Schmitt Europe extends precision measurement equipment range

Citation

(2003), "Schmitt Europe extends precision measurement equipment range", Sensor Review, Vol. 23 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2003.08723cad.002

Schmitt Europe extends precision measurement equipment range

Schmitt Europe extends precision measurement equipment range

Complementary laser measurement products introduced following acquisition of acuity research by Schmitt Industries Inc.

Keywords: Inspection, Lasers

A comprehensive range of laser measurement equipment has been added to Schmitt Europe's product portfolio following the acquisition of California-based Acuity Research Inc. by parent organisation, Schmitt Industries Inc.

The products, which will be marketed by Schmitt's SBS division, closely complement the balancing and vibration control specialist's existing range. They include the AR600 series of laser displacement sensors, AR4000 distance measuring and line scanner units and the recently-introduced Microscan surface roughness and scatter measurement system (Plate 2).

The AR600 series is a family of 11 triangulation laser displacement sensors with excellent accuracy and sensitivity. The smallest version records distances over a measurement range of 1/8 in., with an accuracy of 0.00015 in. (4 microns), while the largest member in the range offers a full scale reading of 50 in. with an accuracy of 0.05 in. (1.25 mm).

Plate 2 AR4000 optical sensors are part of the new range of Acuity laser measurement equipment from Schmitt Europe

Suitable for a wide range of high speed measurement operations, including automated packaging, process control, machining and coordinate measurement applications, AR600 series sensors are configurable to operate at rates from 1,250 samples/s to 1 sample every 5 s, as well as "on demand". The self-contained units employ specular and diffuse reflection measurement to suit materials ranging from polished surfaces, glass and transparent liquids to molten metals and opaque solids. Sensors also feature a background light emission mode for brightly lit areas and are equally applicable for thorough-window inspection of food products or hazardous materials. Manufactured to IP67 enclosure standards for industrial and outdoor use, Schmitt's AR600 units are available with RS-232 serial, RS422 serial and 4-20 mA current loop outputs, to suit application requirements.

AR4000 optical distance sensors have an operating range from 0 to 50 feet with most diffuse reflective surfaces. An eye-safe version is also available for use with reflective tape. With 0.1 in. (2.5 mm) accuracy, 0.02 in. (0.5 mm) short term repeatability, and sample rates of up to 50 kHz, AR4000 units are ideal for distance measuring applications that demand high precision and fast response rates such as machine vision, autonomous vehicle navigation, 3D imaging, levelling and positioning operations.

The complementary AR4000 line scanner collects and processes distance data throughout a full 3608 sweep. The compact and lightweight unit incorporates a balanced rotating mirror with an optical reflectance of 96 per cent, to ensure maximum sensitivity. It also features a motor encoder with 2,000 position counts/revolution and will achieve scan rates of up to 2,600 lines/min.

The SMS microscan is a simple to use, portable surface roughness and scatter measurement instrument that enables precise measurement to be taken at remote sample locations.

With a measurement range from 1 to 1,100Å, this battery operated, lightweight unit is ideal for inspecting optical surfaces, semiconductor wafers, precision machined surfaces or rolled and formed components.

In operation, users simply place the measuring head on the surface to be inspected and press a button. Readings take less than 5 s to process and can be automatically stored in the unit's 700 capacity data memory. In addition, the versatile Microscan can be programmed with user-definable pass/fail criteria and can be easily adapted to perform process control functions.

For further information, please contact: Dean White, Schmitt Europe Ltd. Tel: +44 024 7669 7192; Web site: www.schmitteurope.co.uk