This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Quality Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Quality Magazine logo
  • Home
  • The Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Edition
    • Archives
    • How To Guide
    • Industry News
    • Subscribe
  • Web Exclusives
    • Blogs
    • NDT Exclusives
    • Quality Exclusives
    • Vision & Sensors
  • New Products
  • Channels
    • Management
    • Measurement
    • NDT
    • Quality 101
    • Software
    • Test & Inspection
    • Vision & Sensors
  • Markets
    • Aerospace
    • Automotive
    • Electronics
    • Energy
    • Green Manufacturing
    • Medical
    • Plastics
  • More
    • Leadership 100 Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Professional of the Year
    • Job Board
    • White Papers
    • Quality Store
    • Software Downloads
    • eCards
    • Product Spotlights
    • Industry Links
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Market Research
  • Multimedia
    • eNewsletter
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Showcases
    • Image Galleries
    • Interactive Spotlights
  • Events
    • IMTS
    • Event Calendar
    • Quality Show
  • InfoCenters
    • Manage Quality, Risk & Compliance
    • Material Science Quality within Microscopy
    • Modern Quality Control with SPC
    • Process Control in Manufacturing
  • Directories
    • Buyers Guide
    • NDT Sourcebook
    • V&S Sourcebook
    • Take a Tour
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
Home » Innovations: An Industry Demanding More

Innovations: An Industry Demanding More

August 2, 2011
Darryl Seland
Reprints
No Comments
Intelligent Illumination and Expansive Measurement Volume sets the new Helix apart from other 3-D metrology solutions.

Helix is an innovative and versatile 3-D metrology platform that enables manufacturers to perform challenging measurement tasks. Source: Perceptron


The operator can configure tightly spaced laser lines and alter the orientation of the laser lines to accommodate the differences between multiple parts manufactured on the same assembly line. Source: Perceptron

Today’s demanding manufacturing processes push traditional metrology solutions to their limit with high model mixes, complex material combinations and unique short-run parts. In response, Perceptron’s (Plymouth, MI) Industrial Business Unit (IBU) has introduced its groundbreaking Helix 3-D metrology solution.

Helix is an innovative and versatile 3-D metrology platform that enables manufacturers to perform even their most challenging measurement tasks with ease and precision. It combines more than 25 years of laser-triangulation and 3-D metrology experience with recent technological advances to create a unique solution for the market.

The key benefits to the Helix system are provided through Intelligent Illumination and Expansive Measurement Volume.

Intelligent Illumination is a patent-pending breakthrough that allows operators to control virtually every aspect of the sensor’s calibrated light source. By customizing the quantity, density and orientation of the sensor’s laser lines through a simple user interface, image acquisition is optimized on a feature by feature basis. The operator can configure tightly spaced laser lines for small, complex features, increase the number of laser lines to robustly measure challenging materials and alter the orientation of the laser lines to accommodate the differences between multiple parts manufactured on the same assembly line.

Prior to Helix, manufacturers were forced to purchase and deploy multiple measurement technologies in order to implement a comprehensive quality strategy. Intelligent Illumination serves as the foundation of a single, in-process solution capable of precisely measuring key dimensional features, as well as generating full 3-D point clouds–allowing, for the first time, a truly integrated, 3-D metrology solution.

Harry Rittenour, Perceptron’s president and CEO, states, “Our Helix solution is the most significant development in sensor technology in the past 15 years, and represents a quantum leap in 3-D metrology. Nothing comparable exists in the market today. Helix will provide our customers with a powerful tool for overcoming the challenges they face on a daily basis and a means to successfully implement their most far-reaching and innovative strategies for the future.”

The benefits of Enhanced Measurement Volume is simple-reduce the amount of hardware and move back to fixed sensors, saving cost and time.

Helix sensors use increased measurement volumes, in many cases more than 100 times that of competitive offerings, to effectively and efficiently support those flexible manufacturing processes. By using Helix solutions, Perceptron’s customers can measure more features on multiple models with fewer sensors, simultaneously adding value and saving money.

Rittenour adds, “The significant product differentiators provided by Helix will allow us to deliver a customized, high-precision, affordable solution. A solution that eliminates the compromises customers have had to make with competitive systems. Helix is the embodiment of value innovation-increased capability without added complexity or cost.”

For example, a study of the inspection system of an automotive assembly operation revealed that the company could reduce its number of camera placements in its current process-from four to one on a single inspection point, from 22 to six on a back-end inspection and from 125 to 47 on a full-body inspection-by implementing the Helix 3-D system.

Over the past several months, Perceptron has installed beta systems at two key customer locations and began taking customer orders.



For more information, contact:

Perceptron

47827 Halyard Dr.

Plymouth, MI 48170

(734) 414-6100

www.perceptron.com





Specifications

Generates from 1 to 200 lines on an individual inspection point without ever moving the sensor.

Allows for three separate orientations: vertical, horizontal and oblique.

Allows for three separate acquisition modes: area, line and point.

Provides a density up to 10 lines per mm.

subscribe to Quality Magazine

Recent Articles by Darryl Seland

Manufacturers Show Their ‘Metal’ Using the Imaging Power of Digital Microscopes

Post-Process Monitoring, Part 2

Post-Process Monitoring

Food, Glorious Food: How It's "goodness" is Ensured

Using the Right Tool for the Right Job

Darryl

Darryl Seland is Editor-in-Chief of Quality magazine. He can be reached at selandd@bnpmedia.com.

Related Articles

Innovations: Big Things Come In Small Packages

From the Editor: Doing More With Less

Innovations: Arm-Free Probe "Handy" Tool for Quality Inspection

Innovations: Making Connections

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Mobile Help

More Videos

Popular Stories

Lean manufacturing

Lean In to 5S

ASNT

ASNT Annual Conference Brings NDT to Las Vegas

RoyalPower

Royal Power Solutions Opens Innovation Center

Automation in manufacturing

Automated Metrology: Manufacturing Trend of the Future

EdmundsED

Edmund Optics Announces 2019 Educational Award, Norman Edmund Award Recipients

Quality Leadership 100 Survey

Poll

Topics to Talk About

What topics would you like to see Quality cover more?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Quality Brain Teasers: Real World Challenges to Build Your Manufacturing Skills (ebook)

Quality Brain Teasers: Real World Challenges to Build Your Manufacturing Skills (ebook)

Assessments and Training in the following areas...

See More Products

SoftwareDownloads

Quality Magazine

Quality December 2019

2019 December

Check out the December 2019 edition of Quality: Quality 4.0 for medical device manufacturing, automated metrology, gage trends, plastics, materials analysis and much more!
View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • Market Research
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • List Rental
    • Partners
    • Manufacturing Group
    • Polls
    • Privacy Policy
    • Survey and Sample
  • Want More
    • Connect

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing