FARO Unveils Portable CMM with .0002" Accuracy
"The FARO Gage's .0002" accuracy and the Platinum FaroArm's .0005" accuracy now provide a clear alternative to traditional CMMs, hand tools and other portable inspection equipment," said Simon Raab, President & CEO of FARO. "Anyone, anywhere can now perform inspections with previously unheard of precision."
Both have similar features, but the FARO Gage, with its zero-training touch-screen icons, was created specifically to be simple enough for machinists and other shop-floor personnel to use.
"If they can use an ATM, they can use the Gage's touch screen," said Ken Steffey, Software Product Manager for FARO.
Setting up in seconds, the FARO Gage has a magnetic mount (a vacuum mount is optional) that allows machinists to measure parts and assemblies directly on the machinery producing them. It's also accurate and powerful enough for advanced measurement and statistical analysis like GD&T and SPC. In addition, it automatically records all of the user's measurements and creates comprehensive reports.
The Platinum FaroArm is available in four-, six-, eight-, 10-, and 12-foot configurations. It represents the latest generation of the company's Control Station product line. Besides being twice as accurate as the Gold model FaroArm, the new design is up to 31-percent lighter and includes eight-hour on-board batteries. The portable platform has a universal 3.5" mounting ring for easy adaptability, while the base offers mounting options that afford "measure-where-you make-it" capability.
In addition to the different available sizes, what sets the Platinum FaroArm apart from the Gage is its advanced software that enables users to not only inspect, but also to reverse engineer or perform CAD-to-Part-analysis on parts, fixtures and assemblies. When you partner the .0005" accuracy with its adaptable 3D measurement technology and customized zero-training Soft-Tools (with or without CAD), the Platinum FaroArm is ideal for forming, molding, fabricating, casting and assembly facilities needing GD&T and SPC output.
Both the Gage and the Platinum FaroArm are internally counterbalanced for "neutral buoyancy" and fatigue-free usage. In fact, overload sensors prevent users from stressing the arm and help ensure precise measurement, making it "the only arm with feeling."
Despite the technological advances, perhaps the most remarkable thing about the portable CMMs is their cost-effectiveness. The FARO Gage sells for $19,900, while the Platinum FaroArm Control Station starts at $44,900.
"Instead of spending $100,000 on an inconvenient, fixed CMM, or settling for an overpriced, less-accurate portable CMM, they can use the Gage or Platinum FaroArm," Raab said. "They're the ideal solutions for manufacturing, engineering and quality control personnel looking to increase their facilities' productivity and profitability."
FARO Technologies Inc.