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Comparing laser-triangulation sensors

Anonymized lessons from evaluating several 3D profilers. The best datasheet rarely wins.

*This is an anonymized comparison. No products are identified.*

I have worked with several laser-triangulation systems, and one lesson appears again and again.

The best datasheet rarely wins.
How laser triangulation turns height into a measurable shift
A height change moves where the angled camera sees the laser spot. Repeatability matters more than the headline numbers.

Metrics that actually predicted success

  • Repeatability
  • Integration complexity
  • Throughput
  • Reliability over long runs

Metrics that mattered less than expected

  • Headline resolution
  • Headline accuracy

Why

A sensor with stellar specs that is fragile, slow to integrate, or drifts over a shift will lose to a slightly less precise sensor that simply runs reliably for months. Evaluate the whole system in production conditions, not the spec sheet.