Developed at Kreon headquarters in Limoges, France, the new Aquilon scanner delivers unprecedented speed and accuracy : up to 1 million points per second captured at 5 µm accuracy.  These unrivalled technical specifications make it the most performing laser scanner of its generation, a powerful inspection and reverse engineering tool that integrates seamlessly into all hardware and software environments.

 

According to Thierry REBILLARD, General Manager of KEON TECHNOLOGIES, “the development of Aquilon is a thrilling experience and an exciting innovation : it is the direct  result of input from customers who wanted a solution that could enable handling of their offline and online inspection tasks, providing at the same time accuracy and total control of data capture without compromising on measuring field and speed.  The Aquilon delivers all this and much more in the palm of your hand”.

Aquilon offers the highest speed and accuracy ever-achieved by a 3D non-contact laser scanner : this offers a distinct advantage over competing scanners. Scanning speed is totally controlled by the user who can adjust the parameters according to the data density required by his application. Test shows that with inspection tasks carried out in just hours or even minutes, productivity increases in all stages of the manufacturing process : from product design and prototyping to series production.

Kreon engineers developed state-of the art technology that spectacularly increases system performance, accuracy and data output. The Auto Quality Check (AQC), a new functionality available with the Aquilon, makes it possible to control automatically scan data quality during the digitising process : tangency, resolution, noise and blooming analysis is performed during scanning to guarantee superior data quality. This gives the operator maximum surface flexibility to capture shiny parts in their natural state without prior surface preparation. Using dual cameras and laser triangulation, the Aquilon digitises the most complex surfaces by sweeping over the object like a paintbrush. Functions to evaluate optimal scanning distance and display of real-time preview of scanned data are also available. Like the Kreon Zephyr series, the Aquilon scanner further increases accuracy with its integrated contact probe, a perfect combination of traditional metrology and non-contact measurement technology that brings Aquilon as close to customer needs as possible : no hardware has to be exchanged to switch from one mode to the other.

High-tech and user-friendly, Aquilon is dedicated to applications requiring high accuracy and point density for complex shapes in the most demanding industries.

Latest developments in the integration of Kreon Zephyr 3d laser scanners with Metrolog XG 8 software for 3D quality control have turned this efficient, universal and coherent solution into a market reference
Regardless of the mechanical environment, this fully integrated solution gives the operator total control of both manual measuring machines (such as portable articulated arms) and automatic coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) 
The Zephyr –Metrolog XG 8 combination can now be used on manual measuring machines like portable articulated arms and on CNC 3D coordinate measuring equipment.
The power of this solution lies in the data acquiring speed and well known accuracy of the 3 different models of the Kreon Zephyr range : the Zephyr KZ 25, the zephyr KZ 50 and the Zephyr KZ 10 scanners and in the point processing capabilities of the measuring software. Scanning speed (30 000 points per second) is further enriched by accuracy brought by  a Renishaw TP 20 tactile measurement probe that is directly interfaced on the laser scanner in a unique and patented combination that allies traditional metrology to the most recent measuring technology. This patented and innovative combination is unique to Kreon 3D laser scanners.



This universal measuring solution is already in use at PSA Peugeot Citroen, General Electric, Pratt & Whitney production sites, having gone through the most demanding validation processes. In addition to improving the quality of the parts they produce, these leading manufacturers save on training costs with the easy setup and single training of this powerful solution.
This new development is an illustration of Kreon Technologies’ commitment to offering ugradable and universal solutions to the most demanding industries. This mission is also  exemplified with the official launch of the Aquilon, the next generation 3D laser scanner by Kreon. Aquilon can achieve 5 µm accuracy while capturing up to 1 million points per second.

The new www.kreon3d.com website is one of the visible examples of the process of the Kreon team striving for best practice and excellence. “Clear, bold and memorable were the aims we set for the new website” explained Thierry Rebillard, Kreon Technologies’ General Manager. It allows us to clarify communication of our company and products to customers, partners, prospects and other key audiences” .

The new corporate website is more reflective of the company’s vision and ambition.
This marketing move  is not merely aesthetic, it also gives a truer picture of Kreon’s cultural and business identity, that customers are already able to identify in their contacts with the company through its various channels. The combination of warm colors reflect an atmosphere of  innovation and flexibility, friendliness  and professionalism, quality service and experience. The visitor can easily use the website as an efficient tool to learn about Kreon’s product range, laser triangulation technology and application fields. The architecture allows the visitor to find the information required in a minimum number of mouse clicks.

New features include : 

Kreon’s website image revision is timed to accompany the development and launch of the new Kreon Aquilon scanner in the first half of 2007. This new product features new technology that enables unrivalled output and data quality.
In addition to the new website and graphic style, the company has adopted a new product tagline for the Aquilon scanner :   “taking 3D laser scanning to new heights” . Added to the company’s slogan, “the complete 3D scanning solutions”, this clearly positions the company as the specialist manufacturer in 3D non-contact measurement solutions, offering the best technology available. 
Kreon announces its corporate image redesign as part of its global strategy to strengthen its market presence. The new corporate image includes a new website, new products and other marketing materials.  “This is part of our strategy to create  a distinct market position for Kreon Technologies. This new website will act as the main point of interface for Kreon customers, partners and distributors  to keep track of all the latest developments ”.

For more information about Kreon, its positioning, services and product offerings and corporate materials, please navigate through the newly launched website www.kreon3d.com

This integration was developed in close collaboration with Romer France, the inventor of the portable 3D measuring arm,  as an answer to customers who requested the integration of a high accuracy and high speed scanner onto the Sigma arm. Available in 10 different sizes for a variety of applications, the Romer arm offers infinite rotation, which brings increased mobility and ease of use for operators. The measurement arm's ergonomical design, light weight, strength and of course precision make it an ideal measurement solution for the sheet metal industry. Romer's SIGMA range offers a measurement volume from 1,800mm up to 5,200 mm with accuracies of up to ± 25 microns. This new integration makes it possible to offer customers a solution that can be transported to the measuring parts, offering the right combination of volume and accuracy. The new integrated solution is dedicated to quality control applications requiring the accuracy and data density made available  by the series of Zephyr scanners. 

 

An important step for Romer, which to date only interfaced its arms with own native scanner, this interface to the Sigma arm is a further illustration of Kreon’s  mission to providing non-contact measurement solutions that integrate seamlessly into all kinds of hardware and software environments.
Kreon Zephyr scanners can also be used on all 6 and 7 axis portable measuring arms from Faro, Cimcore, Garda, Zett Mess, etc.

The combination of Zephyr scanners with PowerInspect  allows fast, more detailed inspection of parts. Whether it is fitted to a portable measuring arm, to a 3D Coordinate Measuring Machine, or to CNC machine-tool, this well-integrated solution gives the ability to undertake detailed real-time measurement so that errors can be detected immediately and corrected before further processing of the produced part, considerably reducing costs linked to parts that are out of tolerance. The main application of this solution is expected to be in the inspection of complex freeform elements made of foundry, plastic, or sheet metal such as can be commonly found in the manufacturing, automotive and aerospace industries. As such parts need to be manufactured with ever-increasing productivity, the high speed (30 000 points per second) and accuracy of the Zephyr scanners enable measurement of virtually any part with a minimum number of movements. The combination of a contact probing and laser scanning  which is  unique to Kreon scanners, enables further improvement of accuracy, using the best of both technologies.

Integration of Kreon’s native Polygonia software into PowerInspect software enables comparison of the part against its theoretical CAD definition as it scanned, providing color-coded graphical maps that make it possible to visualize errors and deviations at a glance. Go-no go decisions can be taken immediately and errors can be detected and documented earlier at lower costs. Operators can access all the inspection information for further offline treatment in metrology lab environment. This user-friendly solution guarantees short learning curve as operators proceed to data acquisition in their familiar interface and use a single software without risking loss in data quality due to imports and exports from one software to the other. PowerInspect’s automatic orientation of the model when taking measurements further increases ease of use, as it removes the need for manual adjustment of the view.

This new integration brings: