Hexagon introduces new 3D Scanner for Large Surface Inspection

Hexagon introduces the new modular Absolute Scanner AS1-XL. The 3D laser scanner is designed for large surface inspection and can be used with both the laser tracker and mobile measurement arms. Like the current flagship Absolute Scanner AS1 model, the Absolute Scanner AS1-XL uses SHINE technology to capture high-quality 3D data.

The AS1-XL features an ultra-wide scan line of 600 millimeters at medium range. Combined with a point acquisition rate of 1.2 million points per second and a line frequency of 300 hertz, this makes it ideal for fast, large-area scanning without sacrificing accuracy. The scanner also has an extended “stand-off” of 700 millimeters, which, together with its 600 millimeter working range, allows it to capture occluded areas of up to one meter.

“Since even before the launch of the AS1 we’ve wanted to deliver that same level of data collection quality and automation readiness in a device focused on large surface inspection,” says Daniel Moser, Laser Tracker Product Director at Hexagon. “We’ve seen with our previous generation of scanners that the appetite and applications for a dedicated large-scale scanning device are out there in the market. With the AS1-XL, we’ve been able to deliver on the promise of that large surface measurement concept in a far more satisfying way thanks to our new scanning technology that is ten times faster than our previous generation, the LAS-XL.”

The specially developed, intelligent exposure algorithms of the SHINE technology are crucial to the performance of the AS1-XL. With a single scan, digitization of virtually any material, including different surface types and colors, is easily possible without adjustments to settings. This and the scanner’s automation capabilities distinguish it from its predecessor, the LAS-XL, a handheld-only device. Thanks to its high measuring speed and large measuring distance, the AS1-XL is ideal for a wide range of inspection tasks that can be automated. This allows the user to program the robot paths at a greater distance from the test object/part, significantly minimizing the risk of collision.

Like the AS1 Absolute Scanner, the AS1-XL follows a modular concept. It is compatible with Hexagon’s flagship laser tracker, the Leica Absolute Tracker AT960, as well as with mobile measuring arms, the Absolute Arm with 7 axes. Thanks to quick mounting and minimal warm-up time, the AS1 and AS1-XL are also hot-swappable. Users can quickly switch between detailed high-density scans and large-area inspections by swapping both scanners between each other as well as between the carrier systems, the mobile measuring arm or a laser tracker.

“The Absolute Scanner AS1 has really been embraced by the market since its launch in 2021, and it’s great to be completing the 3D scanning toolkit of our portable measuring arm line-up with an equally impressive device in the AS1-XL,” says Anthony Vianna, Portable Measuring Arm Product Director at Hexagon. “Our Absolute Arm range offers a market-leading measurement volume of up to 4.5 metres in diameter, making it an ideal platform for a large-scale device like the AS1-XL And even with our smaller diameter models, the hidden area coverage provided by that extended stand-off distance opens up a lot of applications that have previously been hard to cover, such as automotive, rail and aerospace interiors.”

The AS1-XL, like the AS1 scanner and the latest generation of the Absolute Arm series, is certified to IP54. This ensures safe and reliable operation even in demanding manufacturing environments where quality control is increasingly taking place.