The laser tracking system was initially introduced in 1991 into the manufacturing industry. When it was first introduced many industries, experts rejected the idea of a mobile system that can be used for measurements.
Fast forward to today and the laser tracking system is here to stay. It has become an industry norm and a common tool to inspect large components, assemblies in many manufacturing and engineering industries. The laser tracking system has achieved this status due to its precision which goes up to about a couple of thousands of an inch.
How does it work?
Essentially a laser tacking system is a coordinate measurement system that is portable and uses a laser beam to measure objects accurately. A tracking system can get measurements either by tracking a scanner which is handheld, by tracking an armless contact probe that is wireless or by tracking a small sphere which is mirrored. Nowadays most engineering companies have a laser tracking system, or they outsource laser tracking services.
The method used to get the measurement is decided on by the operator. He or She can use a single method to gather the data or use a combination of methods.
The most basic design of a tracker involves the tracker which tracks a sphere that mirrored, a PC running the tracking software and the control unit for the laser beam. If you take the aerospace industry some of the common applications of the basic mirrored sphere applications is Wing assembly or Jig module examination. The automotive industry also uses this basic design.
A technician usually places the mirror sphere in the position that is to be measured and then the laser beam uses this sphere to track exact measurements in 3D.One of the main advantages of using a laser system is the fact that it’s portable and can be easily moved to positions where measurements are required. For example, if you take a 100 feet long aircraft wing, a typical CMM inspection machine is not able to get the coordinates as precisely as a laser tracking system.
With the evolution of technology, laser systems are frequently used in inspection systems that use scanners which are handheld or wireless probes instead of a mirrored sphere. The use of such devices was birthed because some customers wanted to measure various positions that are not easily accessible with a sphere. The mirrored sphere is almost the size of a quail egg and it requires line of sight directly from the object to the laser system.
So therefore, the handheld scanners and probe machines are attached to the laser system using a digital camera system that operates using IR and visible light, a motor for movement and an optical vario zoom. The camera system monitors the target device and then takes images of the IR lights mounted on the device.
To use a laser tracking system is takes specialized certification and experience. You need a metrology technician to handle the system. These systems are also quite costly and the chance of owning one for personal use is a definite impossibility.
