivity enhancement of automated planning with the flexibility of manual planning, ScanControl’s new Manual Teaching module can be used to fine tune plans created with OfflineProgramming as needed.

“Our standardised turnkey PartInspect L models still deliver high-speed quality control that can live in the production space and be operated by all shop-floor users without the need for advanced training,” continues Dr Rieke-Zapp. “But with the new changes to ScanControl, PartInspect becomes a wider platform that allows advanced users to finely adjust their PartInspect system to perfectly fit applications beyond the scope of a standard PartInspect L cell. That could be through augmenting an automated scan plan with specialised user knowledge, or through working with an integrator to construct a completely custom automation inspection setup that retains the core usability principles of a PartInspect system.”

PartInspect L HiRES and HiEND models based on the StereoScan neo will also now benefit from Smart Phase Projection technology, which delivers more high-quality data when scanning shiny or otherwise challenging parts. Other improvements now standard across all PartInspect L cell configurations include the Smart Data Capture option that allows for faster scanning at a reduced resolution, as well as scan time prediction, faster calculation for path planning, use of customised turntable plates and an integrated climate control system that monitors cell temperature and notifies users when recalibration of the scanner or photogrammetry unit is required. A selection of new fixtures for part support and carrying out sensor acceptance testing within the cell are also now available for all PartInspect L models.

The DPA Online system, which improves the global accuracy of the PartInspect system by introducing a photogrammetry system to work in tandem with the structured light scanner, remains available as an add-on option, and now comes with scale bars and reference targets as standard.

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