The zCAT portable CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine)
An easy-to-use, shop floor-friendly CMM with Teach & Repeat programming
What makes the zCat a unique solution for your shop?
A quick preview of the zCat from Fowler Application Engineer, Collin (~1 min) -->
Easy-to-learn... right out of the box
You can be up and running in hours, not weeks
What customers love about the zCAT:
- Ready to go in minutes – minimal setup required
- Teach & Repeat – just guide the probe like a pen to create your inspection routine, then hit play to run it automatically
- 360º rotation – set up a fixture for multiple parts and swap them in and out while inspections keep running
- 4-hour battery life – program it at your desk, then take it anywhere on the shop floor
X-Axis Range
700mm
Y-Axis Range
700mm
Z-Axis Range
250mm
Volumetric Accuracy
8.0 µm
The Unique zCat Design
Portable, 360º rotation, Teach & Repeat Programming
- Specifically designed for small batch inspection - with the right fixturing, you can setup the zCAT to run continuously and hotswap parts out once inspected
- Grab the probe, teach it an inspection routine and then hit play - it's the most intuitive Teach & Repeat programming you'll find on any CMM on the market
- With a 4hr battery runtime, you can program the zCAT at your desk and then bring it to the shop floor to run inspection routines - bring the CMM to the part
Futureproof design
Automation-proven design
Futureproof your inspection process with the zCAT's automation-ready design
- Cental, rotating base allows for easy coordination with robot-placed parts
- Create fixturing to allow the robot to place parts in a 360º circle around the zCAT - for around-the-clock continuous unattended inspection
The zCat uses the same software as all of our CMMs - Aberlink3D
Often overlooked, the software ease-of-use is a critical component of a successful CMM inspection process - and making it easy for all team members to learn & use.
When CMM software is modern & intuitive
Aberlink3D software is quite simply the best
- Visual measurement model – Aberlink 3D builds a 3D representation of the part as you measure, allowing you to click features to call up dimensions like they appear on drawings.
- Automatic feature recognition – Automatic routines and feature recognition handle 2D/3D inspection (manual or CNC) for geometric and free‑form shapes.
- Simple programming – Teach‑and‑repeat routines and a drag‑and‑drop editor let you create or edit programs without learning code.
- Safe moves & auto‑programming – The software automatically generates safe moves and saves inspection routines for future parts.
- Flexible reporting – Generate drawing‑style GD&T reports, pass/fail summaries or batch and SPC reports, then export to Excel.
- CAD comparison – Import STEP/IGES models, align point clouds and display colour‑coded deviations with best‑fit routines.
- CAD programming – Click on surfaces in a CAD model to define measurement points; Feature Predict identifies planes, circles or cylinders.
- Vision integration – A kinematic joint lets you swap between probe and camera quickly; the vision module offers automatic edge detection and smart‑measure tools.
Download the CMM Brochure
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zCAT Specifications
| Specification | Fowler zCAT |
|---|---|
| Working Volume | XY: Dia. 700mm Z: 250mm |
| Overall Size (in.) | Diameter: 6.8" Height: 24.4" Weight: 30lbs |
| Maximum Permissible Error | 8.0µm |
| Machine speed | User controlled to 150 mmps |
| Air Required? | None required |
| Construction | Stainless steel for all structural components - made in Switzerland |
| Power requirements | 100-240 V AC±10%, 50-60Hz |
| Battery life | 4 hours with normal use, 3 hours at peak |
| Manual motion control | User controlled by hand movement of probe |
| Controller | Onboard PCB provides motion control, error mapping, I++ interface and ControlCAT metrology software |
| Temp Compensation | Onboard monitoring and compensation |
| Probe Type | Renishaw TP20 probe |
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