Mahr Inc. introduces MarSurf3D MS optical metrology platform with multisensor technology

The sub-nanometer claim is the part to interrogate. Mahr's LED confocal and white light interferometry genuinely hit that range, but real-world repeatability on a production floor is a different number than the spec sheet — typically 5-10x worse than the resolution. For shops buying into automated inline inspection, the spec to ask Mahr for is the 3σ repeatability on a representative workpiece, not the headline nanometre number.

The IMTS booth (134255) is the practical lead. If you're specifying a metrology system for a new line or replacing a 15-year-old unit, the SX3200 is small enough to demo in a meeting room and the larger GS3501 (500 x 400 x 100mm) covers most aerospace bracket and blade inspection that previously required a CMM.

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Mahr Inc. has launched the MarSurf3D MS, an optical metrology platform that combines three measurement technologies — LED confocal, white light interferometry, and focus variation — into a single multisensor measuring head. The platform is aimed at shops that currently run two or three separate optical instruments to cover their full range of surface-finish work.

The three technologies on the head cover complementary territory. LED confocal handles fast image capture on most surfaces with nanometre-range repeatability. White light interferometry adds sub-nanometre vertical resolution for ultra-precise step heights and very low roughness. Focus variation, with active lighting, takes the steep flanks and large vertical ranges the other two can't reach — surfaces inclined up to 86° in a single measurement.

The MarSurf3D MS ships in a range of axis sizes off the shelf. The MX3050 portable unit has 50 x 50 x 35 mm XYZ travels; the GS3501 goes up to 500 x 400 x 100 mm. The SX3200, which Mahr is showing at IMTS 2026 (booth #134255), is the mid-range 200 x 75 mm configuration and is the one likely to attract most UK mould and die shops.

The platform is built for production-floor use as much as the metrology lab. Measurement protocols are stored and recalled for repeat jobs, the operator interface is designed for technician-level use, and the system can be fully automated. Material-independent measurement means the same head handles reflective, absorbent, opaque, or transparent parts without reconfiguration.

According to Mahr, the system is aimed at replacing the standard practice of running multiple single-purpose instruments and switching between them. Mahr Inc., a member of the Mahr Group, has been making dimensional metrology equipment for more than 160 years.