In the aerospace industry, there is virtually no leeway when it comes to manufacturing tolerances: Every component must meet strict safety and certification requirements, often involving highly complex geometries such as impellers or turbine components. Traditional tactile measuring methods quickly reach their limits here—both in terms of time and geometry. 3D scanning technology offers a solution, as demonstrated by the example of German machining specialist Andreas Bruns Zerspanungstechnik.

Why Optical 3D Scanning Is Gaining Importance in Quality Assurance

Coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) with tactile probes have been delivering reliable individual measurement values for decades—but they are limited to predefined measurement points and have reached their practical limits when dealing with free-form surfaces, thin-walled structures, or additively manufactured lightweight geometries. Optical 3D scanning systems, on the other hand, capture the entire component surface as a dense point cloud in a single pass, thereby enabling comprehensive quality assessments that would be disproportionately time-consuming to achieve with tactile measurement technology. For industries with particularly stringent documentation requirements—primarily aerospace, but increasingly also medical technology and the automotive sector—this surface inspection is thus evolving from an optional to a mandatory component of quality assurance.

From a Two-Machine Operation to a Precision Supplier

Andreas Bruns Machining Technology began as a small operation with two machines in a garage and has since grown into a manufacturing company with 14 employees and a modern production facility. The focus is on turning, milling, wire EDM, and inspection technology—with a clear emphasis on components for the aerospace industry. In this market segment in particular, it is not enough to manufacture a component correctly just once: every series, every batch must demonstrably fall within the required tolerances.

3D Scanning as the Key to Consistent Component Quality

For highly complex geometries such as impellers, the company relies on a ZEISS ScanPort system with an ATOS-Q sensor—an optical 3D scanning solution that comprehensively captures entire component surfaces in a short amount of time, rather than measuring only individual points. This enables a direct comparison of actual measurements against the CAD model across the entire component geometry, including free-form surfaces that would otherwise only be measurable at specific points—and in a time-consuming manner—using conventional metrology. For manufacturing service providers offering machining or 3D printing services to demanding industries such as aerospace, this type of comprehensive quality assurance is increasingly a prerequisite rather than an option.

The benefits are evident on several levels at once: The measurement time per component is significantly reduced compared to tactile measurement technology because the entire surface is captured in a single scan, rather than moving from measurement point to measurement point. At the same time, the same system family can be used for components of very different sizes, eliminating the need to invest in multiple specialized measuring devices.

Finally, the system’s intuitive operation reduces the training time required for new quality assurance personnel.

From Scan to Approved Component: The Workflow in Detail

In practice, quality assurance for complex aerospace components typically involves several steps today: First, the manufactured component is scanned over its entire surface; the point cloud is then automatically compared with the CAD target model, and deviations are visualized using a false-color representation. This visualization makes dimensional and geometric deviations recognizable at a glance—significantly faster than evaluating individual tactile measurement points. For production parts, this comparison can also be documented and archived, ensuring that complete, traceable inspection records are available for each batch in the event of complaints or audits. Especially for aerospace suppliers who must regularly provide documentation to OEMs or certification authorities, this comprehensive documentation is a tangible competitive advantage.

3D Scanning and Additive Manufacturing as Complementary Technologies

In practice, 3D scanning and additive manufacturing often complement each other more closely than it appears at first glance: Companies that are already capable of scanning parts at high resolution can also use the same infrastructure for reverse engineering—for example, when CAD data for an older part is no longer available but a functional reference part is on hand. A print-ready model can then be derived from the scan, which in turn can be manufactured using additive manufacturing. For companies that have already invested in metal machining or manufacturing services for the aerospace industry, this second step is often an obvious choice as soon as production volumes become small or geometries are too complex for conventional methods.

What This Means for Other Manufacturing Companies

The case of Andreas Bruns Zerspanungstechnik shows that 3D scanning is not only suitable for incoming inspection of raw parts or the digitization of legacy components, but can also be directly integrated into ongoing manufacturing quality assurance—especially where additive or subtractive processes produce highly complex geometries.

Companies that are also considering purchasing a metal 3D printer to additively manufacture components such as impellers or structural parts stand to benefit twice over: The 3D scan not only provides quality control for series production but also serves as the foundation for reverse engineering and digital component archives.

Take the Next Step Now

Would you like to find out whether additive manufacturing or 3D scanning is also worthwhile for your components and processes? The team at AM Pioneers will provide you with a no-obligation consultation on technology, materials, and cost-effectiveness—based on real-world project experience with the partner technologies presented here.

Contact AM Pioneers for a personalized consultation regarding your specific application.

Source

Hands On Metrology: “Precision Engineering in Aerospace with 3D Scanning” (Maker Portrait featuring Andreas Bruns, Zerspanungstechnik), https://www.handsonmetrology.com/blog/precision-engineering-in-aerospace-with-3d-scanning/