ZEISS Research & Quality Solutions (ZEISS RQS) has introduced ZEISS TALOS, a robotic metrology system intended for automated, high-volume inspection of medium-sized and large components. The company says the system combines metrology-grade accuracy with the movement range and flexibility of robotic kinematics.
According to ZEISS, TALOS delivers measurement uncertainty below 100 micrometers across a reach of 3.30 meters. The robot positions its sensor precisely and repeatably without external tracking systems or reference markers. That capability is aimed at parts and areas that conventional line-of-sight measurement systems struggle to access.
Integrated measurement configuration
The product family includes the ZEISS TALOS MR metrology robot and the compact ZEISS TALOS AX blue-light sensor, which operate as an integrated measurement unit. The configuration is complemented by the ZEISS TALOS RT rotation table and the ZEISS TALOS Safeguard safety concept. A newly developed optical sensor supports both full-field geometry acquisition and precise feature measurement in one automated workflow, according to the company.
Dr. Jan Thesing, head of ZEISS's Business Unit 3D Optical Systems, described the launch as a shift in automated metrology. In a statement supplied by the company, he said TALOS integrates metrological capabilities directly into the system while retaining the speed, range and flexibility of robotic kinematics.
Surface and feature measurement
ZEISS positions TALOS as a way to address a persistent optical-metrology challenge: combining fast surface measurement with precise feature measurement. The TALOS AX sensor uses two 24-megapixel cameras and captures images at 100 Hz, or up to 200 Hz in a fast-scan mode. It has a 500-millimeter-wide measurement volume and four multidirectional feature flashes.
Those capabilities are intended to support large-area geometry analysis and digital-twin work as well as measurement of features such as holes, edges, bolts and threads. By combining both tasks in one sensor and workflow, ZEISS aims to reduce the need to move parts between separate inspection systems. This is a stated design objective rather than an independently verified productivity result.
Production use and software
The robot and system concept are designed to tolerate common production-floor conditions, including temperature variation, vibration and dust. Measurement jobs can be prepared offline from a CAD model. ZEISS INSPECT software then calculates the required measurement positions and robot paths, which ZEISS says reduces the time and effort needed to plan new tasks.
The system also supports one-click programming, efficient robot motion and simplified setup. ZEISS says these features can increase throughput and make better use of measurement capacity. With ZEISS INSPECT, users can carry out complete analyses, generate reports and feed measurement results into existing processes.
Target applications
ZEISS TALOS is aimed at automotive, aerospace and commercial-vehicle manufacturing, both near production lines and in dedicated measurement rooms. Applications cited by the company include 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, such as in automotive assembly. ZEISS has introduced the system; the announcement does not disclose pricing or independent validation results.