VTube-LASER Prioritizes Measuring Tube Straights

Question

Can VTube-LASER measure the entire tube, including the bend profeils, like its competition?

Answer

Yes, it can measure the entire tube - including bend profiles. However, it does, but, by default, prioritize straights over the bends for a reason.

VTube-LASER Prioritizes Straights

VTube-LASER, by default, encourages the scanning of straights alone (not bends) in order to get to the shape qualification as quickly as possible. Because it uses LASER scan data, it can also scan bend profiles to give the total collapse on the outside of the bend. This is a secondary operation. This is a secondary operation so that users can choose to scan or not to scan the bend profiles.

VTube-LASER Compared to Bending Studio

We have been told that the marketers Bending Studio (from AICON - now owned by HEXAGON), claim that its method of scanning the entire tube is better than the VTube-LASER segmented method. However, we and hundreds of our customers disagree with this claim. Our opinion is that the continuous scanning method is a disadvantage in ease-of-use and speed/productivity. VTube-LASER scans only what is necessary to get the job done quickly for shape qualification.

This makes VTube-LASER both easier and faster.  One OEM bender manufacturer experienced with both VTube-LASER and Bending Studio told us that he always chooses VTube-LASER over Bending Studio because it is much easier and faster to use than Bending Studio.

VTube-LASER Compared to Generic Metrology Software

Other generic metrology software, like CAM2 from FARO or Polyworks from Innovmetric, can scan tubing too - but the process is much more complicated than in VTube-LASER.

For example, one customer told us that, when scanning tube shapes with general metrology software, he observed that the software needed data from all sides of the tube - and it took too much time to scan a simple tube. (This is something never required by VTube-LASER).  No general software has a huge database of benders to which it can connect for bender corrections like VTube-LASER.  (This is a major strength of VTube-LASER.)