ZEISS Research & Quality Solutions has introduced ZEISS TALOS, a metrology robot intended for automated, high-volume inspection. The system combines a measurement robot with an optical sensor package, and ZEISS specifies measurement uncertainty below 100 µm over a reach of 3.30 meters. According to the company, the robot positions its sensor precisely and repeatably without external tracking systems or reference markers, allowing it to inspect medium-sized and large components, including areas that are hard to reach with conventional line-of-sight systems.
The product family includes the ZEISS TALOS MR metrology robot and the compact ZEISS TALOS AX blue-light sensor, which form an integrated measurement unit. ZEISS also lists the ZEISS TALOS RT rotation table and the ZEISS TALOS Safeguard safety concept as part of the setup. Dr. Jan Thesing, head of the Business Unit 3D Optical Systems at ZEISS, described the system as a shift in automated metrology because metrological capabilities are integrated into the robot while its speed, range and flexibility are retained.
Sensor combines surface and feature measurement
ZEISS says optical metrology has long faced a trade-off between fast surface measurement and precise feature measurement. The TALOS AX sensor is designed to address both tasks in one automated workflow. It 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 measurement of large surfaces for geometry analysis and digital twins, as well as features such as holes, edges, bolts and threads.
Designed for production use
The robot and system concept are described as able to withstand common production-environment influences, including temperature variation, vibration and dust. Measurement tasks can be prepared offline from a CAD model, and ZEISS INSPECT automatically calculates the required measurement positions and robot paths. ZEISS says this reduces the time and effort needed to plan new tasks. One-click programming, efficient robot motion and a streamlined setup are intended to raise throughput and make better use of measurement capacity. ZEISS INSPECT also supports complete analysis, report generation and integration of measurement results into existing processes.
Target applications
ZEISS TALOS is aimed at automotive, aerospace and commercial vehicle manufacturing, both near production lines and in dedicated measurement rooms. The company lists car bodies, hang-on parts, giga-casting parts, aerostructures, jet engines, truck cabins and weld seams among the applications. High-resolution measurement data is intended to help evaluate component quality and deviations. Virtual tools can be used to assess functional dimensions, gap sizes and flushness, for example in automotive assembly.
The introduction extends the use of robotic kinematics into inspection tasks that require metrology-grade positioning, while keeping programming and analysis within ZEISS INSPECT. The stated specifications and application range indicate that the system is positioned for flexible inspection of large parts rather than for small, fixed laboratory samples. Whether the claimed accuracy and throughput are achieved in production will depend on installation, environmental controls and the specific measurement task.