🚀 Revolutionizing Manufacturing with Hexagon: Precision Metrology Meets Automation!

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🎯 Precision Revolution in Large-Scale Manufacturing​

Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division is breaking new ground in industrial automation by adding OPC UA support to its large-scale metrology software, SpatialAnalyzer. This integration directly connects high-precision laser measurement systems with industrial robots and automated production lines. Thus, it provides a solution to the accuracy problems experienced in large-format robotic manufacturing in sectors such as aerospace, energy, and shipbuilding.

✈️ Increasing Demand and Automation Needs in the Aviation Sector​

In the commercial aviation sector, there is an order backlog of more than 16,000 aircraft as of the end of May 2026. This represents approximately ten years of production at the current delivery rate. To meet this enormous production volume, automation is essential. However, while industrial robots provide physical access, they lacked the absolute positioning accuracy required for high-tolerance tasks such as precision drilling. This is where OPC UA comes in!

🔒 Secure and Smart Communication: OPC UA​

OPC UA is an encrypted and standard communication protocol that connects industrial control systems (such as PLCs and robot controllers). This enables the creation of automated metrology feedback loops. SpatialAnalyzer's OPC UA client includes native encryption and authentication protocols for secure data transmission over industrial networks. It also offers 25 new Measurement Plan (MP) and Software Development Kit (SDK) commands, allowing system integrators and software engineers to create automated metrology workflows.

🤖 A New Era in Robot Calibration: SARCA​

In addition to the software update, Hexagon introduced SARCA (SpatialAnalyzer Robot Calibration Device), a hardware calibration device that increases the absolute positioning accuracy of industrial robots by up to ten times. This device facilitates the calibration of industrial manipulators before production.

✨ Extensive Integration and Compatibility​

SpatialAnalyzer version 2026.1 offers full device support for the Leica Absolute Tracker ATS800, Google Sheets integration, and extended compatibility with various devices such as API LADAR, Leica RTC360, and Nikon LR precision scanners. It also provides operational compatibility with RDS 6.6 and Leica TS20.

💡 Flawless Production with Real-Time Corrections​

While industrial robots offer high repeatability, they are weak in absolute positioning accuracy due to joint compliance, thermal expansion, and kinematic link tolerances. SpatialAnalyzer's OPC UA integration addresses these positioning deviations by providing real-time feedback between optical metrology devices like laser trackers and the robot controller. For example, in precision drilling tasks in aerospace, the laser tracker measures the end-effector position, compares it with target CAD coordinates, and transmits offset vectors via the OPC UA interface, allowing the controller to dynamically correct tool deviation during operation. This achieves unparalleled precision and efficiency in production.