cxMetrology Evaluation Package Provides Fast 3D Measurement Sensor Integration
A new 3D sensor series, a new all-round software package and a new software tool that takes the evaluation of metrology applications to a completely new level: 2023 is shaping up to be a particularly exciting and at the same time extremely diverse year for the German technology company AT – Automation Technology. CTO Dr.-Ing. André Kasper gives an initial forecast of what can be expected from AT, especially in terms of 3D developments, and why the beginning of the second quarter in particular is a hot phase:
“After we launched a new 3D sensor series in 2022 with our C6, which enables the world’s fastest 3D profiling thanks to its WARP technology and its sensor chip that we developed ourselves, we have also not only expanded but also further developed our software for this. Together with our RnD team, we have succeeded in putting together our new ATSolutionPackage, a fully comprehensive software kit that combines all our previous software features and enables our customers to put their new 3D sensors into operation within ten minutes. With this SDK, which we plan to launch at the beginning of the second quarter, we hope to further simplify support for our customers,” states CTO Dr.-Ing. André Kasper.
Until now, customers have always been faced with the challenge of detecting all defects simultaneously with one 3D sensor and then also finding the optimum software for evaluating these defects. In concrete terms, this means many new benefits for AT’s customers: considerably less effort for the installation of the 3D sensors, a much faster time to market and a much higher flexibility in terms of functionality and expandability of their applications.
One part of the above-mentioned ATSolutionPackage is the so-called cxMetrology Package. This new tool not only enables customers to easily and independently integrate the 3D sensors into their application, but also to commission the components in a timely manner. AT thus no longer just produces the 3D sensor for the 3D application, the company also provides support with the appropriate software.
Consisting of a number of tools combined in the Metrology Explorer and a Metrology Software Development Kit, the customer receives an initial 3D image of his application within ten minutes and can then evaluate it immediately. In order to optimize commissioning and speed up evaluation, AT has stored a large number of demo programs in Metrology Explorer for optional evaluations that represent typical applications in the field of 3D metrology. With the help of these evaluation scripts, the customer can test the sensor live and adapt it in detail for his application solution.
With this novelty of evaluation options, which are supplied to the customer free of charge together with the hardware, AT is once again making a clear statement in the field of image processing. While competitors also offer evaluation options, a concept as open as AT’s is unique. During testing, the customer can expand the evaluation of his application as desired until he has found the optimal solution for himself.
In addition, the customer has the option of ultimately extending this evaluation option and supplementing it with his own programming ideas. AT provides the Metrology Explorer also in source code. If the customer then wants to use this source code version or develop his own scripts, a developer license is required, which he can purchase as a paid option in addition to the free cxMetrology Package.