NOVEMBER 18, 2008--Laser Design (Minneapolis, MN, USA; www.laserdesign.com), a supplier of 3-D laser scanners, has signed a distribution agreement with Quality Measurement Technology (QMT; Auburn, WA, USA; www.qmt-inc.com) to meet increased demand for its Surveyor 3-D laser scanning systems throughout the northwestern United States. The QMT distributorship will showcase and demonstrate Laser Design's portable Surveyor-FA (Faro-arm) scanner and its Surveyor WS-Series high-precision scanning system to area customers. The portable Faro-Arm system is available with an 8-in. laser line scanner.
Laser Design's Surveyor 3D scanning systems are designed to assist in inspection processes as well as support reverse engineering and CAD modeling used for product design and development in many high-tech industries. Tom Demogines, owner of QMT, says, "QMT provides our customers with premier metrology and reverse engineering equipment, software, and services to give them a competitive edge in today's manufacturing world… Having represented some of the most prominent laser scanning companies in the past we have found that Laser Design has the premier product to use with articulated CMMs in addition to fixed CMMs."
Laser scanning systems project laser light onto surfaces while cameras continuously triangulate the changing distance and profile of the laser as it sweeps along, enabling the object to be accurately replicated digitally. Laser scanners can quickly measure parts both large and small while generating far greater numbers of data coordinates than touch probes without the need for templates or fixtures. Laser scanning reproduces the complete geometry of a complex part to a high level of accuracy, often to within 1/1000 of an inch.
QMT recently opened a facility in Auburn that more than doubles its previous lab space. A new high-precision Wenzel CMM was installed for large component inspection. Verification of parts to model-based definition is provided on a contract basis for manufacturers who require first article inspection, capability studies for process control, and/or have a need for measuring parts on a regular basis.
