The accreditation covers gap and flush measurements across the majority of the company’s GapGun Pro and Vectro sensor head range – covering FOV15 and FOV40 laser triangulation products – and is the first ever such accreditation by UKAS.

The ambitious project to achieve accreditation for the dimensional measurement devices started back in 2016. Each sensor head now undergoes a highly automated calibration and certification process. Full reporting of each measurement taken, as well as statistical summary data and the full traceability chain, are reported on each certificate issued.

Others have been impressed with the work done, with Craig Davey, COO at Insphere, commenting: “Achieving ISO17025 accreditation for a non-contact dimensional device such as GapGun Pro is incredibly difficult to do – it is a real landmark achievement.”

As a critical part of the quality inspection process for many aircraft and automotive manufacturers worldwide, Third Dimension’s GapGun Pro and Vectro feature measurement systems have long been associated with improving production traceability. For two decades, the instantaneous data capture and transmission back to data analysis and SPC software has eliminated transcription errors and provided certainty to managers and customers.

The non-contact device is now widely accepted in aerospace and automotive industries, but that does not mean the company is resting on its laurels. Each GapGun Pro and Vectro sensor head is already supplied with a certified, traceable artefact and a ‘head check’ software tool, to verify performance at the start of a shift, or when moving to a new vehicle or component. Achieving ISO17025 accreditation for Third Dimension’s calibration laboratory adds another level of certainty to the traceability chain, meaning that without a doubt, GapGun Pro provides the highest level of traceability of any handheld feature measurement device on the market.

Francois Froment, Third Dimension’s head of sales, emphasises the importance to the company’s customers of the landmark accreditation stated: “For most of our customers, unless they can prove the measurement is traceable, there is no point even trying to measure. Knowing that the tool they are using has clearly understood and defined capabilities, and that these have been assured to an international standard is a critical part of that process. Achieving ISO17025 accreditation will give many of our customers the confidence they need to realise the time and cost savings of GapGun Pro and Vectro to new production lines.”

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