Take a Tour of FARO City

Over the years, portable 3D metrology solutions have helped create efficiencies in more and more industries. In power generation, for example, plant downtime is costly, components require critical dimensions, and an efficient plant layout is crucial. By implementing portable CMMs, users experience significantly reduced outage time, more accurate inspections and alignments, and a decrease of costly scrap and rework.

There are similar stories across many other industries, including automotive, aerospace, construction, petrochemical and more. A brand new site has been developed to help you learn more about how these industries benefit from portable 3D metrology, including the applications that the different products apply to. It’s called “FARO City”, and it takes an interactive, graphical approach to the various industries that these solutions are a part of.

And if you want even more help in selecting what solution is right for you, you can make a few clicks through an interactive product selection tool.

Who says learning about portable metrology can’t be fun? :)

Visit FARO City

Laser Scanning for Basic Surveying

Surveying is described as the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them. In particular, there is land surveying which focuses on the detailed study and data gathering which can provide engineers with land mapping, construction layout surveys and elevation analysis.


The most common equipment used for surveying is a theodolite. Starting from a position with a known location and elevation, the distance and angles to the unknown point can be measured. It is a very dependable yet slow process to gather many points.

With the revolution of laser scanning, many surveyors are looking to faster and more comprehensive tooling such as laser scanning. With the release of the new Laser Scanner Focus3D, users are able to capture exceptional quality point clouds of large areas within minutes. At a full resolution scan, the Focus3D is capable of scanning up to 976,000 million points per second. That is much more data than a standard theodolite.

One company is Europe is using the FARO Laser Scanner in common surveying applications. From these point cloud data sets, engineers can create 3D models, measure distances, generate 2D CAD plan views and map assets for clearance. View the online video of a sample surveying application using the FARO Laser Scanner HERE.

Global Aircraft Market to Recover Faster than Expected

On Monday, Airbus updated its long-term global market forecast to show a faster than expected growth in air traffic, accelerated replacement of older planes in mature markets, and dynamic growth in emerging markets. The expectation reflects a demand for nearly 26,000 new passenger and freight aircraft between 2010 and 2029, worth an estimated $3.2 trillion. The forecast applies to not only potential demand for Airbus planes, but also those of rivals such as Boeing. However, both Airbus and Boeing will face increasing competition from other manufacturers outside of Europe and the USA – namely, China, Canada, and potentially Brazil and Russia, if not others.


Going into more detail about the relative growth of individual markets, the report projects Asia Pacific to become the most important region for air traffic and aircraft demand – specifically with China and India growing at double the rate of mature markets such as North America and Europe.

Even as the aerospace industry recovers, it will remain highly competitive. Today, and even more so in the future, the most successful companies turn to cutting-edge technology to stay ahead of the competition. Often, that means incorporating portable measurement solutions into their processes. For this industry, accuracy is the key in almost every aspect of manufacturing and there is no room for error. Portable metrology provides highly accurate measurements that are both reliable and repeatable. These devices are quick, easy, and allow measurements to be taken wherever they are needed – even directly on the production floor. Best of all, they typically provide a full return on investment in less than a year.

Read the full article in The Washington Post
Free whitepaper on aerospace tooling
Watch a video on how B-52s were overhauled

Is Manufacturing Making a Comeback in the US?

The National Journal just wrote an article titled, “Act II for American Manufacturing?”  and it brings a new perspective on the future of manufacturing in the US.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

The departures from the first act in American manufacturing may be more than technological. The geography will change, as will its configuration. Huge facilities with tens of thousands of workers are out. Factories won’t look like the gigantic River Rouge auto-making complex that Henry Ford built in Dearborn, Mich., in the 1920s. Compact plants surrounded by clusters of small firms that service them will likely populate tomorrow’s manufacturing landscape. Many of the factories will be in the South, where lower wages may help establish a new industrial heartland.
But something more is needed to assure a vibrant future for American manufacturing: a skilled workforce. That’s a scarce commodity these days, even in Butler County. “Every kid who grows up here wants to go to college and work on Wall Street,” said Wise Machine’s Garrard, “not follow their fathers into AK Steel.”
In any event, there is reason to hope. “The future is still in our hands,” said Kent Hughes, director of the program on America and the global economy at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, “if we don’t sit on them.”

What are your thoughts about the future of manufacturing in America?  Is it doomed or as the article suggests, has a bright future as long as we continue to move forward and increase interest in the skilled trades to younger generations?

Click here to read the entire  article.

FARO Featured in Local News

Based in Lake Mary, Florida, FARO is just a few miles north of Orlando. Orlando’s main newspaper is the Orlando Sentinel, and they recently wrote an article about FARO and how the company could be “the region’s comeback player of the year in 2010”.

Like many other companies across the country and around the world, FARO experienced some difficult times in 2009. But in 2010 “sales and profits have rebounded at double-digit percentage rates”. Several of FARO’s key industries, including automakers and defense contractors, are beginning to buy again.

FARO also took advantage of the downturn and turned it into something positive. The company streamlined every part of the manufacturing operations, creating efficiencies and better work routines.

FARO CEO Jay Freeland commented: “The team basically created new capacity for our factory operation, though with fewer people. They can now deliver the same peak production they did before, but with a lower head count. It was a nice job of taking a difficult situation and turning it into a positive.”

Read the full article

See the New Laser Scanner Focus3D In Action

On October 5th, FARO announced a ground-breaking event. FARO officially released the newest model of their large scale laser scanners, the Focus3D. Not only has the Focus3D been revolutionary to the industry, but it has also been an eye-opener to many prospects that have been delving into the possibility of acquiring a laser scanner. Starting at the low cost of $30,000, the Focus3D has disrupted the laser scanning industry in a very positive way.


As a self-contained unit, the Focus3D is 4 times lighter and 5 times smaller than its predecessor, the Photon. With the battery built in as well as the color camera, this laser scanner is the most portable laser scanning device in the marketplace. With common applications such as accident reconstruction, as-built documentation, crime scene & forensic analysis, digital factory, power & process, and surveying and tunneling, the Focus3D is already proving to be the easiest and most user-friendly laser scanner ever built. In fact, Quality Digest recently hosted a live event with FARO to show the ease of use and applicable factors that make this laser scanner best of class.

Watch the Focus3D in Action

Company Attributes Growth to Increased Efficiencies

Companies around the world are looking for ways to become, or remain, competitive. One obvious way to do that is to save money. When the economy is booming, it’s easy to be less concerned about money. But, when the economy is struggling or in recovery, companies quickly look to save money. Simply put, saving money is a policy that should be followed all the time.

One company that realizes this is the Harvard Corporation of Evansville, Wisconsin. Harvard (http://www.harvardcorp.com/) designs, develops, manufactures, and sells partial-flow filtration systems and filters that remove water and dirt from oil for improved cleanliness levels for applications from aerospace to mining. Harvard’s systems reduce maintenance costs and the amount of generated liquid waste.

As other companies catch on to the need to reduce costs and save money, they turn to Harvard. The result is that Harvard has seen their sales increase 15 percent this year. “It’s because of the fact that people are looking for ways to reduce cost, and we have a reputation of helping people reduce their operational costs,” said President Otto Knottnerus.

Not only does Harvard work to help other companies reduce their costs, they also have worked to improve their own manufacturing efficiencies. They worked with the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership to gain a fresh look at manufacturing and to better develop contacts and marketing ideas. The top priority is to become as efficient as possible. “My goal is to continually be my own best competitor,” said Mr. Knottnerus. “I’m always looking to improve in every aspect of what we’re doing here.”

Most of the systems that Harvard works with have a return on investment of less than a year. This is interesting because FARO has a very similar goal. FARO develops computer-aided measurement and imaging systems that permit high-precision 3D measurement, imaging, and comparison within production and quality assurance processes. Many of the solutions that FARO provides to its customers improve those customer’s processes and efficiencies so much so, that they too see a return on investment of less than a year. As Mr. Knottnerus so correctly said about a quick ROI, “It makes it really palatable for people to do something.” Not only does it make it palatable, it only makes sense for companies looking to be competitive in today’s economy to look at and to do anything possible to improve efficiencies and save money.

The Janesville GazetteXtra.com Article
Read More about FARO

When was the last time you used 3D?

If you are like most people, it is a constant in your life because you can see the world through your own eyes. The concept of multidimensional imagery is a natural phenomenon that occurs within us all. Perhaps this is why 3D technology has become a highly desirable innovation, and is at the point of maturity in the marketplace. Never before have there been so many different 3D technologies.

3D plays a major role in our lives. Everything from the energy we use to the products we consume. It is in the cars we drive and the houses we live in. Businesses are using 3D technology to enhance their business processes and products in exchange for high-quality and high-performance. Every company in the world should consider how they can utilize 3D in their industry.

Furthermore, every person in the world should consider how they can personally use 3D technology to make their lives better. The applications are limited only by your imagination. 3D entertainment has been booming lately with a number of products becoming available for consumers, but this is only the beginning. In the years to come there will be an explosion of 3D in the household. If you are not into 3D yet, you need to see what is out there.

Why 3D Camera Technology Will Be the Future

The State of 3D Imaging Standards – How Good is Your Scan?

In the world of metrology, there are both contact and non-contact measurement methods. Non-contact measurement is the fastest growing segment, with new methods and technologies being introduced every year. But how do you evaluate the performance of these new products? Many people look to standards organizations for the answers.

There is an existing standard for 3D scanners, the German VDI/VDE 2634, but it is not recognized as an international standard. Two committees are working on standards for scanners (ASTM International’s E57 and ISO’s Technical Committee 213 Working Group 10), but these standards are probably several years away from being published.

There are several types of technologies and dozens of variations being used for short-range 3D imaging. These include:

• Area Imagers
• Line Scanners
• Single-Point Scanners
• CT Scanners

An internationally-recognized standard would make it possible for end users to make informed decisions on what technologies can be applied to their applications. A standard would also make it possible to compare different systems to understand the strengths in different technologies.

Even though there are no international standards, users can take it upon themselves to ask for data from manufacturers to help them understand how their products will perform in their applications.

Read the full article

Getting Started in 3D Scanning

Recently, Professional Surveyor Magazine wrote an article title, “Getting Started in 3D Scanning.” It is a fantastic look into how 3D laser scanning is changing the way typical applications have been done for years. In particular, the article discusses how laser scanning is raising the bar in the surveying, construction and civil engineering industries.

With the release of the FARO Laser Scanner Focus^3D, the laser scanning industry has suddenly been shaken with a product that has captured the attention of many in the laser scanning field. Never before has the public seen such a device with its compact size, weight and intuitive operational touch-screen, be capable of providing engineers with the ideal tool. Capable of scanning at almost 1 million points per second with a 395ft scanning radius, the Focus^3D is more portable and easy to use than ever before.

Now, professionals in the surveying field have an affordable option in laser scanning that is fast, user-friendly and convenient. To read the entire article titled, “Getting Started in 3D Scanning” click HERE.

GM Reports Profit Ahead of Stock Offering

Ahead of its pending stock sale, General Motors (GM) announced a third quarter profit of $2 billion. Next week, the company will initiate an initial stock offering (IPO) of 365 million shares at $26 to $29 a share. The IPO will raise about $10 billion and allow the company’s largest current owner, the U.S. government, to reduce its stake from 61-percent to roughly 43-percent. The profit report certainly can’t hurt public appeal.

GM reported that strong profits on new cars and trucks helped the company’s 3Q numbers. The results were yet another indication of the widespread recovery among global automakers. Each of Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Chrysler, and Ford reported improved numbers for the quarter as auto sales continue to rise.

“I think the results of the third quarter clearly point to the amount of progress that GM has made,” said GM CEO Dan Akerson. He said that GM is on track to make 2010 its first profitable year since 2004. This was the third straight profitable quarter for GM.

Though the company needed $50 billion in government aid last year, it has repaid or plans to repay $9.5 billion of that while the government hopes to get the other $40 billion back in not only the November 18^th common stock offering, but subsequent sales as well. The government will sell 264 million shares and will make about $7 billion in the IPO if the shares sell in the middle of the expected price range.

The U.S. government’s reduced stake is important to GM symbolically because some Americans resented the company’s taxpayer-funded bailout. The jokes that GM stood for “Government Motors” hurt not only the company’s image, but its sales. 

Read the AP article 

Visit GM’s website

Webinar: Reverse Engineering with Special Guests Paul Jr. and Vinnie from Paul Jr. Designs

Have you ever encountered instances where you do not have design documentation on the parts you need manufactured? What about the need to create accurate “as-built” documentation, or the need to perform reliable analysis of parts when you don’t have the design information available?

Popularity of and the necessity for reverse engineering has increased as the process has become a viable method of creating a 3D model of an existing physical part. Portable coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) have become an important tool in this process.

Join us on Tuesday, November 16 to learn how to use a portable CMM to recreate a 3D model of an existing part, using both contact and non-contact technology.

Special guest speakers, Paul Jr. and Vinnie from Paul Jr. Designs, will also explain how they utilize reverse engineering to make their custom motorcycles!

Tuesday, November 16

2:00pm – 3:00pm EST

REGISTER NOW

Laser Scanning Crime Scenes

As 3D laser scanning continues to emerge as a viable technology for metrology applications, it is becoming a known fact that laser scanning can solve many of today’s challenges. Creating as-built conditions, inspecting components, recreating accident sites and examining crime scenes are just some of the applications that 3D laser scanners serve.

In particular the Toronto Police Department utilizes the FARO Laser Scanner Focus^3D to determine complex data left behind the scene of a crime. Scans are able to take a snapshot of a scene and preserve it indefinitely. Investigators are able to literally walk through a crime scene over and over again. New evidence can be tracked and documented. In the end these virtual snapshots can even be presented to juries in the court.

Laser Scanning is truly changing the way investigations are being conducted and solved. To read the full article titled “Coming to a Crime Scene Near You: 3D Cameras, click HERE.

Pratt & Miller and GM’s Corvette Racing Team Win With the FARO Laser ScanArm®

Pratt & Miller is a world-class engineering company that takes automotive programs from concept to reality. They are a respected industry leader that provides cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing solutions to their clients. One of those clients is the GM Corvette Racing Team that competes in the American Le Mans Series. 

The team at Pratt & Miller uses some of the most advanced research and development technologies available. Where measuring with hand tools was very time consuming and created inherent inaccuracies due to individual error, an even bigger issue with using these traditional tools was that they did not offer the means to measure more complicated parts and freeform surfaces without unwanted contact.

FARO provided the accuracy Pratt & Miller was looking for at the speed they need. Co-Founder Gary Pratt said, “We use FARO to design, construct, and analyze ‘virtual’ components, CFD, and even complete cars – every facet of a project from initial conception to the finished product.” Mike Kurylo, a team design engineer, said, “The quality of the FARO equipment, the ease of training, and the knowledge of their support are all first rate. Their customer service…feels like having your own pit crew!”

In today’s ever increasingly competitive conditions, Pratt & Miller is always searching for every last bit of performance enhancement – be it in the form of speed, time, accuracy, or efficiency. FARO answers the call on each of these. That Pratt & Miller uses the most up-to-date and powerful computer software and hardware in existence, the next logical step for them was FARO.

“We’re constantly updating, expanding technology and FARO opened new parameters in manufacturing and engineering for us. FARO has really opened our eyes and they’ve been fantastic for us,” said Mr. Pratt. “Once you get something like this, you can’t see how you did without it.”

Visit FARO at SEMA 2010 in Booth #10351 and see how race teams like Pratt & Miller, Andretti Autosport, and others like Paul Jr. Designs use FARO to stay ahead of their competition.

Read the full case application 

FARO at SEMA 2010

FARO Launches New 3D Imaging Product Line, Featuring the AMP

Last month at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, Illinois, FARO introduced a brand new product – the 3D Imager AMP.

The FARO 3D Imager AMP is a high performance non-contact 3D imaging system, capable of collecting millions of points in just seconds. Using patented technology, the AMP achieves groundbreaking accuracy on parts, assemblies and tools never before possible.

The AMP is ideal for parts with complex shapes or large, smooth surfaces due to its ability to measure a large surface area in one shot. With the click of a button, it captures the complete, detailed image of the object within its half-meter field of view. The AMP is the perfect tool for applications in quality control, reverse engineering, and rapid manufacturing.

The AMP also offers improved measurement of dark and shiny parts that are often missed by optical systems, and with its rugged, thermally-stable design, it is right at home on the shop floor or the assembly line.

Learn More about the AMP

Webinar: Portable Metrology and the Military – Building a better product for our troops

Portable measurement devices, such as portable CMMs and imagers, are an excellent solution for many military-based applications. From applications such as the inspection of critical components, to machine alignments, to rapid reverse engineering for design or modeling for repair, and even field testing and inspection and failure/repair analysis, portable metrology offers the speed, accuracy, capability, and convenience that today’s military needs.

In this webinar, we will focus on the common measurement needs of the military and how portable metrology is the best solution. We will also introduce the various types of portable probing and scanning devices and demonstrate how they can solve the specific needs of military applications and situations.

Who should attend: Current military personnel, military suppliers and contractors, and anyone interested in portable metrology can benefit them and their projects and products.

What will you learn in this webinar?

• Some of the common measurement applications of the military
• How these measurement needs traditionally have been met
• What are some of the shortfalls of those traditional methods
• The basics of various portable solutions
• The benefits of using portable metrology

Join us on Tuesday, October 26^th, 14:00-15:00 EST for this free, educational webinar.

Register Now