Start with the sample
The fastest way to the right profilometer is to describe the samples: their size, whether they can be brought to a laboratory, how rough or tall their features are, and how many need measuring. Because every NANOVEA profilometer uses the same chromatic confocal sensors, measurement quality is not the deciding factor between models. The base around the sensor is.
Benchtop or portable
If samples come to the instrument, a benchtop model gives motorized stages, automation and the largest scan areas. If the instrument must go to the sample (large or fixed parts, welds, structures, field research, objects that cannot be cut or shipped), choose a portable model. The JR25 weighs 5.3 kg and travels as hand luggage; the JR100 scans 100 x 100 mm and can carry a high-speed line sensor.
Scan area and speed
| Model | Type | X-Y travel | Max speed | Sensors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS50 | Compact benchtop | 50 x 50 mm | 20 mm/s | Point |
| ST400 | Standard benchtop | 200 x 150 mm | 40 mm/s | Point or line |
| ST500 | Large-area benchtop | 400 x 400 mm | 200 mm/s | Point or line |
| JR25 | Portable | 25 x 25 mm | 20 mm/s | Point |
| JR100 | Portable | 100 x 100 mm | 20 mm/s | Point or line |
Choose the stage for the largest area you need to scan in one piece; continuous, stitching-free scans avoid the errors that image stitching adds. For samples beyond 400 x 400 mm, NANOVEA builds larger custom bases around the same sensors.
Point or line sensor
A point sensor measures one point at a time with the highest accuracy, down to 1.9 nm height repeatability on the PS1, and measures slopes up to 87°. It suits fine finishes, steep features and precise profiles. A line sensor projects 192 points at once and acquires up to 384,000 points/s, so it covers large areas in fewer passes; it suits mapping, inspection of many parts and large surfaces. Line sensors fit the ST400, ST500 and JR100.
Sensor range
Pick a sensor whose height range exceeds the surface’s height variation, with the finest resolution that still covers it. Point sensors run from 110 µm (PS1) for polished and fine finishes to 24 mm (PS6) for rough castings, textures and tall features; line sensors run from 200 µm to 3.9 mm. Sensors are interchangeable, so one instrument can be used with both a fine and a coarse sensor.
Beyond the standard range
- Nanoscale lateral resolution: the AFM Pro adds an atomic force microscope (1.7 nm lateral resolution over 110 µm) to a chromatic confocal profiler, for polished and nanostructured surfaces.
- Production: the in-line profiler installs chromatic sensors in the line at more than 1,300,000 points/s, with pass/fail decisions per sensor or on the average of all sensors.
- Measurements: see what each model can report, from roughness and texture to step height, volume, form and flatness.
Test before you choose
The surest way to choose is to measure real parts. NANOVEA’s surface profiling laboratory measures your samples on the same instruments it sells, with the sensor and settings that suit them, and the results show which configuration your application needs.
