Smart Robot Gripper Automates CMM Inspection

Part handling can be an issue when using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to inspect small parts. New Scale Robotics has solved the part handling issue while also adding the significant benefit of in-line measurement to improve CMM throughput.

Integration of the New Scale Robotics Q-Span™ precision gripper/caliper solution to a Universal Robot UR3e cobot, to perform CMM tending and part sorting in conjunction with a Zeiss O-Inspect Optical CMM provides an automated Smart Measuring Solution. Several different types of parts within a family of optics are inspected. The robot gripper picks a part, makes a preliminary measurement, and accurately loads the part onto the CMM table.

The precision gripper relays the preliminary measurement information to the Zeiss Calypso software, thereby identifying the part and instructing the O-Inspect CMM which inspection program to execute. After measuring the part, the CMM relays the measured information to the robot indicating whether the part is good or a failure allowing the robot to sort the parts accordingly into system output trays.

The Q-Span allows up to three gripper/calipers, with part-specific fingertips, to be installed on a single robot. Q-Span Systems automatically pick small parts, measure multiple features on each, and sort / place the parts based on measured dimensions.

For more information: www.newscalerobotics.com