A machining company has substantially increased its revenues by adding a laser scanner to a CMM to increase its accuracy and speed. With upgrade kits that offer the ability to attach a laser probe to a CMM, the laser scanner can capture almost 15,000 points per second. Nearly a hundred thousand times faster than a CMM, it is still possible to quickly switch back to the CMM probe for highly accurate measurements of individual points.

By adding a laser probe to a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), a major Belgian aerospace structures supplier has greatly increased the completeness of its inspections and obtains full documentation of the geometry of every component.

Laser Design Inc., the leading supplier of 3D laser scanners for more than 20 years, announced the sale of an SLP®-250 laser scanner to York Technical College in Rock Hill, SC near Charlotte, NC. The company’s SLP laser scanners are fast, precise, light weight, and USB compatible for plug-and-play convenience.

Laser Design Inc. announced that its next-generation line of 3D laser scanning probes has a new member, the SLP-500.

Easy-to-use, low-cost Artec™, Creaform, and 3Shape 3D scanners are now being offered for sale.

The affordability, efficiency and quality of the turboprop engine has spurred its widespread use in various industries since its entry into the market. Acme Turbine Company*, a turbine blade manufacturing company, wanted to gain a competitive advantage by producing superior blades at a lower cost.

The Rotunda of the National Archives Museum is the final resting place of the Declaration of Independence, one of our nation's most treasured documents. Over time, the unique hand-crafted frame has become worn down, leaving its intricacies muted and details eroded.

Aftermarket manufacturers are unable to fully take advantage of OEM CAD data because of the slight variations between the CAD data and the as-built part, especially for body panels. Furthermore, automakers offer their own competitive in-house brands as an alternative to third-party companies.

Omix-Ada is the premier manufacturer of Jeep replacement, restoration and accessory products, including the Rugged Ridge accessory line of floormats. Currently, Jeep floormats are either “carpet,” thermoformed rubber that fits the car, or “deep” all-weather flat floormats that are not formed to fit.

Situation Truck Armor Kit The vast amount of supplies being sent into Iraq has been key to the U.S. Military's efforts in the region. Convoys of trucks loaded with supplies have been entering Iraq from Kuwait for the past several years; however, the lightly armored trucks offer very little protection for the drivers against projectiles and explosives. DRS Radian was contracted to develop armor kits for several models of trucks in order to ensure the safety of the drivers.

Engineered Metals and Composites, Inc. (EM&C) is the premier OEM manufacturer of aluminum towers and small products for the marine industry. From T-tops, hard tops and towers, to rod holders, leaning posts, rails and poling platforms, they provide the highest quality enhancements and accessories for fishing and pleasure boats.

Situation Original, CAD, and Internal Features Medical training programs are the cornerstone of successful medical practice. Medical Education Technologies Inc. (METI), a developer of medical training products, lost its only supplier of the PediaSIM® airway, leaving them with physical models but no CAD data and no way to manufacture them.

In 1994, NASA obtained a specially modified Boeing 757-200 to be used for aeronautical research. Named the ARIES, or Airborne Research Integrated Experiments System, the aircraft has gone through numerous customizations and modifications to earn its "flying laboratory" nickname. Over time, NASA realized that in order to maintain the ARIES as its premier research aircraft, they would need to modify the fairings.

Elan Motorsports uses a standard fiberglass lay-up process to create the shell (outer body mold) of their VanDiemen DP02 Sports Racer. Based off the model design of an existing racer body, Elan needed to know the shell's dimensions in order to correctly place the engine and chassis.

Engineers often need to design parts that fit inside objects that lack CAD data. The measurements of these legacy parts are typically obtained via calipers or a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM).

Based on and inspired by a '54 Chevy, the Southern 408 looks and feels like an American classic. To help bring this classic street rod to market, Southern Motor Company partnered with Panoz Automotive.

AGCO, one of the world's largest distributors of agricultural equipment, needed to recreate to key components of an engine coupler. The two large gears had combined cast and machined surfaces.

CertainTeed, a complete building products manufacture, needed to reverse engineer existing roofing tile cutters. The cutters are currently in use by CertainTeed, however no CAD model of the physical parts existed.

Denton ATD Inc, a leading provider of Anthromorphic Test Devices (ATDs), needed to update the shape and features of many of their existing ATDs. Because the parts were designed and manufactured many years ago, most lacked any CAD data.

Gilbarco, a leading global supplier of fuel dispensing equipment, needed to optimize fluid flow through a complicated cast part. Gilbarco wanted to use computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis in order to quickly optimize the shape for fluid flow but no CAD data of the cast part existed.

Heritage Manufacturing, Inc., a revolver manufacturer, needed to reproduce a legacy part gun. Because Heritage had no existing CAD data to aid in design assistance, they would need to find a way to extract the dimensions of the housing and loading gate of the gun.

J.C. Steele & Sons, the largest producer of heavy clay machinery in the United States, needed to remodel some of their existing steel machine parts. The function of the machinery depends on the tight fit between the individual parts.

Microprocessor Designs, a product design and development company, needed to obtain CAD data of a desktop-sized ‘donut’ consisting of four sections. The complex sections contain numerous bolt-holes and features which are critical to the function and fit of the part.

Panoramic Inc., a designer and manufacturer of custom thermoformed plastic packaging products, needed to reverse engineer existing paper packaging to create new plastic packaging.

Collectors of ancient artifacts know that while rare and sometimes extremely valuable, the preservation and maintenance of relics of the past is of the upmost importance. While restoration of such antiquities can extend their life, the chemical reactions taking place within their ancient materials mean that decay and deterioration is unavoidable.