Clearance Profile Scanner (CPS)

The Clearance Profile Scanner (CPS) quickly and precisely measures clearance profiles in road and rail environments. The optical system is typically mounted on the front or back of an inspection vehicle (e.g., a road car or train car) to provide three-dimensional data on gauge profiles. For railroad applications, the center line of the track is extracted from the data, and potential infringements are identified. In urban environments, the laser scanner collects valuable 3D data for infrastructure planning. 

Up to two million measurements per second

The CPS LiDAR scanner uses a rotating mirror to project a high-frequency, modulated laser beam onto the surroundings and detect the returning light. Phase shift technology is used to determine the distance. The exact position of each measurement point is calculated using the measured distance value and the angle of the scanning mirror. A two-dimensional image is derived from the mirror's rotational movement; the inspection car's motion provides the third dimension. The system operates at scanning frequencies ranging from 10 to 200 Hz, with a sampling frequency of up to two million measurements per second. Internal calibration before every scan guarantees precise and stable results, even at extreme temperatures and over long periods. A computer located inside the inspection car evaluates and visualizes the data before sending it to the PC network in the inspection car.

Robust housing

The sensor unit contains a fixed optical window and is located in a hermetically sealed housing. The casing protects the sensor head from dirt and vandalism when it is not in operation. For buffered vehicles, the sensor head can be mounted on a slide that moves automatically into the measurement position.

CPS-Plus: Additional moisture detection

The extended version of the scanner, CPS-Plus, uses two different wavelengths to measure the clearance. The difference in the signals allows the water content on the surface to be extracted at every measurement point without compromising the precision of the measured distance. This allows for reliable identification of vegetation and simultaneous detection of water ingress, a critical issue for the safety of civil engineering structures, such as tunnels.

The CPS’s design complies with DIN EN 60825-1:2008. It is eye-safe according to IEC 60825.

The system has been successfully deployed on measurement vehicles around the world for over 15 years and is continually being improved.