As the need for more expertise in measurement and laser tracker operation grew, Trigonos – a service company specialised in land and cadastral surveying since 1976 – decided to create Trigonos metrology in 2015. As the proud owner of four laser trackers and two portable measuring arms, Trigonos metrology offers high-end industrial measurement services to customers in sectors such as automotive, energy, general moulds or mechanical engineering, and follows them also during international projects.
We spoke recently with Günther Lehmann, Managing Director at Trigonos metrology, to find out how he has experienced working with Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence. It was very clear in talking to him that he had not only a passion for perfection, but also a real connection to the Hexagon products with which his team works. He’s dedicated to pushing the boundaries as far and as fast as possible and has played an important role in inspiring both companies to work hand-in-hand to develop innovative new solutions.
Anne Willimann: Mr. Lehmann, can you tell us about your history with Hexagon products?
Günther Lehmann: I started my career as a metrology specialist and had the chance to work with the best instruments possible: the Leica Absolute Tracker systems. When I joined Trigonos, I immediately told the team about my conditions: working again with instruments and a company I fully trusted.
AW: What tools are nowbeing used in the Trigonos metrology machine park?
GL: We have a Leica Absolute Tracker AT402 and AT403, an Absolute Arm, a Leica Absolute Tracker AT960-LR with a Leica T-Probe,and we recently added a Super CatEye (SCE) reflector. We sometimes also rent a laser scanner from Hexagon for specific applications.
AW: What do you particularly appreciate about the Hexagon instruments you’re using?
GL: Their reliability, stability and portability. When you are a service provider, you must rely on your instruments to 200 percent. They have to follow us through various environments and conditions and keep delivering microns! Getting access to the development tool to make some of our own programming is also greatly appreciated and gives a totally new dimension to the product. Hexagon’s service and support are also unique; no other supplier delivers this level of professionalism. I am lucky to work closely with the team in the headquarters of the laser tracker and portable measuring arm products and have been able to test products in advance, allowing us to offer valuable feedback thanks to our significant expertise across various industries.
AW: What were the latest of our instruments that you tested?
GL: The new Absolute Arm that we tested in 2018 definitely represents a highlight of innovation, like for example in the removable wrist or the repeatability of the scanner. I am an absolute fan of it! I could also have a closer look at the new Leica Absolute Tracker ATS600. Wow! That opened up some great new ideas for new applications and I’m already sure my customers will love it!
AW: Speaking about new ideas, I think you developed quite a few in the last year, pushing the normal usage of our products to new dimensions. Can you tell us more?
GL: I may speak about two in particular, even if we have more in the pipeline, in various stages of development.
The first is what we are calling the LAYO robot project. Imagine you have a production hall that you will soon have to equip with some installation like robots, machines or warehouse racks. To optimise the space, you plan everything virtually with simulation and generate a layout plan that marks all positions where something has to be fixed. Once that layout is defined, it is necessary to transfer the plane positions into reality, which means you need to precisely mark the floor for the real installation. This sometimes demands the marking of more than 1000 points on the floor, a task that can take days if done manually.
We were looking for a way to automate this process and so built a robot together with a unique programme, which uses an inkjet printer head to mark the floor while being controlled and positioned by a laser tracker and reflector. This system is marking the specific points where for instance a hole will need to be drilled, as well as the reference of it, and all this within a fraction of the time needed when done manually.
The second project is a collaboration using the new SCE reflector. One of our customers is selling and installing transportation systems for the medical industry that can be flexibly configured to the needs of specific users. We’re helping to precisely align this transportation system, and for the final check and acceptance test we’re using the SCE reflector. We put the SCE on a moving device to check the position of the system while it moves around at high-speed. Because of the ultra-wide reflection angle of the SCE, the tracker can always detect it, in any position, and it’s possible to measure and document the complete transportation path.
AW: That sounds great! How is Hexagon supporting you with those special projects?
GL: I share all our development projects with the product management team at Hexagon and they support me a lot, giving feedback, advice and options for the next steps. If the idea gets a real interest, then Hexagon check and see if we can make a product out of it, in a kind of joint venture. It’s really great to be supported by such a great company. I really feel like we are part of the big Hexagon family!
