A New Concept

in Non-Contact
Thickness
Measurement
Confocal Displacement Sensors
CL-3000 Series
 The switch to non-contact measurement
systems instantly resolves conventional issues
The most common “thickness measurement systems” are contact sensors such as calipers and micrometers.
In recent years, customers who use thickness measurement systems have increasingly been asking about switching to
non-contact measurement systems. In this booklet, we explain the issues with conventional approaches and the
advantages to switching to non-contact measurement.

Concerns with calipers and micrometers

Human measuring errors

Measuring errors occur due to human mistakes like missed readings and
numerical changes due to excessive pressure.

Inability to perform 100% inspection

Since these methods do not support inline inspection, it can be hard to detect
change over time.

Damage due to contact

Contact with a target can leave marks (scratches and dents).

Resolved with Confocal displacement sensors

Supports quality
improvement
Non-contact measuring
The non-contact method is capable of measuring even soft targets
accurately, and eliminates human errors since measurement values are
displayed digitally.

Enables 100% inspection

The capacity for inline 100% inspection prevents release of defective
items. Gradual changes over time in the target can also be detected.

2
 A New
Concept in
Non-Contact
Thickness
Measurement

Concerns with contact sensors

Lengthy inspection cycle time

The inspection cycle takes time when using contact sensors, since the target often
needs to stop to be measured with mechanically based sensors.

The need for maintenance

Maintenance is required in order to manage wear and damage due to repeated
contact.

Changeover takes working hours

A person has to adjust set positions when switching product type, which is
time-consuming.

Resolved with Confocal displacement sensors

Supports faster
inspection cycle times
High-speed sampling
Absence of a mechanical assembly makes high-speed measuring
possible.
This leads to reduced inspection cycle time, since targets can be
inspected without stopping.

Reduced changeover work hours and

maintenance-free operation
With the wide measuring range, fixture changes are unnecessary.
Also programs can be automatically changed to account for tolerance
changes. Also, since there are no consumable parts that need to be
replaced, the system is virtually maintenance free.

3
 case
Resin sheet thickness
1 measurement

Conventional
mode Sample inspections with calipers or micrometers

Common concerns
Human measuring errors

Difficult to confirm sudden malfunctions or change

over time

Common requests
We want to increase measurement accuracy and
eliminate human measuring errors

We want to increase measurement speed and take

measurements at a fine pitch

We want to save data to a PC or PLC

We want operation to be simple for everyone

Achieving inline thickness inspection for the entire length of

Proposal
the run with the non-contact method

Measuring with confocal displacement sensors

Measure thickness from both sides of the target using two sensor heads.

Attach opposing
The (A + B) value will
sensors facing the
remain fixed even if the
target surface.
target moves up or down,
absorbing run-out.

A
C
B
Thickness t = C − (A + B)

Calculated
automatically on the
controller.

4
 Confocal Displacement Sensors
CL-3000 Series

Supports quality improvements by eliminating human errors.

Advantages of the CL-3000 Series

Advantage 1

Optical-axis alignment function prevents installation errors

When taking thickness measurements from both sides of the target, major errors occur when the optical axes of both
sensor heads do not align or when the target vibrates or tilts even slightly. The CL Series can align the optical axes
accurately, enabling high-accuracy thickness measurement from both sides of the target.

❙ Triangulation ❙ CL Series
method Thickness 1000 µm Thickness 1000 µm
Optical axis Optical axis
misalignment
500 µm misalignment
0 µm
Zero optical
Optical axis Thickness Error axis Thickness Error
 Angle measurement  Angle measurement
misalignment result (µm) (µm) misalignment result (µm) (µm)
1.5 987.2 -12.8 1.5 1000.3 0.3
1.0 991.1 -8.6 1.0 1000.2 0.2
0.5 995.7 -4.3 0.5 1000.0 0.0
0.3 997.4 -2.6 0.3 1000.0 0.0
0.0 1000.0 0.0 0.0 1000.0 0.0
-0.3 1002.6 2.6 -0.3 1000.0 0.0
-0.5 1004.4 4.4 -0.5 1000.0 0.0
-1.0 1008.9 8.9 -1.0 1000.2 0.2
-1.5 1013.4 13.4 -1.5 1000.3 0.3

Easy installation with adjustable fixture and an optical-axis alignment function

With conventional laser measurement sensors, optical
axis alignment, which is critical for achieving high-
accuracy thickness measurement, is challenging to
configure. With the CL Series, anyone can manage the
precise optical-axis alignment easily by using the
optical-axis alignment function included in the PC
software, combined with the adjustable fixture for
thickness measurement.

Advantage 2

The sensor head's design allows it to not generate heat,

enabling high-accuracy measurement
The heat generated by conventional laser ❙ Conventional laser displacement sensor ❙ Sensor head 10 minutes after powering on
displacement sensors causes thermal Before scanner head After scanner head Conventional laser CL Series
heat generation heat generation displacement sensor
distortion of the fixture, making them
susceptible to measurement errors resulting
from optical axis misalignment. The CL Series
is designed with a structure that places the
lens as the only part inside the sensor head.
Since there are no electronic parts generating +8°C + 0°C
heat, there is no distortion of the fixture on
which the sensor head is mounted. This is the
ideal for high-accuracy measurement.

5
 case
Wafer blank thickness
2 measurement

Conventional
mode Management by contact sensors

Common concerns
Mechanical assemblies cause cycle time bottlenecks

Changeover causes a bottleneck

Common requests
We want to measure without stopping targets

We want to eliminate jig changes during changeovers

We want to eliminate impact from vibration

We are worried about being able to measure targets

with rough surfaces accurately using laser
displacement sensors

Proposal High-speed, high-accuracy thickness measurement

Accurate measurement even on rough surfaces

Focuses light on four points within the measurement spot and receives reflected light with four CMOSs. The reliability of measured
values is quantified from the reflected light, and stable, accurate measurements are calculated using unique calculation processing
that eliminates influence from extremely small bumps and divots.

Quad Processing System

Stable measured values

Unique calculation processing

Reliability ▶ High Low High Low

CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS

Spectrometer

6
 Confocal Displacement Sensors
CL-3000 Series

Measure without needing to stop the target, and eliminate

the need for fixture changes during changeover.
Provides takt time improvements.

Advantages of the CL-3000 Series

Advantage 1

Reduces inspection cycle time

As there is no mechanical assembly, there is

no need to stop the target when measuring.
With the capacity to connect a maximum of
six sensor heads, one unit can measure
Transmitting Receiving
multiple points.
Transmits light at varying Wavelengths of light
focal distances for each that pass through the
wavelength. pinhole vary by
refraction point. Only
Short
Red the light at
Range
wavelengths that best
Medium
Green match the focal point
Range
passes through the
Long Blue pinhole.
Range

Advantage 2

Reduced changeover work hours

Sensor heads for a wide variety of targets

and applications are available. Due to the
wide measurement range there is no need to
change the sensor head when the
measurement target changes. Non-elevated Elevated
target target

Advantage 3

Reduced maintenance work hours

Non-contact measurement eliminates

replacements due to wear on contact tips,
and removes the risk of damage due to Contact Contact
collisions. wear damage

7
 case
Glass or film thickness
3 measurement

Conventional
mode Triangulation method laser displacement sensors

Common concerns
Misalignment of position for measurement when
target height changes

Significant measuring error when target is tilted

Common requests
We want to conduct accurate thickness measurement
of targets during motion

We want accurate measurements even when the

target is tilted

Proposal Achieving measurement stability

Not impacted by target position or orientation

Achieves stable, inline measurement of targets during motion, without impact from vibration or tilting.

8
 Confocal Displacement Sensors
CL-3000 Series

Capable of high-accuracy inline thickness measurement

even for transparent targets.

Advantages of the CL-3000 Series

Advantage 1

No positional misalignment even when target height changes

Measurement without positional ❙ Conventional laser displacement sensor ❙ CL Series

misalignment even when measurement
height varies on transparent or mirrored
items, thanks to the coaxial confocal
method.

Misalignment of position for No measurement

measurement due to height misalignment

Advantage 2

High-precision measurements even for tilted or warped targets

Conventional triangulation calculation CL-3000 Series

laser displacement sensor

Measuring using triangulation can produce measurement errors in The CL Series produces high accuracy measurements even on

the event of warpage to or tilting of transparent or mirrored targets. targets that are tilted or warped, thanks to its use of the coaxial
confocal method.

Angle for mirrored surfaces Angle for mirrored surfaces

5.0 5.0
Tilt ± 2° Tilt ± 2°
4.0 4.0
Tilt ± 1° Tilt ± 1°
3.0 Tilt 0° (horizontal) 3.0 Tilt 0° (horizontal)
Linearity error
Linearity error

2.0 2.0
1.0 1.0
0.0 0.0
-1.0 -1.0
[μm] -2.0 [μm] -2.0
-3.0 -3.0
-4.0 -4.0
-5.0 -5.0
-1.2 -1.0 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 -0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 -1.2 -1.0 -0.8 -0.6 -0.4 -0.2 -0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Measuring distance [mm] Measuring distance [mm]

Advantage 3

Effective for transparent thin film measurement

Accurately differentiates reflected light from

Received light waveform
different surfaces to measure transparent
Transparent
films and coatings as thin as 15 µm. item thickness
Received light

from
15 µm*
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50

Height (µm)

*For CL-PT010

9
 CL-3000 Series Technology Guide
The CL-3000 Series was developed around the concept of stable, inline measurement of any target, regardless of colour,
material or surface condition. It minimises latent measuring risks and achieves the goal of accurate measurement.

Effective on curved, uneven and rough surfaces

Designed for coaxial arrangements of transmitter and receiver, to concentrate only light that matches the target focal point over the pinhole.
Measures target height by irradiating targets with light at wavelengths of varying focal points, then detecting the wavelength position of
maximum light intensity from spectra received.

Multi-colour confocal method

Sensor Head Controller and Optical Unit
Receiving Light source unit
Uses an ultra-high brightness
multi-colour transmitter light
To sensor head
source. Generates and irradiates
light stably at all wavelength bands.

Transmitting

Short Red
Range

Medium Green To spectrometer

Range

Quad CMOS Spectrometer

Long A dynamic range 26 times greater than
Blue
Range conventional units. Light is received by four
high-resolution CMOSs, allowing for high
accuracy measurement on all kinds of materials.
The received light is split by
wavelength and focused onto the
Quad CMOS.

High accuracy over large measurement ranges

Multi-colour light is generated by using a blue laser to irradiate a fluorescent element that emits red and green light simultaneously.
The emitted light is more stable and of higher brightness over a wider range of wavelength bands compared to typical white LEDs. This
ensures there are sufficient light levels at all points in the measurement range, allowing for higher accuracy.

❙ Typical white LED transmitter ❙ Multi-colour transmitter light

light source source

Low received light Received light is

intensity at range sufficient at any
edges position

Narrow wavelength band for Wide wavelength band for

high-brightness light emission high-brightness emission

10
Measures any material or colour accurately
Capable of accurately measuring a variety of target materials and colours with a single sensor head.

High-precision measurement
Stable measured values
Quad
on any material without Processing Unique calculation processing
System
needing specialised heads Reliability ▶ High Low High Low

CMOS CMOS CMOS CMOS

Spectrometer

Metal Black rubber Mirrored  Glass Gel

items

Measurement image figure

CL Series

Conventional laser displacement sensor

Metal Black rubber Mirrored items Glass Gel

: Conventional laser displacement sensor : CL Series

Compact form factor, at just 1/50th of the conventional size

Designed with only the lens inside the head, the sensor
is reduced to 1/50th the size of conventional systems.
ø8 mm
To meet the increasing need for miniaturisation of Conventional laser
Compact Head
displacement sensor
manufacturing equipment, the CL Series offers easy
installation while eliminating space restrictions.
Size versus
conventional
units

1/50th

11
 ❙ CL-3000 Series Head Lineup

Compact ø8 Model Ultra High-Accuracy Model High-Accuracy Model Mid-Range Model Profile Measurement Model
[mm] CL-L007/CL-P007 CL-L015/CL-P015 CL-L030/CL-P030 CL-L070/CL-P070 CL-PT010
100

80

Measurement
range Measurement
60 70 ± 10  range
Measurement mm 10 ± 0.3 
range mm
30 ± 3.7 
40 Measurement mm
range
Measurement 15 ± 1.3 
range mm 60 mm
7 ± 1.5 
20 mm
26.3 mm
70 mm 9.7 mm
5.5 mm 13.7 mm
0 30 mm 10 mm
7 mm 15 mm
80 mm 10.3 mm
8.5 mm 16.3 mm 33.7 mm

Quad type Spot type Quad/Spot type Quad/Spot type Quad/Spot type Spot type
Linearity
(Standard)
±2.1 µm ±0.96 µm ±0.49 µm ±0.94 µm ±2.2 µm ±0.22 µm
Linearity
(High precision)
±0.91 µm ±0.55 µm ±0.41 µm ±0.72 µm ±2.0 µm ±0.2 µm

Quad type Spot type

Eliminates the influence from Reliably detects fine targets using an
extremely small bumps and divots ultra-small beam spot of ø3.5 µm at
with a quad processing system. minimum. Ideal for profile measurement.
Allows for stable measurement.
Spot size Spot size
Position Thickness Appearance Height difference
Height Run-out Warpage Ultra small

CL-L007 CL-L015 CL-L030 CL-L070 CL-P007 CL-P015 CL-P030 CL-P070 CL-PT010

Spot diameter ø750 µm ø300 µm ø500 µm ø600 µm Spot diameter ø50 µm ø25 µm ø38 µm ø50 µm ø3.5 µm

❙ Optional

Adjustable Fixture for For CL-L(P)015/030/070:

Thickness Measurement OP-88284/OP-88285/
OP-88286

Simple, accurate thickness measurement through the

combination of the adjustable fixture for thickness
measurement and the PC software’s optical-axis
alignment function.

SAFETY INFORMATION
Please visit: www.keyence.com Please read the instruction manual carefully in
order to safely operate any KEYENCE product.

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The information in this publication is based on KEYENCE’s internal research/evaluation at the time of release and is subject to change without notice. WW11-1037
Company and product names mentioned in this catalogue are either trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Copyright © 2018 KEYENCE CORPORATION. All rights reserved. CL3000ThicknessMeasurement-WW-TG-GB 1128-1 600S29