ZEISS Research & Quality Solutions has added TALOS, a metrology robot intended for automated, high-volume inspection, to its portfolio. The system combines metrology-grade measurement with robotic kinematics and is aimed at medium-sized and large components, including areas that line-of-sight systems struggle to reach.
ZEISS says the robot can position its sensor precisely and repeatably without external tracking systems or reference markers. It cites measurement uncertainty below 100 µm over a reach of 3.30 meters. That combination is meant to allow reliable inspection of large parts in production environments as well as dedicated metrology rooms.
Integrated measurement unit
The core hardware includes the TALOS MR metrology robot and the TALOS AX compact blue-light sensor, which form an integrated measurement unit. ZEISS also supplies the TALOS RT rotation table and the TALOS Safeguard safety concept as part of the system. According to Dr. Jan Thesing, head of ZEISS’s Business Unit 3D Optical Systems, TALOS is intended to bring metrological capabilities directly into the system while retaining the speed, range and flexibility of robotic kinematics.
One sensor for surfaces and features
Optical metrology has often separated rapid surface capture from precise measurement of individual features. ZEISS says TALOS AX addresses both tasks in a single automated workflow. The sensor uses two 24-megapixel cameras and captures images at 100 Hz, or up to 200 Hz in a fast-scan mode. A 500 mm wide measurement volume and four multidirectional feature flashes support full-field geometry acquisition as well as measurement of holes, edges, bolts and threads. The resulting data can be used for geometry analysis and digital twins, as well as for checking discrete features.
Designed for production use
ZEISS says the robot and system concept are built to tolerate temperature variation, vibration and dust. Measurement tasks can be prepared offline from a CAD model, while ZEISS INSPECT software calculates the required measurement positions and robot paths. The company says this reduces planning effort for new tasks. One-click programming, robot motion planning and streamlined setup are intended to raise throughput and make better use of available measurement capacity. INSPECT also supports complete analyses, report generation and integration of measurement results into existing processes.
Target applications
ZEISS is positioning TALOS for automotive, aerospace and commercial vehicle manufacturing, both near production lines and in dedicated measurement rooms. The company lists car bodies, hang-on parts and giga-casting parts, as well as aerostructures, jet engines, truck cabins and weld seams, among the applications. High-resolution measurement data is intended to help evaluate component quality and deviations. ZEISS says virtual tools can be used to assess functional dimensions, gap sizes and flushness, for example in automotive assembly.
The launch reflects a broader push to bring optical metrology closer to manufacturing, where robots can handle positioning and repeatability while the sensor captures dense surface data and discrete features. The key test will be whether the integrated system delivers that combination reliably under production conditions.