Free software modules for scanCONTROL laser profile scanners

In order to process recorded profile information from any laser scanner (profile sensor), the scanner must be integrated with a suitable software application such as LabVIEW or Geomagic Qualify. Conventional laser scanners often leave this task to the user, who will have to carry out labour-intensive programming to ensure that the measured data is correctly integrated and processed.

When working with Micro-Epsilon's scanCONTROL laser scanners, the user can benefit from freely available, ready-to-use software tools. A software development kit is available for C/C++; this library supports both static and dynamic loading.

If the user works with LabVIEW, help is provided in the form of a ready-to-use, downloadable device driver that can be integrated directly with the user's own virtual instruments (VIs).

In addition, a software plug-in is available for users of Geomagic Qualify inspection software. This enables actual measured profiles to be compared directly with the target model. Geomagic Qualify allows rapid, precise graphical comparisons between digital reference models and manufactured parts, prior to volume production. Micro-Epsilon's plug-in supports both online operation with all scanCONTROL sensors, as well as the importing of offline data. The plug-in can therefore also be tested quickly and easily without a sensor.

How laser scanners work

Micro-Epsilon's scanCONTROL laser scanners record, measure and evaluate profiles on a variety of different target surfaces. Often referred to as profile sensors, laser scanners use the triangulation principle for two-dimensional profile detection on target surfaces. Using special lenses, a laser beam is enlarged to form a static laser line and projected onto the target surface. A high-quality optical receiver system projects the diffusely reflected light from this laser line onto a highly sensitive sensor matrix. In addition to distance information (z-axis) the controller uses this camera image to calculate the position along the laser line (x-axis). These measured values are then output in a two-dimensional co-ordinate system that is fixed with respect to the sensor. With both moving objects and traversing sensors, it is possible to obtain 3D measurement data.

Follow the links for more information about scanCONTROL laser profile scanners and to download software and drivers for Micro-Epsilon products.