Critical Manufacturing Brings Real-Time Intelligence to the Shopfloor
Critical Manufacturing is demonstrating its Industrial Operations Platform at Hannover Messe 2026, positioning the solution as more than a traditional Manufacturing Execution System (MES). The platform unites execution, an enterprise data layer, AI copilots and a partner ecosystem to create a closed‑loop where shop‑floor data is instantly transformed into actionable insights. Live demos, including a coffee‑machine scenario and a digital‑twin application, illustrate real‑time intelligence and natural‑language analytics. The company aims to help manufacturers in complex sectors such as semiconductors and medical devices improve quality, reduce variability, and accelerate decision‑making.
SmartRay Expands ECCO X Range with 3D Sensor for Reflective and Glass Surfaces
SmartRay has launched the ECCO X 050G, a new 3D sensor that extends the ECCO X family to handle highly reflective and transparent surfaces such as glass. The compact unit delivers up to 40 kHz scan rates, 2.2‑2.9 µm vertical resolution and 163 million points...
Exploring the Future of Metrology at CMSC 2026
The Coordinate Metrology Society announced Dr. Sandrine J. Thomas, Rubin Observatory’s associate director, as the keynote speaker for CMSC 2026 in Dallas. Her talk will illustrate how metrology underpins the Legacy Survey of Space and Time, linking micron‑level precision to...
Comprehensive Reverse Engineering and Metallurgy Services Meet Aerospace Challenges
NVision, Inc. delivered a full‑service reverse‑engineering solution for an FAA‑certified repair station that lacked original CAD data for a piston and integrated sleeve. Using ultra‑high‑precision 3D scanners, the firm captured micron‑level geometry, performed detailed metallurgical analysis, and produced solid CAD...
3DMakerpro Lowers the Barrier to LiDAR-Based Metrology
3DMakerpro introduced Raven, an entry‑level LiDAR scanner that dramatically reduces cost and complexity compared with traditional metrology systems. The handheld device delivers up to 2 cm accuracy at 10 m, a 50 m detection range, and captures roughly 150 000 points per second. Weighing...
Renishaw Introduces True-Absolute Multi-DoF Encoder System for High-Performance Motion Control
Renishaw has launched a new multi-degree-of-freedom optical encoder system that delivers true‑absolute position measurement across up to six axes. The solution pairs RXMA30 1.5D scales with RESOLUTE™ absolute readheads, providing direct X and Y measurement without homing and enabling real‑time...
Optical Vision Systems Transform Microchip Handling Accuracy
esmo AG has integrated senswork’s optical vision technology into its Talos microchip handling system, delivering 5 µm resolution and 0.3‑second inspection cycles. The contact‑less solution eliminates particle contamination and supports chip sizes from 0.8 × 0.8 mm to 5 × 5 mm. Fully automatic calibration and plug‑and‑play...
Hexagon Boosts Shopfloor Productivity with Advanced TubeInspect and BendingStudio XT
Hexagon has upgraded its TubeInspect inspection cell and BendingStudio XT software, delivering near‑instant, non‑contact measurement of tubes and wires directly on the shopfloor. The new release adds simultaneous multi‑part inspection, integrated support for handheld 3D scanners such as ATLASCAN Pro and HYPERSCAN,...
‘METROLOGY BREW’ News Bulletin – 23rd March
The latest Metrology Brew bulletin highlights a surge in smart manufacturing technologies that combine advanced 3‑D measurement, AI‑driven analytics, and high‑speed computed tomography. Companies such as Measur3D, ActionPlas, Lumafield, and Wagon Automotive are deploying new CMMs, inline metrology cells, and...
Lumafield Expands Industrial CT Platform with High-Speed Metrology, Large-Part and Inline Inspection Solutions
Lumafield unveiled three new industrial CT systems—Neptune Performance, Saturn and Mars—expanding its platform across metrology, large‑part inspection and inline production screening. Neptune Performance claims 15× faster scans with fourfold data quality, targeting high‑precision dimensional analysis. Saturn offers the largest door‑compatible...
Wagon Automotive Implements Inline Metrology Cell for Complex Chassis Components
Wagon Automotive has installed an automated inline metrology cell that combines a KUKA robot, Leica Absolute Scanner AS1 with an AT960 laser tracker, a motorized turntable, and Eleven Dynamics’ EDAS software. The system replaces manual measurement and legacy CMMs, delivering high‑precision,...
High-Speed CMOS X-Ray Detection for AI Chip Inspection Launched
Rayence has launched the Flash Series, a high‑speed CMOS X‑ray detector tailored for semiconductor automated X‑ray inspection (AXI) and 3D CT systems. The platform delivers 49.5 µm pixel resolution at up to 70 frames per second, while withstanding X‑ray doses of 20,000 Gy....
Robotic CT Pushes Boundaries for Inspecting Complex Composite Structures
Omni NDE has upgraded its Robot CT system at the AIMM Center, adding a UR20 cobot, a 130 kV X‑ray source and a 43 × 43 cm detector. The enhancements boost payload to 25 kg and enable two‑micron resolution scans of three‑metre composite parts. Integrated Iris software...
Weaving the Digital Thread – The Interoperability Standards Powering Smart Manufacturing
The article explains how a suite of interoperability standards underpins the digital thread in smart manufacturing. Core standards such as STEP/AP242 for model‑based definition, DMIS and QIF for metrology, and STEP‑NC for manufacturing execution enable seamless data exchange across CAD,...
GiantEye Project Aims to Transform Large-Scale Industrial CT Inspection
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS is developing the GiantEye high‑energy CT platform to scan large, dense industrial objects that traditional scanners cannot accommodate. By adopting a medical‑CT‑style rotating gantry, the system can image items in their natural horizontal...
ZEISS and Verus Metrology Partner to Advance Metrology Automation
ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions and Verus Metrology announced a strategic partnership to develop automated metrology solutions for industrial inspection. The collaboration merges ZEISS’s optical and coordinate‑measuring hardware with Verus’s custom automation platforms and fixture designs. Together they will create integrated...
PiXARGUS Optimizes Inline Plastic Profile Inspection with ProfilControl 7 PlastX
PiXARGUS has launched ProfilControl 7 PlastX, an inline inspection system tailored for plastic profiles, especially in window construction. The solution trims hardware to a lightweight sensor head while leveraging advanced software to detect surface flaws and geometric deviations. By using only four...
ActionPlas Invests in Advanced CMM to Meet Demanding F1 Tolerances
ActionPlas Group has allocated a £1 million investment to acquire an Altera M 20.12.10 coordinate measuring machine from LK Metrology, targeting the stringent tolerances demanded by a Formula 1 client. The new CMM, equipped with a Renishaw SP25M scanning probe and LK CAMIO 2025...
Automated Inspection and Packaging of 36,000 Syringes per Hour
Ward Automation delivered a compact robotic cell that inspects, labels, and palletizes 36,000 syringes per hour for a multinational pharma maker. The system uses three Stäubli robots, dual machine‑vision stations, and a dedicated lid‑sealing module, all built to meet 21 CFR...
Bridging Machining Simulation and Fatigue Analysis
MISUTECH and Hottinger Brüel & Kjær have linked MISULAB machining simulation with nCode DesignLife fatigue analysis, enabling three‑dimensional residual‑stress predictions to flow directly into fatigue life calculations. The integrated workflow lets engineers evaluate machining strategies virtually, reducing reliance on costly physical testing. A case...
Back to Hands-On CMM Metrology – Precision Without the Programming
Mitutoyo has launched the CRYSTA‑KM 565, a manual coordinate measuring machine that delivers high‑precision inspection without the need for CNC programming. Targeted at small manufacturers, workshops, educational labs and quality departments, the machine combines a granite base, FEM‑optimized rigidity and air‑bearing...
Benchtop Automated Inspection Systems Lowers Barriers to AI in Manufacturing
Sciotex has launched a benchtop automated inspection platform that bundles imaging hardware, lighting, compute, and AI‑driven software into a single, workstation‑sized unit. The system targets small and mid‑size manufacturers by eliminating the high cost and complex integration typical of traditional...
3D Scanning Accuracy Brings Mold Repairs Back on Track
Nemak, a Tier‑1 aluminum die‑casting supplier, equipped its Spanish plant with Creaform’s HandySCAN BLACK | Series and the Inspection software to modernize mold maintenance. The portable, high‑accuracy 3‑D scanner replaced manual checks, delivering precise deviation data against CAD models. Technicians used the scan...
UBB Reșița Elevates Metrology Training with Cutting-Edge Mitutoyo CMM
Babeș‑Bolyai University’s Faculty of Engineering in Reșița has equipped its research lab with a Mitutoyo MiSTAR 555 coordinate measuring machine, funded by the West Regional Development Agency. The CMM provides 2.2 µm accuracy over a 500 × 500 × 500 mm volume and comes with 20 educational...
3D Scanning Metrology: A Guide to Accuracy and Resolution
The article explains how modern structured‑light 3D scanners, such as those from SMARTTECH3D, have replaced manual tools by delivering rapid, non‑contact measurements. It distinguishes accuracy—the closeness to true dimensions—from resolution, the density of captured points, and cites the VDI/VDE 2634 standard...
CMM Adaptation to Future Manufacturing Demands
Coordinate Measuring Machines are transitioning from controlled labs to robust shop‑floor assets, capable of withstanding vibration, temperature swings, and contaminants. Manufacturers are embedding CMMs into automated cells, allowing parts to be measured in‑line and feeding real‑time pass/fail data back to...
Multisensor Metrology Automating Micron-Level Inspection in Micro Waterjet Cutting
Italian micro waterjet cutter WatAJet has adopted Mitutoyo’s Quick Vision Apex to automate micron‑level inspection of its ultra‑fine parts. The system combines high‑resolution optical vision, contact probing and laser profiling in a single programmable machine, eliminating the need for multiple...
Humanoid Robotics Complements Existing Automation at BMW
BMW Group launches its first European pilot of humanoid robots at the Leipzig plant, extending its ‘Physical AI’ strategy that blends artificial intelligence with real machines. The project, in partnership with Hexagon Robotics and its AEON robot, will test multifunctional...
‘METROLOGY BREW’ News Bulletin – 2nd March
The March 2 Metrology Brew bulletin highlighted a wave of AI‑driven quality solutions and strategic capital moves across smart manufacturing. Fractilia’s FAME 300 became the first fully automated stochastic metrology system in a leading semiconductor fab, while Atlas Copco introduced AI‑enhanced vision for EV...
Automated Stochastics Metrology Drives Production Decisions at Top-Five Device Maker
Fractilia announced that its FAME 300 stochastic metrology system is now in‑line at a top‑five semiconductor device maker, marking the first full‑scale deployment of automated stochastic control in production. The solution monitors more than 200 metrology steps, generating real‑time SPC charts...
Standardising Deep Hole Drilling Through Adaptive Process Control
DMG MORI has launched Adaptive Drilling Control (ADC), a sensor‑driven cycle that standardises deep‑hole and gun drilling on universal machining centres. By monitoring pressure, flow and spindle load in real time, ADC continuously adjusts coolant delivery and feed rates, turning a...
How AI at the Edge Is Reinventing Manufacturing Quality
AI‑powered quality control, driven by edge computing and Arm‑based processors, is reshaping modern manufacturing. By embedding intelligence on the factory floor, manufacturers can detect anomalies in real time, cut waste, and continuously fine‑tune processes. Siemens’ partnership with Arm showcases the...
Large-Scale 3D Metrology Enables Reconstruction of Critical Agitation Component
Buffalo Metrology was hired to reverse‑engineer an 8‑foot clarifier cover used in wastewater treatment after a fracture damaged the component. Using the Shining 3D FreeScan Trak Nova, the team captured the entire geometry in a single day and processed the data...
AI-Powered End-of-Line Inspection Redefines Quality Control
Production lines face rising variant complexity and tighter delivery windows, pushing traditional visual inspections to their limits. Austrian Danube Dynamics teamed with Aspöck Systems to deploy the AI‑driven “auros for quality” platform, leveraging IDS uEye XCP cameras for end‑of‑line testing...
Function-First Robot To Redefine Factory Automation
Midea Group unveiled the MIRO U, a six‑arm robot mounted on a mobile wheeled base that prioritizes function over humanoid form. The platform can perform parallel operations, reducing cycle times and consolidating tasks traditionally spread across multiple fixed robots. Its mobility...
Mahr Launches MarWin MarSurf3D for Fast Reliable Surface Roughness Analysis
Mahr has launched MarWin MarSurf3D, a new software layer for its optical measuring systems that accelerates surface‑roughness analysis while boosting reliability. The solution features a guided, click‑minimal user interface, compliance with ISO 25178, and the ability to process up to one gigabyte...
INSPECTIS Launches New Ring Light With Dual White & UV Light
INSPECTIS AB introduced the HD‑124‑WUV Dual White & UV Ring Light, featuring 32 white and 8 UV LEDs for high‑intensity, interchangeable illumination. The product will debut at the IPC/APEX Expo in March 2026 and integrates directly with INSPECTIS digital microscopes,...
Fourier Analysis in Production Metrology: Turning Measurement Data Into Process Insight
Fourier analysis, implemented via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in Mahr’s MarWin software, is being promoted as a core tool for production metrology. By converting measurement profiles into frequency spectra, it reveals hidden vibrations caused by tool wear, unstable clamping, or...
Visual Intelligence Powering Next-Generation Robotics
Machine vision has transitioned from simple part detection to a measurement‑grade sensory core for industrial robots. Advances in high‑resolution cameras, 3D imaging, edge AI and deep‑learning enable sub‑millimeter positioning, real‑time defect recognition and adaptive path correction. This vision‑driven intelligence lets...
All-in-One SLAM LiDAR, RTK and 360° Imagery Scanner Launched
Emesent has launched the GX1, an all‑in‑one SLAM LiDAR, RTK and 360° imaging scanner that delivers 5‑10 mm global accuracy. The system can cut survey time by up to 95 %, turning weeks of work into a single day. It integrates LiDAR,...
Driving Automotive Quality with Automation
Ajin Industrial, a long‑standing Tier‑1 supplier to Hyundai and Kia, replaced its manual fixture‑based inspection with Creaform’s CUBE‑R robotic 3D scanning cell and Metrology Suite. The automated system delivers higher dimensional accuracy, repeatable measurements, and real‑time feedback, cutting inspection time...
