Carl Zeiss Releases O-Inspect 322 Optical Coordinate Measuring Machine

The O-INSPECT line from Carl Zeiss is growing: the O-INSPECT 322 coordinate
measuring machine is now available. It is the smallest system with which Carl
Zeiss is expanding the range of applications of its coordinate measuring
machines. The system unites contact ZEISS scanning and optical measuring.
This combi- nation is now available in two sizes: O-INSPECT 322 and the
original O-INSPECT 442. Both machines use the same sensors and function; the
difference is in the measuring range.

In many industries, the parts being inspected are no bigger than a hand, e.g. a
mobile phone case or dentures. The O-INSPECT 322 is now available for the
measurement of these parts. The measu- ring range is somewhat smaller (300
x 200 x 200) mm, but the system is also more affordable compared to other O-
INSPECT machines. "This machine is an ideal addition to our existing portfolio
and further expands our range of appli- cations," says Dr. Dietrich Imkamp,
who is in charge of Visual Systems & CT at Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology.
Compared to pure optical measuring systems, O-INSPECT 322 has a
competitive price and comes standard with contact sensors – and ZEISS
scanning. The optical and contact sensors are built in: easy-to-use CALYPSO 3D
CAD software merges the measured data.

3D measurements and scans with minimal probing forces

Where other machines can only offer single-point scanning and thus relatively
high probing forces,
O-INSPECT 322 from Carl Zeiss IMT offers scanning as a standard feature, in
which the VAST XXT probe enables precision probing with forces in the
millinewton range. Therefore, true 3D measurements that permit form and
position statements are possible. This is a key benefit for users because most
precision parts or plastic workpieces are three dimensional.

Telecentric optics are very elaborate and therefore not used on most optical
measuring machines. Unlike the central perspective principle, the distance to
the object is irrelevant in telecentrics: test objects in the camera image can
always be measured with the right imaging scale. O-INSPECT 322 comes
standard with the 12x telecentric zoom lens from Carl Zeiss Microscopy, which
compensates for these deviations with an additional zoom range.

Precision even in challenging production environments

O-INSPECT 322 also works reliably under varying ambient temperatures. Where
other machines need climate-controlled measuring labs, O-INSPECT delivers
reliable measuring results at a wide range of temperatures and can also be
deployed on the shop floor. Other configurations will be available in the future,
which will tolerate temperatures up to 26 or 30 degrees Celsius thanks to TVA
(Temperature Variable Accuracy). The operator always knows the tolerance
range to be expected of the measured values. O-INSPECT 322 is therefore ideal
for locations with difficult climate conditions.