AT Sensors Advances Inline Metrology with Ultra-High-Resolution C7 XCS 3070
A human hair is about 70 micrometers thick, while a red blood cell, at 7 micrometers, is just one-tenth that size. And it is precisely for this high-precision range, where details roughly the size of red blood cells need to be measured, that AT Sensors developed the new C7 XCS 3070 3D laser profile sensor. It boasts an X-axis resolution of 7.8 micrometers within a 24-millimeter field of view, enabling it to capture even the smallest surface structures that remain invisible to many sensors.
Specifically, this represents an enormous advance for quality control in image processing, as the XCS series from AT Sensors has always stood for high precision in demanding inline measurement processes. With the development of the new XCS 3D laser profile sensor, this commitment is now being consistently carried forward. As the first compact 3D laser profile sensor in the XCS series, it is based on the newly developed C7 platform with an NBASE-T interface and transmits data at up to 5 Gbit/s. This opens up entirely new possibilities for inline applications: profile data, intensity, and reflection information can be transmitted simultaneously, loss-free, and in real time. What previously required multiple steps can now be accomplished in a single step with the expanded data interface.
In addition, the C7 XCS 3070 is also available in the WARP variant with a profile rate of up to 94 kHz. AT’s proprietary WARP technology enables on-sensor data processing, in which measurement data is processed and preselected directly within the image sensor in parallel, resulting in even higher profile speeds for time-critical applications.
The extremely thin and homogeneous 405 nm laser line (laser class 3R) is primarily responsible for the extreme precision, enabling a highly accurate Z-resolution of 0.13 µm. The X-resolution is 7.8 µm. Incidentally, the quality of the laser line is no accident: a particularly homogeneous intensity distribution ensures that measurement uncertainties caused by uneven illumination are minimized. This is crucial, especially with high-resolution sensors, to fully exploit the theoretically achievable resolution even in real-world industrial applications.
This makes the C7 XCS 3070 ideal for inspection tasks where the smallest structures, fine surface topographies, or the tightest tolerances must be captured reliably and reproducibly. The 3D laser profiler was therefore developed specifically for the semiconductor and electronics industries, advanced packaging, or the inspection of fine solder joints and microstructures.
In addition to its metrological capabilities, the C7 XCS 3070 also excels in terms of integration: The newly designed housing is compact, making it particularly suitable for confined installation spaces. The C7 platform remains compatible with existing AT infrastructures, allowing existing installations to be easily expanded or migrated.
Three main benefits of the new C7 XCS 3070 include:
- Measurement accuracy on the order of a single cell with 7.8 µm resolution in a compact sensor, a first for AT in this class
- 5 Gbit/s interface for five times the data bandwidth at a maximum profile rate of up to 94 kHz for the most demanding inline inspections
- Ultra-thin, homogeneous laser line for consistently precise measurement results across the entire field of view, even with the finest surface structures
For more information: www.at-sensors.com
