Hexagon Metrology has announced the release of its much-anticipated TubeShaper software for the portable Romer Absolute Arm tube inspection solution.

TubeShaper is a completely new product designed specifically to apply the versatile measurement capabilities of the Romer Absolute Arm coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to applications such as tube production, tube and pipe inspection, reverse engineering of tubes and tube assemblies, and tube gauging. Leveraging three decades of metrology expertise in tube inspection, the product was developed in close collaboration with some of the world’s leading tube producers. The scalable system will meet the needs of engineers, quality managers and shop-floor users all around the factory.

The new product offers a number of user-friendly features and is based on an intuitive graphical user interface with two operator access profiles. Measurement plans can be created automatically in first-part inspection or set up offline prior to measurement, making batch measurements faster while guaranteeing repeatability. An advanced CAD engine enables the import and export of tube data in various formats, as well as the inspection of full tube assemblies including welded brackets, hangers and flanges. The software can interface directly with one or more CNC tube benders. As a result, correctional data can be calculated and applied within the production cycle, which streamlines operations and almost completely eliminates scrap.

“The Romer Absolute Arm has become a metrology fixture in a huge range of industries, so it’s easy to forget that the first portable measuring arms were developed for tube measurement,” notes Burt Mason, product line manager at Hexagon Metrology. “With its modern look and feel, versatile functionality and wide-ranging application potential, TubeShaper will bring the use of the arm to the forefront once again. The user experience is completely different to previous tube measurement software options, and we’re really excited to bring a package like this to market.”

TubeShaper is available as part of the Hexagon Metrology Tube Inspection System or as a standalone software for use with existing Hexagon Metrology portable measuring arm systems.

COMPETENT ORGANISATION

Hexagon Metrology offers a comprehensive range of products and services for all industrial metrology applications in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, energy and medical. With more than 20 production facilities and 70 Precision Centres for service and demonstrations, and a network of over 100 distribution partners on five continents, the company empowers its customers to fully control their manufacturing processes, enhancing the quality of products and increasing efficiency in manufacturing plants around the world.

Hexagon Metrology is part of Hexagon, a leading global provider of design, measurement and visualisation technologies that enable customers to design, measure and position objects, and process and present data.