Ultrathin Noncontact Probe

Novacam Technologies has introduced a noncontact probe with a 0.02” (0.5 mm) diameter. Designed to be used with either Novacam TubeInspect or BoreInspect 3D metrology systems, this ultrathin fiber-based probe reaches inside to measure tubes, bores and other hard-to-reach spaces with IDs as small as 0.04” (1 mm).

Easily entering tight spaces, Novacam probes measure even high-aspect ratio features such as threads, splines, undercuts, O-ring grooves and cross-holes.

The new side-looking 0.02”-dia. probe was used to measure threads inside a ¼” (6.35 mm) long threaded hex standoff nut with a #4-40 thread. From the resulting point cloud, comprising over ¼ million micron-precision 3D point measurements, application GD&T software quickly determines critical thread parameters, including the thread pitch (or alternately threads-per-inch (TPI), the thread lead, and minor and major diameters.

3D point clouds acquired by Novacam probes provide a solid basis for automated reporting of dimensional measurements (GD&T parameters), surface roughness measurement, defect measurement, and/or thickness measurement (when material is semitransparent). With high-density scans such as obtained in the above example, defects are easily detected and measured. The user selects the density of the point cloud depending on their application needs.

The 0.5-mm diameter probe joins Novacam's already wide selection of noncontact optical probes developed for high-precision inspection applications. Available probes include:

• Standard and small-diameter probes, either forward-looking or side-looking
• Rotational probes, included with Novacam RS2 rotational scanner, and
• Galvo scanners, which scan areas in a raster pattern.

Novacam 3D metrology systems are modular and fiber based, and their noncontact probes easily integrate onto robot arms, gantries, CMMs, or other precision stages. The systems are based on low-coherence interferometry (LCI) technology, provide submicron precision measurements, and acquire surfaces at 100,000 3D points per second. As such, the probes perform anywhere from research labs to automated inspection stations on production floors and high-volume production lines.