CNC-guided sensor change on the PRISMO and ACCURA coordinate measuring machines from Carl Zeiss increases measuring effectiveness during the inspection of freeform surfaces, standard geometries and single features.

MASS (Multiple Application Sensor System) multi-sensor platform permits the fast change of contact and optical sensors during CNC operation. This enables the efficient measurement of workpieces with even the widest variety of characteristics and freeform surfaces. MASS also permits the exchange of the entire stylus system. As a result, all possibilities of dimensional measuring are available on one machine.

The PRISMO and ACCURA measuring machines with MASS technology are equipped with a range of sensors that covers the essential technologies needed to inspect geometric features. Depending on the measuring task, operators can now decide if they want to perform optical or contact measurements. Such a measuring machine can be used for a variety of tasks and can also be adapted to new measuring tasks through the addition of suitable sensors.

The multi-sensor platform can include the VAST gold or VAST XT gold central scanning probes and the RDS articulating probe holder. RDS enables more than 20,000 stylus positions in 2.5¡ã increments for the LineScan optical laser triangulation sensor (pictured), or the VAST XXT passive scanning sensor. RDS ensures the often necessary perpendicular orientation of the optical sensor to the surface of the workpiece. LineScan combined with RDS is particularly well suited for the fast capture and form inspection of freeform surfaces with HOLOS NT freeform surface software. This fast optical sensor is typically used in design, construction and mould making, as well as touch-sensitive and finely structured surfaces.