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AICON 3D Systems

Optical, camera-based 3D metrology has become a standard in many industrial areas. Far more than 4.000 of the installed 3D measuring systems worldwide come from AICON 3D Systems. For more than 25 years now, the company has developed, manufactured and supplied 3D metrology for various applications. AICON is one of the leading global full-range suppliers.

Dr.-Ing. Carl-Thomas Schneider and Dr.-Ing. Werner Bösemann jointly founded the AICON 3D Systems GmbH in 1990, initially a Spin-Off from Volkswagen Research and Technical University Braunschweig. The business incubator “Technologiepark Braunschweig” provided ideal conditions - AICON was growing fast. In 2003, the company moved to their own buildings in the Northwest of Braunschweig. In order to meet the increasing company requirements in metrology, AICON took over the scanner manufacturer Breuckmann in 2012. 

AICON’s product portfolio today includes innovative solutions for universal applications: portable coordinate measuring machines for universal applications, specialized optical measuring technology for vehicle testing and tube manufacturing, as well as white light scanners for contact-free surface measurement of objects. AICON's list of customers includes renowned automotive manufacturers, companies from aerospace industry and mechanical engineering as well as research facilities and universities.

More than 140 employees work for AICON, at the headquarters in Braunschweig and the Scanner Innovation Center in Meersburg on Lake Constance. Since 2016, AICON is part of Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence.


TIMELINE

2010 - present 2000 - 2010 1986 - 2000

2017
Launch of the optical camera-based CMM MoveInspect XR8

2016
Launch of the new ProCam generation: ProCam wireless

Presentation of PrimeScan, the attractive entry-solution into white light scanning

AICON 3D Systems joins Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence

2015
25 years of AICON 3D Systems GmbH

Presentation of StereoScan neo – the first white light scanner with adaptive full color projection and back projection of measuring results directly on the object

TubeInspect P16 – launch of the large measuring cell of the TubeInspect P series for all tube lengths

2014
SmartScan R8 - high-resolution extension of the SmartScan family

Opening of the new AICON office in Yokohama, Japan

Launch of the MoveInspect 3D Arena - the optical tracking system for design centers

Launch of TubeInspect P - the new benchmark in 3D tube and wire measurement

Opening of the new Breuckmann office in Beijing, China

2013
Product launch of StereoScan R16 - the scanner with the highest available resolution

New OptoCat module Texture Mapping for capturing and mapping the texture of a scanned object to its 3D representation

Launch of the new MoveInspect XR for the measurement of large objects

Launch of the MI.Probe mini for measurements with AICON Scanners

AICON acquires patent on adapters for DPA measurements of geometric features

2012
Acquisition of Breuckmann GmbH, Meersburg/Germany

Foundation of the Breuckmann subsidiary in Shanghai (China)

Foundation of AICON's North-America Office in Plymouth (Michigan/USA)

Opening of AICON's China Showroom in Shanghai (China)

Launch of the new software platform BendingStudio

Construction of additional AICON office building

2010
Launch of the hand-held MI.Probe for probing applications with MoveInspect

Market introduction of the d-STATION for applications in dental technology

2009
Development of TubeInspect HS, for highest accuracy

Launch of MoveInspect Technology, the modular system for portable CMMs

Market introduction of the SmartScan-HE, the first mobile measurement and digitization system

2008
Foundation of AICON's Asia-Pacific-Office

2007
Premiere of TubeInspect HD for the measurement of small tubes and wires

Market launch of the SmartScan

2006
Construction of additional lab building

2005
Presentation of TubeInspect S, specially designed for the measurement of short tube and tubes with flexible parts

Development of the top end digitizing system StereoScan

2003
Rebranding of OLM in TubeInspect, new housing and design

Presentation of the new measuring software AICON 3D Studio

2002
Introduction of the new DPAPro

2000
New windows based software for measurement of large tube diameters (2001: first installation at Daimler Düsseldorf for exhaust pipes)

1998
Presentation of robot-based measurement

1994
First installation of a system (OLM) for measurement of brake lines at Mercedes in Sindelfingen (The system was called OLM first and later renamed intoTubeInspect)

Patent registration for the Miniature Projection Technique (MPT), core technology of Breuckmann scanner

1993
First installation of a robot-controlled topometric 3D digitizing system at Audi, Ingolstadt

1990
AICON is founded at Braunschweig Technology Park

Installation of the first computer-aided system for topometric inspection of metal sheets at Mercedes Benz, Sindelfingen

1989
Official company foundation of the Breuckmann GmbH

1986
Release of Bernd Breuckmann’s first fringe projection system based on the phase shift technique



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