ZEISS Research & Quality Solutions (ZEISS RQS) has introduced ZEISS TALOS, a metrology robot designed for automated, high-volume inspection. According to the company, the system combines metrology-grade accuracy with flexible robotic kinematics and delivers measurement uncertainty below 100 µm over a reach of 3.30 meters.
ZEISS states that the robot positions its sensor precisely and repeatably without external tracking systems or reference markers, an approach the company presents as the basis for reliable measurement of medium-sized and large components, including areas that are difficult to access with conventional line-of-sight measurement systems.
An integrated measurement unit
ZEISS TALOS pairs the TALOS MR metrology robot with the compact TALOS AX blue-light sensor in a single measurement unit. The setup is completed by the metrology-grade TALOS RT rotation table and the TALOS Safeguard safety concept. Dr. Jan Thesing, head of the Business Unit 3D Optical Systems at ZEISS, framed the launch as a shift in the automated metrology category: metrological capabilities are integrated directly into the system, he said, while the speed, range and flexibility of robotic kinematics are retained.
One sensor for surfaces and features
Combining fast surface measurement with precise feature measurement has been a long-standing challenge in optical metrology. The TALOS AX carries two 24-megapixel cameras that capture images at 100 Hz, or up to 200 Hz in a fast scan mode, together with a 500 mm wide measurement volume and four multidirectional feature flashes. ZEISS says this allows a single automated workflow to cover both full-field geometry acquisition, for geometry analysis and digital twins, and precise features such as holes, edges, bolts and threads.
Built for production environments
The robot and system concept are described as designed to withstand typical environmental influences including temperature variations, vibration and dust. Measurement tasks can be prepared offline from the CAD model, and ZEISS INSPECT automatically calculates the required measurement positions and robot paths. ZEISS says this significantly reduces the time and effort needed to plan new measurement tasks. One-click programming, efficient robot motion and a streamlined setup are intended to raise throughput and make more efficient use of measurement capacity. The software also supports complete analyses, report generation and integration of results into existing processes.
Target industries and applications
ZEISS positions TALOS for automotive, aerospace and commercial vehicle manufacturing, both near the production line and in dedicated measurement rooms. Listed applications range from car bodies, hang-on parts and giga-casting parts to aerostructures, jet engines, truck cabins and weld seams. The high-resolution measurement data is intended for precise evaluation of component quality and deviations, and virtual tools can be used to assess functional dimensions, gap sizes and flushness, for example in automotive assembly.