Truly portable 3D measurement

The first problem overcome by the system is the issue of portability, as existing 'portable' systems have one major design flaw - they aren't actually very portable, and should more accurately be described as 'transportable'. In order to achieve the accuracy quoted by the manufacturer, users must adopt heavy duty stands to provide stability for the measuring system, often requiring two people and a van to move the system between jobs, and in most cases the system ends up mounted to a table, defeating the object of a portable solution. The HandyPROBE measuring system consists of two elements – the small, lightweight handheld HandyPROBE, plus the high accuracy C-Track camera positioning system. The C-Track uses the latest photogrammetry techniques to accurately track and establish the position and orientation of the HandyPROBE in real-time. The C-Track can be mounted on a simple lightweight tripod, or anywhere that it can see the object to be measured, and includes an integrated wireless communication with the HandyPROBE. The whole measuring system is packaged in a single transport case that can be easily be moved around by one person, and fits in the back of a family hatchback car, with set-up time achieved in a few minutes – a truly portable solution. In order to achieve high accuracy in real manufacturing environments, C-Track incorporates a unique dynamic alignment system such that the HandyPROBE, C-Track positioning device and the part can be moved at any time. This is achieved through the use of reference markers attached to the part being measured, which means the co-ordinate reference system is attached directly to the part. Unlike portable arms or laser trackers, where the measuring reference is the measuring device itself, this totally eliminates the need for complex 'leap-frog' calculations and highly stable set-ups with clamped parts, thereby removing the possibility of human error and massively improving flexibility, efficiency, accuracy, and above all ease-of-use. The handheld HandyPROBE is a completely arm-free measuring probe, with no moving parts that completely eliminates the possibility of mechanical wear. As the system provides the user with 100% portability, this guarantees rapid execution of 3D inspection and reverse engineering tasks in all environments, thereby ensuring reliable measurement data. Standard CMM-like stylus configurations, which can be quickly changed without the need for re-calibration, enable users to measure all types of features, including those that would normally be inaccessible due to line of sight or limited reach of an arm. These features, coupled with the intuitive control software, make the system incredibly easy to use, even for unskilled operators. The HandyPROBE is designed to be used with many different software solutions, depending on the application and user's requirements. The system is ideally suited for use with the latest Microlog XG and Metrolog XG software for 3D inspection, as these provide a completely seamless solution with full integration of all the measuring functionalities of the HandyPROBE. The software also offers the benefit that it will work with a user's existing measuring equipment, providing total compatibility between all measuring devices.