Enhancing productivity during alignment, inspection, and reporting
Hexagon’s Portable Metrology Division has introduced a new wireless probe that adds contact measurement to its high-speed Hyperscan large-volume laser-scanning system, enhancing productivity during alignment, inspection, and reporting
Hyperscan has been created to eliminate the need for traditional reference targets, allowing users to begin scanning immediately without extra preparation or repositioning. An intelligent optical tracker provides the scanner or probe with absolute position in real time, supporting uninterrupted measurement.
Darren Goh, product director for Handheld Scanners at Hexagon, said, “Users can now add Hyperprobe to Hyperscan when contact probing is needed – for example, to measure a hidden feature – while staying in the same inspection workflow. The system supports probing accuracy down to 0.05 mm. The introduction of the Hyperprobe gives Hyperscan customers the ability to probe hidden points within a single, high-productivity inspection workflow. For example, checking bolt housings in a transmission casing, aligning a large composite mould or checking the alignment of fixtures before scanning.”
The probe is useful when a component or jig must be aligned for manufacturing or inspection, and a precise measurement is required. Using the Bluetooth-connected Hyperprobe, the user receives immediate feedback while taking measurements through on-device controls.
This helps save time when setting up jigs in automotive production or positioning composite moulds for airframe manufacture, benefits that carry through when the part is then scanned at the same coordinate.
Users can switch from scanning to probing to measure hidden features within the system’s measurement volume: up to 5.5m with Hyperscan Ultra and 7m with Hyperscan Super. If the object is moved or the user relocates, optical tracking supports continued dynamic tracking without manual relignment.
Hyperprobe is designed for ergonomic handheld use and weighs 0.72kg, with up to 4 hours of continuous probing on a single charge. Thumb-operated controls enable easy switching between probing modes, supporting quick checks of hidden features before fabrication or assembly.
During inspection, users can scan and probe into the metrology software for immediate feedback as they switch between devices.
Back at the laptop, processing and reporting are streamlined as the probe and scanner share the same coordinate system in the user’s metrology software.
Hyperprobe is supported by Hexagon’s HHscan and Geomagic Control X software, as well as select third-party metrology software.
