ZEISS Research & Quality Solutions has introduced ZEISS TALOS, a metrology robot for automated, high-volume inspection. The company says the system combines metrology-grade accuracy with flexible robotic kinematics and delivers measurement uncertainty below 100 µm over a reach of 3.30 meters.
The robot positions the sensor precisely and repeatably without external tracking systems or reference markers, according to ZEISS. This is intended to enable reliable measurement of medium-sized and large components, including areas that are difficult to reach with conventional line-of-sight measurement systems. A newly developed optical sensor supports both full-field geometry acquisition and precise feature measurement within a single automated workflow.
Integrated hardware and workflow
The metrology robot ZEISS TALOS MR and the compact blue-light sensor ZEISS TALOS AX form an integrated measurement unit. ZEISS also supplies the metrology-grade ZEISS TALOS RT rotation table and the ZEISS TALOS Safeguard safety concept. Dr. Jan Thesing, head of the Business Unit 3D Optical Systems at ZEISS, described the product as a fundamental shift in automated metrology because metrological capabilities are integrated directly into the system while the speed, range and flexibility of robotic kinematics are retained.
One sensor for surfaces and features
A longstanding challenge in optical metrology is combining fast surface measurement with precise feature measurement. ZEISS says the TALOS AX sensor addresses this with two 24-megapixel cameras that capture images at 100 Hz, or up to 200 Hz in fast-scan mode. A 500 mm wide measurement volume and four multidirectional feature flashes allow it to measure both large surfaces for geometry analysis and digital twins and precise features such as holes, edges, bolts and threads.
Designed for production use
The robot and system concept are designed to withstand typical production-environment influences such as temperature variations, vibration and dust. Measurement tasks can be prepared offline from the CAD model, while ZEISS INSPECT automatically calculates the required measurement positions and robot paths. ZEISS says this can significantly reduce the time and effort needed to plan new measurement tasks. One-click programming, efficient robot motion and streamlined setup are intended to increase throughput and make more efficient use of measurement capacity. With ZEISS INSPECT, users can perform complete analyses, generate reports and integrate measurement results into existing processes.
Applications across manufacturing
ZEISS TALOS is designed for automotive, aerospace and commercial vehicle manufacturing, both near production lines and in dedicated measurement rooms. The company lists applications including car bodies, hang-on parts, giga-casting parts, aerostructures, jet engines, truck cabins and weld seams. High-resolution measurement data is intended to support precise evaluation of component quality and deviations. Virtual tools can be used to assess functional dimensions, gap sizes and flushness, for example in automotive assembly.