Microscan Systems
Encyclopedia
Microscan Systems, Inc. is a manufacturer of precision data acquisition
and control solutions for automation and OEM applications. Founded in 1982, Microscan provides systems for ID tracking, traceability and inspection. The company invented the first laser diode scanner and is credited with the development of the Data Matrix 2D symbology.
Microscan focuses on automatic identification, machine vision, and illumination, and provides applications ranging from symbol decoding to machine vision
inspection, gauging, and measurement.
Microscan is an ISO 9001 certified company and a subsidiary of Spectris plc, a technology-based instrumentation and electronics controls company based in the UK.
In 1994 Mertel sold Microscan to Spectris
, a British engineering company.
In September 2008 Microscan acquired the Siemens' Machine Vision line headquarted in Nashua, New Hampshire
. The acquisition added 10 product lines and over 60 technology patents from a long history of technology innovation.
The Nashua NH Northeast Technology Center was the original location of Acuity Imaging, the machine vision company formed by the 1994 merger of two machine vision industry pioneers, Automatix
and Itran, which, just like Microscan, were themselves founded in the early 1980s. In 1995, RVSI (Robotic Vision Systems Inc), another early 3D machine vision pioneer, acquired Acuity. Through the follow-on acquisition of two other early autoID companies, ID Matrix – the inventor of Data Matrix – and Computer Identics – the inventor of code 128 – the company formed RVSI Acuity CiMatrix. Following the semiconductor industry downturn of the early 2000s, RVSI’s 3D machine vision technology was ultimately acquired by Rudolph Technologies while the 2D vision & autoID business of Acuity CiMatrix was initially acquired by Siemens
in 2005 and ultimately by Microscan in 2008.
Data acquisition
Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer. Data acquisition systems typically convert analog waveforms into digital values for processing...
and control solutions for automation and OEM applications. Founded in 1982, Microscan provides systems for ID tracking, traceability and inspection. The company invented the first laser diode scanner and is credited with the development of the Data Matrix 2D symbology.
Microscan focuses on automatic identification, machine vision, and illumination, and provides applications ranging from symbol decoding to machine vision
Machine vision
Machine vision is the process of applying a range of technologies and methods to provide imaging-based automatic inspection, process control and robot guidance in industrial applications. While the scope of MV is broad and a comprehensive definition is difficult to distil, a "generally accepted...
inspection, gauging, and measurement.
Microscan is an ISO 9001 certified company and a subsidiary of Spectris plc, a technology-based instrumentation and electronics controls company based in the UK.
History
The company was founded in 1982 when engineer Mike Mertel was working out of his garage and integrated a laser diode into a bar code scanner to develop the first laser diode scanner. This technology reduced the size of the scanner and when it was added to a decoder board, it read 400 scans per second. To illustrate this point, Microscan first placed bar code labels on the blades of a desktop fan and the scanner read the spinning labels. Prior to the laser diode scanner, bar code scanners were built with helium-neon lasers that came in 6" tubes that could be explosive. In contrast to helium-neon lasers, the laser diode technology was safer, smaller, more rugged and featured a longer life.In 1994 Mertel sold Microscan to Spectris
Spectris
Spectris plc is a leading supplier of precision instrumentation and controls. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
, a British engineering company.
In September 2008 Microscan acquired the Siemens' Machine Vision line headquarted in Nashua, New Hampshire
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
. The acquisition added 10 product lines and over 60 technology patents from a long history of technology innovation.
The Nashua NH Northeast Technology Center was the original location of Acuity Imaging, the machine vision company formed by the 1994 merger of two machine vision industry pioneers, Automatix
Automatix
Automatix Inc., founded in January 1980, was the first company to market industrial robots with built-in machine vision. Its founders were Victor Scheinman, inventor of the Stanford arm; Phillippe Villers, Michael Cronin, and Arnold Reinhold of Computervision; Jake Dias and Dan Nigro of Data...
and Itran, which, just like Microscan, were themselves founded in the early 1980s. In 1995, RVSI (Robotic Vision Systems Inc), another early 3D machine vision pioneer, acquired Acuity. Through the follow-on acquisition of two other early autoID companies, ID Matrix – the inventor of Data Matrix – and Computer Identics – the inventor of code 128 – the company formed RVSI Acuity CiMatrix. Following the semiconductor industry downturn of the early 2000s, RVSI’s 3D machine vision technology was ultimately acquired by Rudolph Technologies while the 2D vision & autoID business of Acuity CiMatrix was initially acquired by Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
in 2005 and ultimately by Microscan in 2008.