KOMPASS works as an inline width measurement system across straight, tapered and stepped profiles. Calibrated cameras locate both edges at each defined position, compare every width with its limit and send the result to the line controls before a wrong part reaches assembly.
A caliper reading usually captures one position on a part. Tapered sections, steps and slitting drift can put the width out of limit somewhere else along the same piece.
Our AI Product Inspection system, KOMPASS™, combines calibrated vision hardware with models trained on your edges, so the width measurement system checks every position your drawing defines. Every width is logged against its section, with an image for review.
A reliable width measurement system starts with a view that shows both edges clearly. KOMPASS pairs that view with edge models trained on your parts and a direct link to the line response.
Choose backlighting or front lighting for the material and calibrate the view. Wide or long parts may need a scanning camera or several fields of view.
The model locates both edges at every position on the measurement plan and calculates width, even where corners are rounded or burred.
Each width is compared with its section limit. Failing parts are held or rejected, and every reading is stored with its image for review.
Send us your drawing, the width limits for each section and a few good and out-of-limit parts. We will assess the optics and handling the check needs.
Get In TouchCalipers, offline metrology and inline vision answer different questions. The difference is how many positions and parts get measured, and when the line hears about it.
A camera-based width measurement system starts by locating the edge position on both sides of the part at a defined point. Pixel calibration, done with a reference target, converts the distance between those edges into millimetres. KOMPASS models are trained on your edges, so burrs, rounded corners and surface marks do not shift the reading. The calculated width is then compared with the limit for that section of the part. Each reading is stored, so a reviewer can see exactly where both edges were found.
Yes. A tapered profile is measured at several positions, each with its own nominal value and limit, instead of one reading at a convenient spot. A stepped profile with shoulders or slots is handled the same way. The measurement plan lists every position from the drawing, and the station reports which section failed. That makes the result useful for adjusting the tool that produced it, not only for rejecting the part.
Backlighting, or transmitted light, gives the sharpest edges on opaque parts because the part becomes a dark silhouette against a bright field. It is the usual choice for edge-to-edge measurement of stampings, cut blanks and profiles. Telecentric optics help when part height varies or parts sit at slightly different distances from the camera. Transparent or very thin materials may need front lighting or another technique after a trial.
For cut strip, tape or extruded profiles, strip width measurement can run as the material passes the camera. A line-scan camera builds the image line by line as the material moves, which suits long or wide parts. The view must keep the material at a stable height, because height changes alter the apparent width. Edge guiding or a support roller at the measuring point usually solves that problem. For discrete cut pieces, the same view can also confirm that each piece was cut square.
Non-contact width measurement never touches the part, so soft, coated, hot or delicate materials are not marked or deformed. It also removes the variation that comes from how firmly an inspector closes a caliper. Because nothing has to be clamped, every part can be measured at line speed, provided the exposure, trigger and part spacing are designed around the conveyor.
Validate the installed station with a repeatability and reproducibility study on parts that cover the full tolerance band, including parts just inside and just outside each limit. Compare the results with your reference gauge. If the station's variation uses too much of the band, change the lens, resolution or part presentation before switching on automatic rejection. Repeat the check after any change to optics or fixtures.
Yes, if the variants can be presented in the same view. Each variant gets its own measurement plan with positions and limits, selected by recipe, barcode or a signal from the line. Changeovers then load the right plan automatically. Very different part sizes may need a second field of view or a different lens, which is assessed during scoping instead of after installation. Recipe changes are logged, so every result can be traced to the plan that produced it.
Send the drawing with every width position and limit, the variants, the line speed and a description of how parts arrive at the station. A few good parts plus known narrow and wide parts let us test lighting and optics quickly. We will then recommend the camera layout, measurement plan and reject point for a width measurement system on your line.
Share your drawing, section limits, part variants and line speed. We will assess every position the station must measure, then lay out timing and cost with you. Most KOMPASS projects go live within 6 to 8 weeks.
