ZEISS Research & Quality Solutions has added ZEISS TALOS to its metrology portfolio, targeting automated, high-volume inspection of medium-sized and large components. The system combines a metrology robot with a newly developed optical sensor, a rotation table and a safety concept. ZEISS specifies measurement uncertainty below 100 µm over a reach of 3.30 meters.
The company says TALOS positions its sensor precisely and repeatably without external tracking systems or reference markers. That capability is intended to support reliable measurement of large parts, including areas that are difficult to reach with conventional line-of-sight systems.
Integrated robotic measurement
The core hardware pairs the ZEISS TALOS MR metrology robot with the compact blue-light ZEISS TALOS AX sensor. ZEISS TALOS RT rotation table and ZEISS TALOS Safeguard complete the configuration. Dr. Jan Thesing, head of the Business Unit 3D Optical Systems at ZEISS, described the launch as a fundamental shift in automated metrology: metrological functions are integrated into the system while robotic speed, range and flexibility are retained, he said.
According to ZEISS, a longstanding challenge in optical metrology has been combining fast surface measurement with precise feature measurement. TALOS AX addresses this with two 24-megapixel cameras that capture images at 100 Hz, or up to 200 Hz in a fast-scan mode. A 500 mm wide measurement volume and four multidirectional feature flashes allow the system to capture large surfaces for geometry analysis and digital twins, as well as precise features such as holes, edges, bolts and threads, the company says.
Designed for production use
ZEISS says the robot and system concept are designed to withstand temperature variations, vibration and dust. Measurement tasks can be prepared offline from the CAD model, while ZEISS INSPECT automatically calculates the required measurement positions and robot paths. The company says this can significantly reduce the time and effort needed to plan new inspection tasks.
One-click programming, efficient robot motion and a streamlined setup are intended to increase throughput and make better use of measurement capacity. ZEISS INSPECT also supports complete analyses and report generation, and allows measurement results to be integrated into existing processes.
Applications across transport manufacturing
TALOS is aimed at automotive, aerospace and commercial vehicle manufacturing, both near production lines and in dedicated measurement rooms. ZEISS lists applications including car bodies, hang-on parts, giga-casting parts, aerostructures, jet engines, truck cabins and weld seams.
High-resolution measurement data is intended to help evaluate component quality and deviations. Virtual tools can be used to assess functional dimensions, gap sizes and flushness, for example in automotive assembly. The launch extends ZEISS’s optical metrology offering into automated inspection setups that pair robotic reach with metrology-grade positioning and analysis.