In the manufacturing process, components are subjected to contour measurements to verify their suitability for use and to detect any variations in processing conditions. These measurements are vital for identifying discrepancies from design data, thereby preventing the repeated production of components with sub-optimal performance. By establishing pre-defined pass/fail criteria, contour measurement systems can effectively reject parts that do not meet the required standards, maintaining high levels of quality control.

This blog post will delve into the intricacies of contour measurement and its applications.

Contours represent the nominal shape of a surface, excluding irregularities such as roughness or waviness. Characterizing the contours of a surface profile is complex, as it involves distinguishing waviness from the overall form. Contour measurements are qualitative, utilizing best-fit data to assess surface profiles with a high degree of accuracy.

Comprehensive contour measurement typically requires broader gauge ranges to map the surface in all planes. In the tactile world of metrology a contacting stylus is employed to capture various dimensions of a profile, including distance, horizontal, vertical, radial, diametrical, and angular measurements. But you can just guess that Bruker Alicona has an optical solution for contour measurements, that delivers 3D data with non-contact probing.

Bruker Alicona is proud to introduce a new era of efficiency and flexibility with its latest contour scanning feature, powered by it’s Focus Probing technology. This innovative application is available for both the Bruker Alicona µCMM and InfiniteFocus G6 systems, significantly enhancing the speed and ease of contour scanning while offering extensive automation options. With this new feature, scanning contours is now faster and more intuitive than ever before.

The new contour scanning feature take no more than a minute to inspect the contour of your component. No matter whether you use the coordinate measuring machine µCMM or the InfiniteFocus G6, it is only six easy steps:

Bruker Alicona's Focus Probing technology is a groundbreaking advancement in surface measurement, enabling precise and repeatable measurements of complex geometries. This technology is based on the use of a partial light cone, where the lens captures individual light rays diffusely reflected from surfaces. This allows for the traceable and repeatable measurement of intricate features, which was previously challenging with optical methods. Here you find more information on Focus Probing.