Bruker Alicona: Latest developments in Dimensional Metrology Systems

Bruker Alicona, a global provider of optical industrial measurement technology, allows its users to measure size, position, shape and roughness with the help of only a single optical sensor, with its non-contact measurement systems. Measuring systems can be applied both in research and directly in the workshop. We talked about the details of the products with Florian Schwimmer. While we evaluated 2023 together, we learned about the projects for 2024.

Could you tell us about your company?

We are a global provider of optical industrial measurement technology for the quality assurance of components of different shapes, sizes and materials. We produce systems that measure size, position, shape and roughness as a whole with the help of optical sensors. Our non-contact measurement systems are used in all areas of precision production. The basis of our expertise lies in the accurate measurement of dimensions, positions, shapes and surface features in the fields of production measurement technology, automation, prototype development and traditional quality assurance. Our measuring systems based on “Focus Shift” technology close the gap between classical dimensional metrology and surface roughness measurement. With a single optical sensor, our systems allow users to robustly and precisely measure both GD&T properties and roughness parameters, ensuring traceable results.

Alicona was founded in 2001 and since then has represented a journey characterized by agile development and unwavering technological excellence. It is driven by a search for innovation that constantly improves the user-friendliness and production adaptability of optical measuring technology. With many years of experience, I can say that we are at the forefront of seamlessly integrating measurement technology into production processes, unlocking new areas of automation and increasing productivity.

Bruker EMO

What are your goals for expanding into the Turkish market?

We constantly analyze the markets and conclude commercial agreements from all over the world. Türkiye is an important and large market for us. It is also critical for connectivity to other major regional markets. We currently have partners in the Turkish market and we look forward to having more.

What did you offer to your customers and target audience at EMO?

In 2022, we launched a new product that fundamentally revolutionizes coordinate measurement technology. This is micro CMM. And this year we have a new product on the market. We called it vertical focus rehearsal. This is an advanced version of our “Focus Shift” technology and allows us to measure vertical walls from above. This makes it particularly helpful in the field of coordinate measuring technology to use a sensor from above and can therefore carry out truly dimensional measurement of components.

Which group do you target with this innovation?

So the target audience is definitely anyone who works in the field of precision measurement technology and wants to measure dimensions there. Anyone who wants to measure distances on small components or measure form elements relative to a specific reference on a component is the target for our product. The spectrum is very wide, extending from the aviation market to the automotive and appliance markets.

How do you think these markets will develop in 2023 and beyond?

I believe that there will be a lot of progress, especially in the field of precision manufacturing, non-contact measurement, because we are making our products more efficient every day. And this overcomes many problems in all areas of production. We can talk about the injection, automotive and aviation fields. These markets are markets where contactless measurement is used extensively and their needs are very high, which means that business will develop very well for us in these markets. We see great potential because we are entering a very specific area of the sensitive market.

What is your difference from conventional measuring devices?

A traditional coordinate measuring machine has tactile sensors at the top where they touch areas and can only measure a few points. And so you only have measured points for reference. However, it is often important to be able to measure the entire form element relative to a one-to-one clamp or a reference in terms of the function of the component being measured. For example, can you imagine a form element being measured as a whole in its location? This is exactly what we do; we actually measure the entire shape according to this layout. So this is a two-dimensional process combined with the precision and accuracy of a coordinate measuring machine.