Advanced FARO technology will provide faster measurement and improved efficiency to SURVICE customers. Belcamp, Maryland-based SURVICE Metrology has placed an order for the all-new FARO Vantage Laser Tracker, becoming the first company to do so since the product was first announced on Monday, July 16. SURVICE representatives expect to capitalize on the tracker's ultra-portable design by carrying it with them to jobsites, virtually eliminating the risk and cost associated with shipping to and from locations. In addition to a dramatic reduction in size, the FARO Vantage includes new features, like SmartFind, that improve accuracy and greatly reduce measurement time. Together, these new enhancements will enable SURVICE to perform quicker routines, more accurately, and at a reduced cost.

(From left to right) Pete Edmonds, Vice President of Sales for FARO Technologies in the Americas and James Gardner, Director of Commercialization and Sales for SURVICE Engineering.

"We're excited, and eager to begin capitalizing on all of the new features the Vantage has to offer," explained James Gardner, Director of Commercialization and Sales for SURVICE Engineering. "This new tracker is portable, so we'll be able to carry it on-board with us when we fly to jobsites. The Vantage will allow us to expand our reach, and access more customers than ever, while reducing shipping costs. In addition, SmartFind technology provides an elegant mechanism for quickly acquiring the target when the tracker's beam is broken. We're confident this will help us improve efficiency and workflow."

FARO unveiled its revolutionary new Vantage Laser Tracker on July 16, at the annual Coordinate Metrology Society Conference (CMSC) in New Orleans. SURVICE reps, along with over 300 other guests at the opening night Ice Breaker reception, were among the first to catch an exclusive first look at the new laser tracker.

"SURVICE Metrology is a recognized leader in dimensional inspection services, and a longtime user of FARO laser trackers," said Pete Edmonds, Vice President of Sales for FARO Technologies in the Americas. "The new Vantage laser tracker is ideally-suited to the types of applications SURVICE performs. We thank them for their business, and wish them continued success."

About FARO

FARO is the world's most trusted source for 3-D measurement technology. The Company develops and markets computer-aided measurement and imaging devices and software. Technology from FARO permits high-precision 3-D measurement, imaging and comparison of parts and compound structures within production and quality assurance processes. The devices are used for inspecting components and assemblies, production planning, documenting large volume spaces or structures in 3-D, surveying and construction, as well as for investigation and reconstruction of accident sites or crime scenes.

Worldwide, approximately 14,000 customers are operating more than 28,000 installations of FARO's systems. The Company's global headquarters is located in Lake Mary, Fla., its European head office in Stuttgart, Germany and its Asia/Pacific head office in Singapore. FARO has branches in Brazil, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Japan. For further information, visit www.faro.com.

About SURVICE Metrology

A division of the SURVICE Engineering Company, SURVICE Metrology is a world-class business unit that provides integrated metrology solutions, dimensional inspection and modeling services, and advanced R&D capabilities in the field of metrology. For additional information, visit metrology.survice.com.

SURVICE employee Rob Baltrusch fully experienced the concept of working "off-site" when he traveled to Afghanistan for a two-week excursion. Baltrusch's mission was to collect high-resolution 3-D scan data on a ground vehicle damaged from an Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). SURVICE caught up with Rob after his travels to get an inside perspective on the trials and tribulations of working over-seas. With over 40 hours of travel under his belt Baltrusch touched down in Bagram, Afghanistan to begin his critical data collection mission in late February of 2012. Baltrusch's work involved the measurement of a vehicle IED event. "We were looking to capture 3-D information to support detailed scientific analysis of the damaged vehicle," said Baltrusch, "We collected measurements of the maximum deflection of the steel armor as well as volume calculations that indicate the amount of energy imparted to the structure." These measurements give research scientists completing the engineering analysis a better indication of the IED characteristics.

The Mantis Vision F5 System.

In order to capture such detailed measurements Baltrusch utilized a number of cutting edge tools. "The FARO Arm is an articulated arm with encoders located in its joints and a laser scanner at the end of the arm," explains Baltrusch. The encoders and laser scanner allow the FARO Arm to take measurements akin to 3-D spray paint creating a highly detailed image for analysis. Baltrusch and team also employed the Mantis Vision F5 System, a technology so new that Baltrusch was using serial number 001 off of the production line. "This system uses a camera and a projector," said Baltrusch, "it sprays a structured light and has a video feed which creates a 3D point cloud video."

The task at hand was both interesting and important to Baltrusch, although it came with its own unique intricacies. "The days were long," explains Baltrusch, "there was a big push to get the task done in time. We would start work at 7 AM, work straight until 7 or 8 PM and then head back to the barracks to complete our reports."

Obstacles aside, Baltrusch kept his eye on the proverbial prize. "The biggest benefit of working on this mission over-seas was that we were able to brief out all of the boots on the ground troops," Baltrusch explains, "that was the whole point of doing the work on-site - so we could complete the task efficiently and effectively in support of the troops."

Through this acquisition, existing Accurex measurement service customers are assured that they will continue to work with the same personnel and receive the same high-quality services they have come to expect.  In addition, they will now be able to leverage all the additional capabilities that SURVICE has been providing to its DoD customers for years, including the latest in non-contact coherent laser radar measuring systems and custom application development.  SURVICE Metrology will provide its combined services from the SURVICE Metrology Center in Belcamp, MD, and its new facility in Edgemont, PA.