Today, ETALON offers system solutions for precise and comprehensive analysis, monitoring and accuracy improvement of machine tools, measuring machines and structures. Ultimate precision – a precondition of controlled, deterministic and reproducible manufacturing processes – is the main goal for ETALON. ETALON’s customers are businesses operating in the mechanical engineering, industrial instrumentation, automotive, aerospace technology and research sectors.

The LineCAL^® calibration system allows simultaneous, automated determination of all 21 systematic deviation parameters of a tool or probe inside the working volume of a three-axes machine. These parameters comprise positioning deviations, straightness, pitch, yaw and roll in all three axes as well as the perpendicularity of these axes relative to each other. Since the recurring setup and alignment of the calibration is not necessary for the LineCAL^® system, it outperforms convential single and multiple-beam interferometers. A complete, unattended measurement routine can thus be carried out in just sixty minutes. This significiantly reduces time and costs for calibration.

Fiber laser sensors are arranged on this frame for capturing specific measurement lines that are needed to create a highly precise geometric image of the machine. The machine follows the pre-installed measurement lines automatically and sequentially. The LineCAL^® method enables any deviations between the target and actual distances to be recorded in space with sub-micron accuracy via the interferometric measurement channels. The Trac-CAL software calculates the deviations for all machine axes and outputs control or customer-specific compensation data.

The enabling technology for LineCAL^®: Our IDS3010
Space saving design, flexible integration, ease of use and extreme precision – our IDS3010 fiber-based interferometer was a perfect match for ETALON's  LineCAL^® automated calibration system. This contactless sensor consists of a basic unit, which can handle up to three miniature sensor heads connectable via fiber optic cables. The IDS3010 can measure directly on the target, a tool or a probe. It provides sub-nanometer resolution at working distances of up to five meters.

The interferometer captures moving targets at velocities of up to 2 m/s with a data acquisition bandwidth of 10 MHz. In other words, one measurement containing all relevant information on a position or movement is generated every tenth microsecond. In addition to this groundbreaking precision, our sensor also provides integration-friendly connectivity. The integrated web server allows LineCAL^® to be controlled and monitored remotely and is compatible to Industry 4.0 applications.

ETALON  redefines calibration
LineCAL^® opens up totally new options for calibrating small or medium-sized machines: the machine-specific measurement frame, together with the fiber-based interferometer IDS3010, creates defined conditions for volumetric compensation of all deviation parameters, reduces the time and effort for setting up measurements to a minimum and makes the measuring system mobile. It is particularly advantageous for machines requiring frequent calibration. It increases the efficiency of repeated calibration of several similar machines – for both users and manufacturers.