3D Sensors For Automated Industrial Quality Control Systems

The Micro-Epsilon company has developed a new generation of snapshot sensors for automated quality control. The hardware solution integrates the acquisition, processing, and evaluation of high-resolution 3D data into a single device, thereby reducing the complexity of the inspection infrastructure and the volume of transmitted data.

Hardware Architecture and Measurement Resolution
The surfaceCONTROL 3D 3560 sensor captures the entire geometric data of the object with a single acquisition. In terms of precision, the equipment achieves a Z-axis repeatability of up to 0.25 µm and a maximum lateral resolution of 8 µm. The generation of this dense point cloud allows the detection of the smallest structures and height differences to evaluate shape and surface characteristics. The integration of four distinct measurement fields ensures the mechanical flexibility necessary to adapt to various component sizes.

Embedded Processing and Communication Interfaces
Data evaluation is performed directly within the integrated controller of the sensor, eliminating the need to transfer raw information to an external computer. This local processing enables faster execution of measurement programs and decreases the data volume on the network. The measured values or evaluated results are transmitted to industrial programmable logic controllers via PROFINET, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, and UDP protocols. The architecture is also compatible with image processing systems via the GenICam and GigE Vision standards.

Industrial Applications and Robustness
The equipment is designed for quality assurance tasks in production environments, such as coplanarity inspection of printed circuit boards, inline control of thermally conductive pastes, and high-resolution dimensional analysis of smartphone components. To withstand industrial conditions, the sensor is encapsulated in an IP67-certified aluminum housing. The device supports exposure to stray light reaching 10,000 lux and offers high mechanical resistance to shocks and vibrations, ensuring the stability of inspection operations.

Edited by Maria Brueva, Induportals editor - adapted by AI.

www.micro-epsilon.co.uk