Diamond Coated UltraScanning Styli

itpstyli offers a wide selection of diamond-coated styli to address the problems associated with using ruby and silicon nitride spheres in extreme measurement applications like long-cycle scanning of abrasive or very soft materials. Avoid premature wear and material “pick-up” with UltraScanning diamond styli from itpstyli.

The Problem with Intensive Scanning using Ruby, Silicon Nitride or Zirconium

During intensive scanning of abrasive and very hard materials like silicon carbide, conventional sphere materials are likely to develop “flats” from excessive wear. On the other extreme, softer materials like aluminum can transfer to the sphere, causing “build-up.” In either extreme, sphericity and roundness are compromised, and measurement accuracy suffers.

The Solution: UltraScanning Diamond-coated Styli

itpstyli’s UltraScanning line of styli start with a metrology grade ceramic sphere, the surface of which is diamond-coated to a thickness of approximately 0.03 mm. The balls are polished in a highly complex process to ensure Grade Five form and are mounted to the stem using a proprietary in-house active-brazing procedure to maximize durability while maintaining precision.

Wear Resistance Test Data - UltraScanning vs. Ruby Styli

itp conducted a test to prove and measure wear resistance. The UltraScanning diamond-coated sphere was compared to the industry standard ruby sphere (which is harder than silicone nitride). The work-piece material was silicon carbide, one of the hardest ceramic materials available. In addition, the test piece had an extremely rough surface finish of 16 Ra (comparable to a grade 80 sandpaper). The test was executed using a highly recognized metrology scanning system.

UltraScanning Diamond Coated Stylus from itpstyli

Each stylus was calibrated, and
then put through a series of scanning cycles, each with a scanning speed of 25mm/sec, followed by
2 calibration checks to measure for potential wear.

Diamond Coated Styli Testing Methodology

The standard ruby material sphere (which is harder and more wear resistant than Silicon Nitride) first started to exhibit wear at approximately 11,500 feet of scanning. The UltraScanning stylus was tested through approximately 33,000 feet of scanned distance with no deterioration in calibration performance and no visible marking or wear. The following graph illustrates this data.

Ruby Stylus versus Diamond Coated Stylus

The UltraScanning Diamond-coated stylus test was concluded at 33,000 feet of scanned material when no measurable or visible wear could be identified. It was equally clear that the ruby sphere began to diverge and lose its roundness in 1/3 the distance, as seen on the right in this optical comparison. If extreme scanning of very hard and abrasive (or very soft and transferrable) materials is part of the measurement requirements, using itpstyli’s UltraScanning styli will be justified by longer life and reduced maintenance.