NextSense Mess- und Prüfsysteme GmbH http://www.nextsense.at has been awarded a prize for its innovative Calipri Gap measurement device as one of 30 winners at the NoAE Innovation Competition 2010. More than 420 new ideas surrounding the automobile were submitted from 23 countries. The competition was held under the aegis of Mr. Rainer Brüderle, Minister for Economy and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany, this year. The ideas were presented at the Würzburg Automobile Summit 2010 on November 24, 2010.

Mobile and non-contact measurement of gap and flush
An essential criterion of quality of the sheet metal parts of a car body are the gap and flush in relation to each other. The measurement of the values for gap and flush within the scope of final inspection is still being done with a simple finger gauge in many cases. Exactitude and reproducibility are thereby very much dependent on the user. The innovative Calipri Gap gauge for geometrical measuring tasks measures well-nigh any contour in a non-contact way. When measuring, the user simply moves the sensor by hand across the gap. The intelligent measurement system, which is based on image processing techniques, continually records and subsequently combines the individual segments of the gap profile. As a result, the measurement device delivers individual measurement values, e.g. the gap width, alongside the overall profile.

Measurement results compatible with stationary inline measurement facilities
The usual tilting errors made in such measurements are automatically corrected by a patented procedure. Thus it is possible to move the measuring sensor around the gap to capture the contours of the gap even deep down. Through the complete capturing of the gap contour, the compatibility of the measuring results with stationary inline measurement facilities is given for the first time.

About NoAE
NoAEhttp://www.noae.com is an industry-wide initiative whose objective is to strengthen the competitiveness and future of the European automotive industry and supply sector. NoAE is organized in project initiatives. It was founded by well-known personalities in the automotive industry, with the involvement of the European Commission in 2002. NoAE is a supra-regional partner of “Kompetenznetze Deutschland (Networks of competency)” under the aegis of the Federal Minister for Economy and Technology.

NextSense Mess- und Prüfsysteme GmbH
NextSense is a high-tech start-up company providing innovative solutions for measuring and checking technology in the rapidly expanding market for optical sensors. The company develops, produces and markets mobile, laser-based profile-measuring devices as well as specific system solutions for customers from various sectors. In addition to the numerous renowned automotive companies such as Magna, Daimler, VW or Magnetto, NextSense’s customer portfolio includes railroad-traffic and steel companies (DB, ÖBB, NedTrain, Siemens, voestalpine, Mittal Steel). Certified in accordance with ISO-9001:2008, the company is a spin-off of a well-known, large-scale Austrian research organization and currently employs 15 staff members at its site in Graz.