Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology Makes $1 Million Entrustment to PTC

Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology, a global leader in precision metrology solutions, has recently entrusted $1 million in software to Piedmont Technical College’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Laurens County.

The entrustment is for multiple seats of ZEISS CALYPSO Metrology Software and Support which includes the complete suite of offline software modules. CALYPSO is the preferred 3D metrology software used by Carl Zeiss for their state-of-the-art Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM), and is used by CMM programmers to measure manufactured products within a millionth of an inch to determine if they meet specifications for quality control.

Carl Zeiss metrology equipment is used throughout the world to facilitate the manufacturing of parts that would be impossible without the technology.

“We work with a wide range of companies from Intel to Boeing and everything in between,” said Dr. Marcin Bauza, director of new technology and innovation at Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology, LLC.

Companies in the Upstate using Carl Zeiss CMM technology include BMW, Bosch and ZF Group.

Bauza stated that Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology was fairly new to working with educational institutions in this way, but the timing was right because of the growth of manufacturing in the country and region.

“[The Center for Advanced Manufacturing] is a fairly unique facility and I realized it would be good to aid the school and that it would also be beneficial to our customers in this area to have this training resource,” he said.

This software will complement the ZEISS CONTURA G2 CMM already in place at the Center for Advanced Manufacturing. The CMM has been in use for training students and employees of companies throughout the region since the facility opened last year.

The new software will be used to outfit the Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Laurens for a new Precision Metrology training program—the first and only program of its kind in South Carolina.

“This entrustment will allow our students and employees throughout the region to learn programming skills at the computer console of a virtual machine that’s identical to a real machine used in a production facility,” said Bob Koster, department head of Machine Tool Technology at PTC.

The certificate is designed to upgrade or refresh skills for people familiar with the measurement systems required in advanced manufacturing operations.

“Students will learn to create programs offline and actually view the machine running, but without the danger of ‘crashing’ the measuring equipment into a part or fixture,” said Koster. “This ability will be of great benefit to companies that need to use their CMM for measuring work while still being able to do programming for other parts.”

The new software will also be used extensively by readySC and Apprenticeship Carolina as they continue their partnership with PTC to offer training to South Carolina’s advanced manufacturing sector.

“I’m excited about the possibilities this partnership with Carl Zeiss opens up for existing companies, and for new investment in this area,” said Susan Heath, area director of readySC. “This CMM technology, together with equipment already in place here at PTC, will enable us to offer the full range of training required for the most highly qualified technicians.”

Photo caption: Attending the presentation were, front from left, Dr. Marcin Bauza, director of New Technology and Innovation at Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology, LLC; and Bob Koster, department head of Machine Tool Technology at PTC. Back, Jonathan Coleman, Deputy Director at Laurens County Development Corporation; Keith Lasure, dean of engineering and industrial technologies at PTC; Susan Heath, area director of readySC; and Rusty Denning, associate vice president for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at PTC.