GBS mbH Launches New Research Project

GBS Launches Research Project to Develop a Surface Measurement System for Near-Sensor 3D Topography Acquisition Using a Novel Sensor Principle for Production-Oriented Applications

GBS mbH has many years of experience in the field of 3D surface acquisition and processing. A core focus of its work is the advancement of white light interferometry (WLI) from laboratory instruments to measurement systems suitable for production environments. To meet industrial cycle times, GBS adopted parallel processing of measurement data on graphics processing units (GPUs) at an early stage. More recently, the company has successfully demonstrated the use of FPGAs for near-sensor processing of WLI data. In 2017, the smartWLI-embedded was introduced at the Control trade fair as an embedded WLI sensor. The smartVIS3D system family has already been adapted for various tasks, demonstrating the company’s expertise in addressing the specific demands of industrial applications.

The objective of the research project is to develop a compact optical measurement head for non-contact, areal 3D data acquisition based on a novel sensor principle.

This innovative sensor concept enables near-sensor 3D topography acquisition tailored for production environments. A key feature is the integration of image data processing directly within the sensor’s onboard FPGA, allowing for significant resource savings while enabling the development of a compact, industrial-grade 3D sensor head.

The project is supported by the Thüringer Aufbaubank with financial assistance from the European Union.