Hexagon Adds TesaStar-sm 80, 60 CMM Motorized Probe Heads


NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI, Jun 10, 2009 - Hexagon Metrology, Inc, today announced the immediate availability of the TESAStar-sm 80 and TESAStar-sm 60 motorized CMM probe heads for Brown & Sharpe Global Coordinate Measuring Machines. These two new entries expand on the highly successful TESAStar-M formula to deliver a motorized CMM probe head with 2,952 different positions via 5 degree increments. The probes deliver -180 to +180 degrees of revolution, and +90 to -116 degrees of pitch, with high speed indexing. The sm-80 and sm-65 add the benefits of in-quill mounting, which allows part of the probe’s mechanism to slide within the quill, increasing the effective Z-axis measuring range.

The TESAStar-sm 65 is designed to overcome one of the greatest disadvantages of motorized probe heads on smaller bridge cmms: the loss of measuring volume due to the size of the head. The TESAStar-SM 65 is a quill mounted option for CMMs with smaller cross-section (65mm) quills, and delivers 16.2 mm more Z axis volume than the shank-mounted version. This is a small CMM motorized head option that was previously unavailable from any manufacturer.

On the Brown & Sharpe Global 555/575, the TESASTAR-sm 65 offers an extended Z-axis measuring range of 52.9 mm more than other probe head alternatives due to its compact design and unique asymmetrical A-axis. This is an increase of 10% in the Z-axis measuring range. When comparing a TESASTAR-sm 65 equipped Global CMM with a 500mm Z size to other manufacturer’s machine offerings with 400mm Z, the difference in available measuring height is even more significant—30% greater than a 400mm size machine.

The TESASTAR-sm 80 for larger bridge machines is 16.4 mm shorter than the TESASTAR-m. This also represents an increase in measuring volume over the shank-mounted option. The probe is designed for use on larger CMMs with an 80 mm Z-axis quill cross section. Due to its compact design and unique asymmetrical A-axis, the TESASTAR-sm 80 delivers a Z-axis measuring range that is 7.6 mm greater than comparable quill mounted heads.

There are also two probe connection options available on each version, totaling 4 options for the new TESASTAR-sm series: 1) a standard M8 threaded mount for touch probes such as the TESASTAR-mp, 2) a TKJ multiwire connection for analog scanning probes such as the LSP-X1, 3) advanced probe heads such as the ScanShark laser line probe, and 4) the CMM-V video probe—all available on the Brown & Sharpe Global.

About Hexagon Metrology

Hexagon Metrology is part of the Hexagon AB Group and includes leading metrology brands such as Brown & Sharpe, CE Johansson, CimCore, CogniTens, DEA, Leica Geosystems (Metrology Division), Leitz, m&h, PC-DMIS, QUINDOS, ROMER, Sheffield and TESA. Hexagon Metrology brands represent an unrivaled global installed base of millions of CMMs, portable measuring systems and handheld instruments, and tens of thousands of metrology software licenses. Hexagon Metrology empowers its customers to fully control manufacturing processes that rely on dimensional precision, ensuring that products manufactured precisely conform to the original product design. The company offering of machines, systems and software is complemented by a wide range of product support, aftermarket and value-added services.

For more information, visit http://www.hexagonmetrology.us/