All microscope users looking to boost their view, capture, measure applications will benefit from a new innovation from Keyence.

The VHX-7000 digital microscope, which is now available in the UK and Ireland, offers high magnification and accuracy, and is said to be both versatile and easy to use.
Using the Keyence VHX-7000, both 2D and 3D measurements can be performed. Just one microscope is required to take roughness, contamination, grain size and a host of other measurements. Observation is provided with an optimal balance of brightness and clarity. Moreover, images can be easily saved on the 1 TB hard drive (enough capacity for millions of images) and shared over LAN or USB. Similarly, reports can be automatically created and shared.
Features such as ´Optical Shadow Effect Mode´ make subtle contours stand out (in colour) and enhance uneven surfaces and stains at the push of a button. By combining a 4K CMOS image sensor with a new multi-directional lighting variation technique, the VHX-7000 can deliver images that rival an SEM (scanning electron microscope).
Even novice users can easily capture high-resolution images, says Keyence. The operator simply places the target on the stage, and everything else – including alignment and focus adjustment – is fully automatic. A handheld controller puts functions such as magnification switching at the fingertips of
the user.
A combination of optics, digital camera, electronics, software, and a wide choice of motorised XYZ and rotary stages, means users can perform complete inspection and analysis using a single system.
For further information www.keyence.co.uk

Faro has launched its Cobalt Design structured light scanner product family. Structured light scanning technology uses projected light patterns with a camera system to capture large areas at once and, as a result, significantly reduces data capture time and delivers quicker results.

Cobalt Design, combined with the recently introduced RevEng software platform, delivers a one-stop digital design solution where small-to-medium objects can be scanned with precision, in colour, with multiple levels of resolution. As such, it is the first colour structured light scanner from Faro specifically developed for design applications. In particular, the device is said to be suited to the scanning of complex surfaces, especially highly detailed organic shapes. Cobalt Design addresses a variety of design requirements, including reverse engineering, prototype design, packaging design, digital cataloguing, and even jewellery and fashion design.
The device enables design professionals to set up scan parameters once and then proceed to scan similar objects at the push of a button. Furthermore, several pre-configured scanning and meshing settings are available by default. This functionality, in turn, translates to less time per scan position, more scans per day and faster completion of scan projects.
An integrated, rotational axis improves the 3D scanning process and maximises scanning coverage. The object/part is placed in a fixed position on the axis, after which the axis can be set to automatically rotate up to 360° as it is being scanned.
Cobalt Design captures millions of 3D measurement points in as little as one second, with up to 3.1 Mpx accuracy for small-to-medium complex objects.
Precise and high-quality textured scans can be captured in colour and delivered as realistic images that enable even more detailed representations of geometric surfaces and finishing.
For further information www.faro.com