Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Business Area has introduced OPC UA support in SpatialAnalyzer, its software for large-scale metrology and alignment. The integration connects high-precision laser measurement directly to the industrial control systems that drive robots and automated production lines, solving the accuracy problem that has limited robotic automation on large, complex parts.
Large-format manufacturers across industries such as aerospace, energy, and shipbuilding are all under pressure to increase production without compromising precision. The scale of that pressure is visible in aerospace: according to Forecast International’s May 2026 Airbus and Boeing orders and deliveries report, the two manufacturers’ combined commercial aircraft order backlogs stood at more than 16,000 aircraft at the end of May 2026 – equivalent to roughly a decade of production at current delivery rates. Robots alone cannot guarantee the precision that large, complex assemblies require, which is where OPC UA comes in: a secure, common standard used to communicate between industrial control systems such as PLCs and robots, enabling automated processes.
The new client includes encryption and authentication for secure data exchange, and is supported by 25 new MP/SDK commands for developers building automated OPC UA workflows.
“Robots are much-needed in large-format manufacturing, but they are not accurate enough to perform operations such as drilling holes to the precision required – the bigger the part, the harder it can be to align,” said Zach Rogers, Product Manager for SpatialAnalyzer at Hexagon. “SpatialAnalyzer is the software for orchestrating quality inspections and complex, metrology-assisted manufacturing and assembly processes, used by OEMs and their system integrators and line builders. This is a huge release for anyone using or building these systems, with support for all common metrology devices.”
Hexagon is also introducing SARCA , a new robot-calibration device that uses multi-zone, multi-tool calibration to improve the accuracy of industrial robots by up to ten times. Used alongside SpatialAnalyzer, SARCA lets manufacturers calibrate robots for high-precision work before they go into production.
This release also enables full use of a new class of metrology device, the Leica Absolute Tracker ATS800, across room scanning, conventional laser position tracking with reflectors, and high-precision direct scanning of features. Support for the ATS800 is delivered through Hexagon’s revamped System Integrator Programme, which brings new metrology devices and capabilities to the systems that OEMs and integrators build.
“Our customers need better ways of delivering excellence, but sooner, to serve unprecedented aerospace and defence demand,” said Aziz Tahiri, Global Director, Aerospace and Defence, Hexagon. “SpatialAnalyzer is trusted throughout the industry, and with robust OPC UA support for metrology, we have unlocked new automation capabilities in stable processes and brought mature building blocks to new challenges. With support for the unique direct scanning capabilities of the Leica Absolute Tracker ATS800, delivered through our revamped System Integrator Programme, we will help the ecosystem bring process innovations to the global community.”
SpatialAnalyzer 2026.1 also introduces Google Sheets integration for automated data workflows, and expanded support for precision scanners including the API LADAR, Leica RTC360, and Nikon LR, alongside compatibility with RDS 6.6 and the Leica TS20.
Source : Hexagon
