Danfoss acquires new 3D scanner robot
Rapidly scanning down to micron accuracy.
The Danish Danfoss company has taken the step to shift some of the work previously done by coordinate measuring machines to a new investment: an advanced 3D scanner robot.
Danfoss, established in 1933, originally sold a refrigeration unit expansion valve. In the modern day it has expanded into many fields, but the one where the new 3D scanner comes into play is for the manufacturing of joysticks that are used to control commercial vehicles such as cranes, harvesters, tractors or forestry machines.
“The scanner is so fast and easy to use that we can literally verify component dimensions while we manufacture, which is not possible with CMM technology,” said Abel Dukai, mechanical engineer at Danfoss. Dukai mentions that although the CMM technology used previously, which is outsourced to a third-party specialist, is still satisfactory and will continue to be used, the new 3D scanner’s speed is a great asset on the production line.
The scanner in question is the GOM 3D scanner robot. Using narrow-band blue light, it can measure rapidly measure up to 12 million points in order to create a three-dimensional image. This image can then instantly be compared to the original CAD design for the scanned component, with an accuracy of down to 0.007 millimetres.
The accuracy and speed of the robot is especially useful because of its ability to scan complex shapes. Grzegorz Leonhard, joint leader on the project alongside Dukai, mentions that he’s glad they have this technology at hand: "It’s incredible technology that’s already gaining prevalence in the automotive industry. I’m glad we now have it on board, too."