KOMPASS brings non-contact thickness measurement and height inspection into the production run, where a caliper cannot reach. 3D vision builds a height map of each part, compares heights, steps and thickness with your limits and signals the line before a wrong part is assembled.
Many height and thickness checks still happen with a caliper or dial gauge after the part leaves the machine. A standard camera sees length and width, but height needs a different view.
Our AI Product Inspection system, KOMPASS™, pairs 3D profile sensors with trained models for non-contact thickness measurement of heights, steps and material on every part. Results reach the line controls with a stored height image.
Non-contact thickness measurement needs depth data, not only a picture. KOMPASS combines 3D capture suited to your surface, measurement from a defined reference and a direct link to the line response.
A laser profile sensor or 3D camera scans the part as it passes. Shiny or dark surfaces are tested early because they affect the sensor choice.
Heights are calculated from a datum face or reference surface defined on your drawing. Two opposed sensors are used where true thickness is required.
Each value is checked against its limit. Failing parts are held or rejected, and every reading is stored with its height image.
Send us your drawing, the height and thickness limits and a few good and out-of-limit parts. We will assess the 3D sensing and handling the check needs.
Get In TouchContact gauges, offline metrology and inline 3D vision each have a role. The difference is how often height gets measured and whether the part is touched.
Most inline height inspection uses laser triangulation. A laser line is projected across the part and a camera views it from an angle, so the line shifts as the surface rises or falls. Each scan line becomes a profile, and the profiles combine into a height map of the whole part. KOMPASS then measures the features you specify and compares them with their limits. The height image is stored with each result, so a reviewer can see why a part failed.
A laser profilometer is the sensor that captures the profile. On its own it outputs height data. KOMPASS adds the inspection layer that turns it into a thickness measurement system: locating the right features on varying parts, applying limits per variant, handling surface effects and connecting the decision to the line. Some applications use a structured-light 3D camera instead, which captures the full area in one shot rather than scanning line by line. The choice between scanning and area capture depends on part size, motion and cycle time.
Non-contact thickness measurement from one side works only when the part sits on a known surface. Where the underside varies, a dual-sensor setup places one sensor above and one below the part. Thickness is the distance between the two sensors minus the two measured gaps. This suits sheets, gaskets, pads and plates. Calibration with a reference piece of known thickness keeps both sensors aligned over time.
Yes. A step height is measured as the difference between two surfaces in the same scan, so shoulders, raised inserts, pressed-in pins and recessed features can be checked together. Stack height works the same way for piles of washers, laminations or packs, where one missing layer shows up as a height error even when the outline looks complete from above.
Each height is measured from a reference plane, usually a datum face on the part or the conveyor or fixture surface it rests on. Choosing the right reference matters more than sensor resolution, because a tilted or lifted part shifts every reading. The station can fit the reference from the part itself, which reduces sensitivity to how the part sits on the conveyor. For parts that rock or tilt, a simple guide at the measuring point often removes most of the variation.
They can. Surface reflectivity affects how much laser light returns to the sensor. Polished metal can create stray reflections, while black rubber returns very little light. Sensor choice, laser colour, exposure and angle are adjusted for your materials during the trial. Because the measurement is based on shape, printed labels and colour changes that do not alter height are ignored.
A thickness gauge or dial indicator gives a good reading on the parts someone checks. Non-contact thickness measurement on the line checks every part, without pressing on soft or coated material and without stopping the machine. The handheld gauge stays useful for audits and for validating the inline station against a known reference during commissioning. It also confirms that the inline readings agree with the method your audits already trust.
Send the drawing with each height and thickness limit, the materials, the line speed and how parts are presented. Good parts plus known high, low and missing-layer examples help us test the sensors. If outline features also matter, we assess whether 3D vision inspection and a 2D camera should share the station. We then recommend the sensing, reference and reject point for non-contact thickness measurement on your line. A short trial on your own parts settles sensor choice before any hardware is ordered.
Share your drawing, height and thickness limits, materials and line speed. We will confirm the 3D sensing your parts need and talk through cost and schedule. A typical KOMPASS rollout runs 6 to 8 weeks.
