Traceable optical 3D measurement of dimension and surface structure

Optical 3D measurement uses light to measure and analyze the surface shape, structure, and geometry of different objects. The technology is very useful in several areas, such as in production processes in the manufacturing industry and in additive manufacturing.

Challenging

At the same time, there are challenges in terms of traceability and reliability in the measurements. There are many different measuring instruments on the market and there are many different objects made of different materials and with different properties to measure. One example is that the way the light from the measuring instrument interacts with and reflects off the surface differs between different materials, which affect the result of the measurement. The measurements also take place under varying conditions. All in all, this makes it difficult to know that the measurement made in the industry are correct. There is also a lack of guidance for users in industry when it comes to choosing measuring instruments or measuring setups for different situations and materials.

Evaluates measuring capability

The project will develop the traceability within optical 3D measurement of dimension and surface structure. In a first step, the measuring capability of different types of measuring instruments will be evaluated. The project will develop models to be able to simulate the interaction between light and the object's surface and produce tools and guidance regarding the choice of measuring instruments and measuring setup to ensure traceable measurements with low measurement uncertainty in the industry.

The project is a collaboration between several different European national metrology institutes and is led by PTB in Germany.