Absolute Tracker: Automated Production

Building on the experience of applications in the area of automated inspection, our Laser Tracker Automation solutions are paving the way for true metrology-assisted assembly. Putting an advanced measuring tool in direct control of the production process is the next step on the road to truly smart manufacturing.

Automated production control systems are founded on the six degrees of freedom (6DoF) capabilities of the Leica Absolute Tracker AT960, which allows a sensor to be accurately tracked and precisely oriented within a measurement volume up to 60 metres in diameter.

With the addition of our Real-Time Feature Pack (RTFP), the AT960 is upgraded to a system that meets the deterministic measurement data-delivery requirements of real-time robotic control. Based on the well-established EtherCat protocol, the RTFP enables 6DoF data to be delivered with accurate timestamps at a rate of 1000 Hertz – known as 7DoF measurement data.

With a control sensor like the Leica T-Mac integrated at the point of production, an AT960 augmented with the RTFP can provide precise and accurate control in applications involving processes such as machining, part assembly or any other robot-operated production activity to which accuracy is important.

This automated laser tracker-based technology has the potential to implant never-before seen levels of accuracy at the centre of the manufacturing process – controlling for quality as the part is being produced rather than after. That means less wasted materials, less wasted time and better-quality products.