Project: Traceable industrial 3D roughness and dimensional measurement using optical 3D microscopy and optical distance sensors

Acronym TracOptic (Reference Number: 20IND07)
Duration 01/06/2021 - 31/05/2024
Project Topic Surface topography significantly influences the functionality of manufactured components; about 10 % of manufactured parts fail due to surface effects, while surface roughness affects measurement performance in lithography, additive manufacturing processes and biological samples. High-resolution, contactless measuring systems, such as optical microscopes and optical distance sensors, could speed up quality control processes, and support digitalisation concepts such as industry 4.0, but are infrequently used in industry due to complex interactions between devices and surfaces. The EURAMET project on comparison measurement study #1242 on areal roughness measurements by optical microscopes showed that roughness measurements depend on choices of measurement principles applied, and measured parameters depend on instrument setups. Yet, end-users are offered little guidance on instrument selection, meaning tactile measurements are more usually performed. These non-optical methods, while accurate, can be destructive, slow, costly, and harder to integrate into production lines. The project will enable accurate 3D roughness and dimensional measurements using optical 3D microscopy and distance sensors, and produce guidance on instrumentation selection. Data evaluation and uncertainty estimation methods will be developed and procedures devised to guide selection of instrumentation. Industrial take-up of the developed technologies and advice will be promoted to measurement supply chains, standards organisations and end-users via good practice guides, publications, and training courses. The developed metrology will encourage wider adoption of optical sensors for faster, more accurate non-destructive control of manufactured component surfaces and geometries. The inherent time efficiency and cost advantages could then accelerate product development and production processes, and so help improve Europe’s industrial competitiveness.
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Network EMPIR
Call EMPIR Call 2020

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Coordinator Germany
2 Centro Español de Metrología Partner Spain
3 Dansk Fundamental Metrologi A/S Partner Denmark
4 Central Office of Measures Partner Poland
5 Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica Partner Italy
6 Laboratoire national de métrologie et d'essais Partner France
7 RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB Partner Sweden
8 VSL B.V. Partner Netherlands
9 Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy Partner Finland
10 Cen​tro Ricerche Fiat S.C.p.A. Partner Italy
11 Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen - Nürnberg Partner Germany
12 OST Ostschweizer Fachhochschule Partner Switzerland
13 Fundacion Tekniker Partner Spain
14 Technische Universitaet Clausthal Partner Germany
15 Technische Universitaet Chemnitz Partner Germany
16 Technische Universität Kaiserslautern Partner Germany
17 Universitaet Kassel Partner Germany
18 The University of Nottingham Partner United Kingdom
19 Universitaet Stuttgart Partner Germany
20 Alicona Imaging GmbH Observer Austria
21 Gesellschaft für Bild- und Signalverarbeitung (GBS) mbH Observer Germany
22 twip optical solutions GmbH Observer Germany
23 Universitaet Leipzig Observer Germany
24 Zygo Corporation Observer United States