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The Planar system is an optical measurement machine that uses a backlit glass surface and a high resolution camera. Parts are placed onto the measuring surface, which is backlit by standard fluorescent tube lights, and and the camera captures an image of the component in about 0.1 seconds. Our powerful Planar inspection software is then able to "scan" the silhouette image to detect the edges and provide accurate measurements of up to ±12μm in seconds.  

The acquired measurement data can then be used to quickly reverse engineer the part or they can be compared to a CAD file of the part to check for errors.          

Very easy. We have worked closely with both distributors and customers wordwide throughout the sheet metal industry to ensure that measuring with the Planar is as fast and as simple an experience as possible. It is now so simple to inspect parts on Planar that a full part inspection can now be done with a single click of a mouse. Or even better, with our optional barcode reader system the normal user does not even need to touch the PC: they can simply scan a barcode with the barcode scanner and the entire process is carried out automatically. The nominal CAD file will be loaded, the part will be measured, the measurement data compared to CAD, reports generated and then printed automatically! See our case study video on Planar AutoInspect here for more information.

The Planar system is a machine that can be used for quality control or reverse engineering of flat materials such as sheet metal, plastics, wood etc. Place the part onto the table and the part will be measured and compared to a CAD file to check for any errors in the part. Alternatively a CAD file of a flat component can be created in seconds in the Planar software by scanning the part and using the measurement data to fit CAD entities such as lines, circles, rectangles, slots, arcs etc. This can then be exported as a dwg or dxf file.

The Planar system is very competitively priced solution which is of low cost but of the higest quality. Get the world's fastest measurement system for one of the lowest prices available! For details on pricing and to get a quote, please contact us here and we will either send you a quote or put you in contact with your nearest distributor.

The short answer to this is No. Although the surface where parts are placed for measurement on Planar systems is made of toughened glass, our customers do not need to worry about replacing it regularly, unlike some competing systems. This is because even though the glass surface can become quite scratched over time, the Planar system can automatically compensate for this by calibrating the scratches out of the system. So the machine is not affected by scratches at all. The only time the glass needs replaced is if there is serious damage inflicted. In the very unlikely event that this happens it is quite easy and low cost for the customer to replace as it is made of standard toughened glass laminate which can be locally sourced if required. In any event, we generally give the glass an expected lifetime of about 10 years or so.

There are many significant differences between Inspecvision's Planar system and other similar measurement systems that make the Planar stand out from the crowd.  

• The Planar is the fastest 2D measuring machine in the world: It takes only approximately 0.1 seconds to capture measurement data of the entire part. The great thing about this is that it takes the same 0.1 seconds no matter how big or complicated the part is. So whether the part is 100mm × 100mm or 1000mm × 1000mm or has 1 or 1000 holes or apertures the entire measurement data is still captured in 0.1 seconds and at the same resolution! With other systems, the more complex the part is and the bigger it is, the more time it will take to measure it. With the Planar it doesnt matter. Some similar systems when measuring bigger or more complex parts can do a faster scan by taking less measurements to increase the speed. So the downside of that is that it still takes longer than Planar and has far less measurement data to work with.
• Planar has no moving parts so the hardware is very simple and easy to maintain. Less can go wrong when there are no moving parts. Some other machines use moving camera systems or scanning heads which can be complex to calibrate, difficult to maintain and cost more to fix or replace should any problems or accidents happen.
• Lower cost. Planar systems are typically lower cost than other traditional measurement solutions. Please contact us for further details.
• Automated and easy to use. We have been working closely with our customers for years to develop a system that is highly automated and easy to use. Unlike some machines which can require a lot of training to learn how to use, time for setting up and measuring, the Planar system can fully inspect an entire part with a single click of the mouse. 
  
• Better selection of sizes and accuracies. We can offer Planar machines in a greater selection of sizes and accuracies. Measure parts from 500mm × 334mm (20" × 13") in sizes at accuracies ranging from ±12µm - ±100µm (±0.00047" - ±0.004")
• Full 3D measuring. With Planar you can add full 3D measuring capability by having an Opti-Scan3D scanning module fitted to your system. This white light scanning system allows users to measure formed/folded parts as well as their flat components. Users can also have a Micro-Probe fitted to allow 3D measurements with this optical touch probe CMM.
  

No. Some measurement equipment, especially those with moving parts, may need sent back to the manufacturer for annual calibration to ensure that it is working within specification. Planar does not require this. Because of the lack of moving parts and the simple hardware configuration, the Planar does not need any specialist engineers or factory visits to calibrate. A full system calibration can be carried out in about 1 hour or less by anyone who has received the standard one or two days training from Inspecvision or an official representative. So the customer can fully calibrate the system themselves and even carry out an adapted ISO certification test to verify that the system is operating within specification with a certified (UKAS) reference piece supplied by Inspecvision (optional).

The accuracy of the Planar system is certified by carrying out an adaptation of the ISO 10360-4 "Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) - Acceptance and reverification tests for coordinate measurement machines (CMM) - Part 4: CMMs used in scanning measurement mode" international standard test. The reference piece we use is a disc which has been measured by a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) calibration laboratory in the UK. A sample certificate for the reference piece can be seen here.

As standard, all base Planar systems are shipped with a one year warranty that covers the hardware and software. An extended warranty can also be purchased and because the system has no moving parts, this option is quite low cost. For technical support and software updates, you can purchase an annual software support and maintenance contract. This contract will give customers free regular software updates and technical support directly from the Inspecvision office within UK working hours and where applicatable from our local distributors office in your country. Please contact us for more details.

The Planar has been designed to create inspection reports completely automatically from the nominal CAD file by extracting dimensions directly from the dxf/dwg file and compiling them into an auto generated report. So in short if you have a dxf file with the 2D outline of the part and dimensions either on the same or different layer, Planar can extract all this data to make the report for you. This is done in a few seconds. Even if you have the CAD file but no dimensions, Planar can auto generate dimensions on the drawing for you. So creating an inspection report manually is not required, although there is also an option to do this manually if required.

Yes. The Planar can measure your parts and, after comparing them to the nominal CAD file, output a simple Go-No Go diagram. This diagram shows areas that are passing in green, failing areas in red and missing/extra features in violet. (Colours can be customised) Showing the extra features is a real advantage as other inspection systems typically only search for features that are shown in the CAD file and so can miss anything that shouldnt be there because it's not looking for them.

Typically it's approximately 150Kg though it may be possible to measure heavier ojects. Please contact us for more information.

Yes. Planar systems have been designed specifically for use on factory floors right next to your punch, laser, plasma etc.. machines. They are designed to be very robust and have a glass measuring surface unaffected by scratches, sturdy construction and are unaffected by vibration from heavy machinery.

Yes. When auto-generating inspection reports, the Planar software applies your chosen ISO tolerance table. Should you have company or customer specific tolerance tables/rules you can even create your own custom tolerance table to apply to your inspection reports.

The laser is only used for measuring the thickness of the parts being inspected. This value can also be entered manually if desired. Entering the thickness is important in order to obtain accurate measurements.

Yes. There are two types of optional modules that can be fitted to or retro-fitted to our Planar systems to allow 3D measurement. The Opti-Scan3D module adds white light scanning capability to the Planar system, where formed parts can be measured completely in 3D. The ouput of the Opti-Scan3D is a pointcloud, which can be used to inspect or reverse engineer the part. The Micro-Probe module adds an optical CMM to the system in the form of a wireless touch probe. Perfect for measuring folded parts. Please have a look at our product pages to see which one may be most suitable for your needs.

30 seconds or less when using our AutoInspect feature. The actual measurement data is captured in the first 0.1 seconds and the remaining time is for the software to process the data, compare data to CAD, create the inspection reports and print.

No. The measurement data capture time is only 0.1 seconds so vibration has little to no effect on the measurement accuracy. Many of our customers have their systems installed on the factory floor right next to their punching lines. See the video above showing an inspection taking place with vibration.