Confocal sensors

The confocal measurement principle is designed for high accuracy, non contact displacement distance and position measurement against any surface: solid, transparent, polished mirrored surfaces, low reflective matt surfaces and even liquids. If a surface is transparent, a one sided thickness measurement can be achieved with inbuilt correction for the material refractive index.
Quite often confocal sensors are selected when laser triangulation or other optical sensors are not accurate or stable enough on the surface being measured. In addition, confocal sensors have an extremely small spot diameter, typically a few microns and measure in the vertical plane, so do not suffer from shadowing of the reflected light. This also enables measurement into small bores and holes.
Almost all industries benefit from this measurement principle as it can be used in both R&D and in-process measurements. In particular, the semiconductor, micro lens, automotive part, medical, glass, and MEMS industries use this sensor technology in many ways.

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