HEXAGON METROLOGY - ROMER ARM


APPLICATION:

Metrology Industry. Portable coordinate measuring machines (CMM).

PREVIOUS LIMITING TECHNOLOGY:

Steel and/or aluminum cylindrical tubing.

CHALLENGE:

Our customer’s metrology device had cylindrical shafts that needed to exhibit less thermal expansion/contraction (dimensional change) during temperature fluctuations. A stiffer and lighter support structure would also be beneficial for higher precision and portability.

SOLUTION

RWC’s low CTE carbon tubing provided a stiff, lightweight structure for this metrology application. The high-modulus carbon fiber/epoxy custom composite tubing was bonded to machined metallic joints, creating an ultra-lightweight articulating arm capable of 3 dimensional measurements accurate to within 3 microns or less.

Close up image of a series of custom carbon fiber tubes tubes for Hexagon's Romer Arm laid out on an industrial shelf.
Image of the docked Romer Absolute Arm in a Rock West Composites manufacturing bay. It is located next to a piece of hardware and a computer screen.
Image of the Romer Absolute Arm being used by a technician during the quality inspection of a large radome.