A method and an apparatus for determining a plurality of spatial coordinates on a measurement object using a working head having an image sensor for recording images of the measurement object. A first image of a first feature of the object with the working head in a first working position is recorded. First spatial coordinates representing a spatial position of the first feature are determined using first position information of the working head supplied by an encoder arrangement. The working head is then moved relative to the object to a second working position, where a second image of the object is recorded. Using the first and the second images, second position information which represents a spatial offset of the working head relative to the object is determined. Spatial coordinates for a second feature of the measurement object are determined on the basis of the second position information.

According to the present invention, a measured distance is corrected in accordance with change in the surrounding environment. A distance measurement system includes: a first light-receiving unit configured to irradiate an object with one part of a split light beam as assessment light, and receive light reflected by the object to detect a target assessment beat signal; a second light-receiving unit configured to guide the other part of the split light beam as reference light to a reference optical path serving as a distance reference, and receive the reference light that has passed through the reference optical path to detect a reference optical path assessment beat signal; a distance measurement unit configured to measure a distance to the object on the basis of the target assessment beat signal and the reference optical path assessment beat signal; a temperature sensor configured to assess a temperature in the periphery of the reference optical path; and a correction unit configured to correct the measured distance on the basis of the assessed temperature.

Disclosed is an optical probe system that is capable of high speed, high precision, and high resolution 3D digitalization of engineered objects. The 3D dimensional data of the engineered object is measured using a swept source optical coherence tomography system with improved speed, spatial resolutions, and depth range. Also disclosed is a type of coordinate measurement machine (CMM) that is capable of performing high speed, high resolution, and non-contact measurement of engineered objects. The mechanic stylus in the touch-trigger probe of a conventional CMM is replaced with an optical stylus with reconfigurable diameter and length. The distance from the center of the optical stylus to the measurement probe is optically adjusted to match the height of the object to be measured quickly, which eliminates one dimensional movement of the probe and greatly improves the productivity.

A method for measuring three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a surface includes providing a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, providing a measurement device coupled to the first end, the measurement device including a camera having a lens and a photosensitive array and moving the camera to first and second positions and orientations to capture first and second images. Based on data from the camera, a first set of cardinal points common to the first and images and the second images are used to form a 3D coordinates that describe the surface.

A probe head of a coordinate measuring machine (‘CMM”) includes a sensor to detect impact of the probe head with a foreign object. The probe head is movably coupled to the CMM such that the sensor detects motion of the probe head relative to a portion of the CMM resulting from an impact event. Some embodiments cause the CMM to take action in response to detecting an impact. Probe clips allow adjustment of the position of a CMM probe relative to the portion of the CMM from which the probe is suspended. This allows the position and orientation of the CMM probe to be adapted to a variety of applications.

A measuring probe includes a stylus having a contact part to be in contact with an object to be measured, an axial motion mechanism having a moving member that allows the contact part to move in an axial direction, and a rotary motion mechanism having a rotating member that allows the contact part to move along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction by means of rotary motion. The measuring probe includes a main body housing that supports the axial motion mechanism, a module housing that supports the rotary motion mechanism, and a displacement detector supported by the main body housing for detecting displacement of the moving member. The measuring probe with this configuration ensures high measurement accuracy while keeping a low cost.

An articulating probe for use with a coordinate measuring machine comprises an attachment portion, a measuring portion, and at least one articulating joint. The attachment portion can be configured for attachment to a coordinate measuring machine. The measuring portion can be configured to contact an object to be measured by the coordinate measuring machine. The at least one articulating joint can be configured to allow rotation between the attachment portion and the measuring portion. Further, the articulating joint can comprise an angular sensor configured to measure an angle of the joint.

An articulating probe head for a measuring system comprising cooling elements. The cooling elements are modulated in response to the temperature of or the power dissipated in the probe head such that its temperature remains stable during operation.

A method for configuring a device for non-destructive testing of a mechanical part, the device including an optical motion-tracking system, a non-destructive testing probe fixedly linked to a first rigid body, and a pointing device, includes steps of: learning of an origin and of axes of an examination area of the surface of the mechanical part using the pointing device, in a coordinate system linked to the optical motion-tracking system, so as to define a coordinate system linked to the examination area, learning of an origin and of axes of an emitter and receiver surface, called active surface, of the probe using the pointing device, in a coordinate system linked to the first rigid body of the probe, and determination of the position and of the orientation of the active surface of the probe, in the coordinate system linked to the examination area.

A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) system is provided including utilization of a vision probe (e.g., for performing operations for determining and/or measuring surface profiles of workpieces, etc.) The angular orientation of the vision probe may be adjusted using a rotation mechanism so that the optical axis of the vision probe is directed toward an angled surface of a workpiece (e.g., in some implementations the optical axis may be approximately perpendicular to the angled workpiece surface). X-axis, y-axis and z-axis slide mechanisms (e.g., moving in mutually orthogonal directions) may in conjunction move the vision probe to acquisition positions along an image stack acquisition axis (which may approximately coincide with the optical axis) for acquiring a stack of images of the angled workpiece surface. Focus curve data may be determined from analysis of the image stack, which indicates 3-dimensional positions of surface points on the angled surface of the workpiece.