CMM Builder, Wenzel, Introduces Integrated Computed Tomography Workstation Called "exaCT"
Wenzel GmbH recently introduced at the Control Show in Germany a new Integrated Computed Tomography Workstation call exaCT®. This new product was developed by the Wenzel Group Company Wenzel Volumetrik headed by Dr. Martin Simon a renowned expert in the field of Computer Tomography. The new inspection machine, Fig. 1, allows the contactless 3D measurement of internal and external part surfaces allowing non-destructive and timesaving inspection of small and medium sized complex parts with small features manufactured from plastics, composites, ceramics, aluminum or magnesium..
Computed Tomography is an imaging method originally developed for the medical industry where digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation. In operation, an X-ray tube produces a conic beam of electrons that penetrate the object to be measured and a digital signal is interpreted by the 2D detector as a digital radiograph image. The object is positioned on a precision rotational stage and an image is acquired during the rotation at a constant speed. The output of a Computed Tomography reconstruction is referred to as a 3D voxel (three- dimensional pixel) model and the resolution of each voxel depend on the resolution of each projection and the number of projections. From this 3D volume, CT software is able to export a stack of CT slices in any direction, analyze relative density with colored map and will ultimately create a point cloud/triangle model compatible with CAD or Rapid Prototyping software. The main benefit of using 3D CT for scanning or digitization is that a complete model with both external and internal surfaces of an object can be obtained without destroying the part. In addition, CT can be performed on any surface, shape, color or material with densities or thicknesses that are penetrable with X-rays.
The new Wenzel exaCT® workstation includes the CT scanning machine with high-quality image detectors, two monitors, computer and master system software for the acquisition of the projections and the reconstruction for the precise evaluation of the generated 3D voxel data. In addition, this data can be metrologically evaluated by Wenzel-Metromec Quartis measuring software as well as Wenzel-Knotenpunkt Pointmaster software for reverse engineering of parts and for the comparison with original CAD models. Interfaces are also available to the most popular capturing software's such as VGStudio MAX 2.0.
Xspect Solutions, Inc. headquartered in Wixom, Michigan, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wenzel GmbH of Germany. Xspect Solutions is the Number 3 supplier of CMMs and GMMs (Gear Measuring Machines) in the North American metrology market including; new Wenzel CMMs and GMMs, and is the world's largest supplier of pre-owned CMM equipment. Xspect Solutions also supplies new Wenzel CMMs and GMMS with its OpenDMIS software to the North American markets.
Wenzel GmbH manufacturers its products intrinsically accurate, negating the need for the huge error compensation files to achieve quoted accuracies which have become the norm for most manufacturers in past years. The black granite used by Wenzel is processed in-house at their impressive manufacturing facilities in Germany, not imported from China pre-finished…which in now the industry norm.
SOURCE: Wenzel GmbH