Bruker Alicona celebrates 25 years - optical 3D surface metrology

Bruker Alicona celebrates its 25th anniversary and optical 3D surface metrology. A research project led to the development of focus variation, a method that closes the gap between tactile and optical surface measurement technology.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a small group of researchers and students at Graz University of Technology were working on a question to which there was no industrial answer at the time: How can reliable 3D information be obtained from optical images - not just in the laboratory, but under real-life conditions? The principle of focus variation was developed precisely in this environment - not as a product idea, but as a result of research. The first functional approaches were developed as part of a diploma thesis. The results were not long in coming: The first algorithms were running within a few days, and a few weeks later it was clear that the underlying principle was viable. What nobody could have foreseen at the time: This method would permanently change optical surface measurement technology. In April 2001, this research-driven development became a company: Alicona - today Bruker Alicona, part of the Bruker Corporation.

At that time, there was a gap in surface measurement technology. Tactile measuring systems delivered precise results, but reached their limits with complex geometries, steep flanks and sensitive surfaces. Optical methods were faster, but often proved to be too unstable outside of controlled conditions. What was needed was not another measuring method - but one that worked reliably. This is exactly where focus variation came in. By evaluating the focus information along the optical axis, the method enables the acquisition of high-resolution 3D surface data - independent of material properties and suitable for steep edges. However, the decisive difference lay not only in the principle itself, but also in the claim behind it: "We didn't want to develop a method that only works under ideal conditions. Our goal was always to make it usable in industry," says Franz Helmli, one of the first developers at Alicona and now R&D Director.

The early years were not structured - they were driven. There was no blueprint, no clear demarcation between development, construction and application. Systems were designed, built, tested and further developed by the same people - often in the same room. Progress was fast, but rarely straightforward. Systems were built, tested, dismantled and rebuilt - sometimes several times in the same day.

"We were a small team, a few people who did everything at the same time - software, hardware, integration. There were no departments. We just did whatever was necessary," says Hannes Steinke, now Head of Infrastructure at Bruker Alicona. He was also one of the people who met in a measurement technology lecture given by company founder Stefan Scherer, moved directly from Graz University of Technology to the start-up - and has remained loyal to the company to this day. And yet: step by step, the technology matured. The first prototypes evolved into the first real product generation, InfiniteFocus. Focus-Variation developed from an experimental setup to a measurement system that can be used on an industrial scale.

In the mid-2000s, a decision was made that changed everything: No more projects. Products. Until then, development had been strongly characterized by individual customer requirements. The switch to standardized systems meant a fundamental change: scalability, comparability and industrial reproducibility became the basis. It was not just a strategic decision - it was the step that turned a technology into a product. With systems such as InfiniteFocus and EdgeMaster, focus variation became reproducible, comparable and industrially applicable. This laid the foundation for further growth.

The moment when it became clear that this was not just a promising technology did not come internally. It came at a trade fair. At one of the early Control exhibitions - probably around 2004 in Sinsheim - Franz Helmli was actually only there to set up the systems. "Everything was running smoothly, I had already packed my things and was actually about to leave," he recalls. Then the call came. "Stefan Scherer called me back: 'Stay another day. The stand was full - completely full. Our team couldn't keep up with the visitors." What followed was anything but a planned product presentation. Helmli organized himself a jacket and tie at short notice and stepped in. "No preparation, no script - just explain, from conversation to conversation. And it didn't stop." One day turned into two. Two became three. Return flights were postponed - again and again. "You finished one interview and the next one was already there. At some point, you stop thinking about time - you just get on with it." And somewhere between the measuring principle, questions and constant rush, it became clear: "This isn't just interesting. This is needed." What happened in Sinsheim was more than just a successful trade fair appearance. It was the moment when a technology crossed the threshold - from "feasible" to "indispensable".

Over the years, a small team - characterized by a shared academic background - developed into an internationally active company. Many of the early employees had studied, developed and built the first systems together. This dynamic had a lasting impact on development. Today, Bruker Alicona is established in the following industries: Aerospace, automotive, tooling and cutting technology and medical technology. Measuring systems have found their way from isolated measuring rooms into production - and are increasingly part of automated manufacturing processes.

Focus variation has evolved into advanced focus variation. The portfolio has been continuously expanded: InfiniteFocus in its sixth generation, optical coordinate measuring machines, FocusX, automation solutions and OEM sensors. What hasn't changed is the ambition: "It's still about pushing boundaries - better accuracy, new applications, solving things that couldn't be solved before," says Reinhard Danzl, Head of Tech Team. "It never got boring."

In May, Bruker Alicona celebrates its 25th anniversary together with customers, partners and employees. A start-up has become an industry standard - but the drive behind it has remained the same. It was never about reaching a point and standing still. It was always about moving forward: Improving accuracy, expanding applications and solving new challenges. And that hasn't changed. The anniversary is therefore not just a look back - but also a look forward. Without anticipating too much: The next step will once again show what has characterized the past 25 years - questioning the status quo and rethinking the measurable. Because in the end, the central question remains: How do you make measurable what others can't even see? (OM-5/26)