Hexagon is bringing artificial intelligence deeper into industrial quality inspection with the launch of its next-generation OPTIV S optical coordinate measuring machine, combining faster measurement performance with a new generation of AI-assisted capabilities.
Announced on 2 September ahead of IMTS 2026, the redesigned Hexagon OPTIV S is aimed at manufacturers inspecting complex, high-value components across electronics, medical devices, automotive and precision engineering.
The launch is significant beyond the introduction of another CMM. Hexagon is beginning to use AI to automate some of the decisions traditionally made by experienced metrology programmers, particularly around edge detection, lighting and optical measurement setup.
It also adds to a wider shift towards AI-driven quality control that MachineToolNews.ai has been tracking across metrology and machine vision, including Hexagon’s APOLLO predictive monitoring technology and the recent MVTec MERLIC deployment at Endress+Hauser.
AI Edge Detection Comes to PC-DMIS
At the centre of the AI story is AI Edge Detection, which will be commercially released with PC-DMIS 2026.2.
The technology uses AI-assisted camera and light calibration to improve edge detection during optical inspection. According to Hexagon, this is designed to reduce programming time while producing more consistent measurements across different machines and changing part conditions.
This tackles an important challenge in machine vision-based metrology. Reliable optical measurement depends heavily on correctly configuring lighting and identifying component edges, with results potentially influenced by part finish, geometry and environmental conditions.
Automating more of that process could make advanced optical inspection less dependent on individual operator expertise.
AI Illumination Will Automate Lighting Setup
Hexagon is also developing AI Illumination, scheduled for commercial release during 2027.
Rather than requiring programmers to manually determine suitable lighting parameters, the technology will automatically optimise illumination to improve edge detection.
Hexagon says this should reduce the trial-and-error involved in optical measurement programming.
A further feature, Fast Auto-Focus, is expected to deliver autofocus performance up to 50% faster when it becomes commercially available in 2027.
Together, the technologies point towards an OPTIV platform where more of the optical inspection setup is handled intelligently by the measurement system itself.
Faster Inspection Before the AI Is Added
The new machine also delivers substantial hardware improvements.
Hexagon says OPTIV S provides approximately 30% higher machine dynamics through increased travel speeds and acceleration. Initial application testing has produced approximately 15% shorter inspection cycle times.
A larger field-of-view vision sensor allows more features to be measured from fewer images, while tactile accuracy has been improved to E0, MPEE = (1.6 + L/200) μm.
This combination is important because the AI functionality is being introduced alongside measurable improvements to the underlying inspection platform.
Existing OPTIV M Users Will Get the AI Technology Too
The AI strategy is not restricted to buyers of the new machine.
Hexagon says the PC-DMIS capabilities being developed for OPTIV S, including AI Edge Detection, AI Illumination and Fast Auto-Focus, will also become available for its existing OPTIV M platform.
That potentially gives current users access to similar programming and inspection consistency improvements through upgrades rather than requiring replacement hardware.
Hexagon Pushes Towards Autonomous Quality Control
The bigger story is Hexagon’s stated ambition to move industrial measurement towards intelligent and increasingly autonomous quality control.
The company says OPTIV S forms part of its wider strategy to embed AI and automation across its measurement technology portfolio, reducing dependence on specialist operator expertise and making high-precision inspection accessible to a broader range of manufacturers.
Capabilities such as automated lighting optimisation and AI-assisted edge detection shift repetitive setup decisions towards the software, allowing programmers to concentrate on the inspection strategy and manufacturing problem.
For manufacturers struggling with skills shortages while being asked to inspect more components and collect more quality data, that direction could be significant.
What Manufacturers Need to Know
- AI Edge Detection will arrive with PC-DMIS 2026.2 and uses AI-assisted camera and light calibration to improve optical edge detection.
- AI Illumination is planned for 2027 and will automatically optimise lighting parameters.
- Fast Auto-Focus is designed to provide up to 50% faster autofocus performance and is also scheduled for 2027.
- Hexagon reports approximately 30% higher machine dynamics and around 15% shorter inspection cycles in initial application tests.
- Existing OPTIV M users are also expected to gain access to the new PC-DMIS AI-assisted capabilities.
- The first OPTIV S 4.4.3 will become commercially available on 14 September 2026 at IMTS and AMB.
MTN Analysis
There has been no shortage of AI announcements across manufacturing, but metrology presents a particularly interesting opportunity because inspection still relies heavily on specialist knowledge.
Hexagon’s approach with OPTIV S is practical. AI is being applied to specific tasks where variability and manual setup can consume programming time.
The most interesting technology could ultimately be AI Illumination. Automatically determining how a component should be illuminated before extracting reliable dimensional information addresses one of the fundamental challenges of optical inspection.
Combine that with AI Edge Detection and faster autofocus, and the direction becomes clearer: an optical measurement system capable of making more of its own decisions about how a component should be inspected.
That is a meaningful step towards the autonomous quality control Hexagon is describing.
It also fits a broader trend MachineToolNews.ai is seeing across industrial inspection. AI is increasingly moving into the measurement workflow itself, from predictive monitoring of metrology equipment to AI machine vision deployed directly on production and assembly lines.
OPTIV S Makes Its Debut at IMTS and AMB
The first OPTIV S configuration, the 4.4.3, becomes commercially available on 14 September 2026, coinciding with IMTS in Chicago and AMB in Stuttgart.
Additional machine sizes, configurations and AI-powered capabilities will then be introduced through 2027.
For anyone attending IMTS, this makes the OPTIV S one of the more interesting AI-enabled metrology launches to see on the show floor.
Manufacturers can read Hexagon’s full OPTIV S announcement or learn more about the OPTIV S platform.
FAQ
What is the Hexagon OPTIV S?
OPTIV S is Hexagon’s next-generation optical coordinate measuring machine, combining vision measurement with tactile and multisensor capabilities for precision quality inspection.
Does the Hexagon OPTIV S use artificial intelligence?
Yes. Hexagon is introducing AI-assisted functions within PC-DMIS including AI Edge Detection and AI Illumination, with the capabilities being introduced in phases.
What does AI Edge Detection do?
AI Edge Detection uses AI-assisted camera and light calibration to improve optical edge detection. Hexagon says it is designed to reduce programming time and provide more consistent measurements across machines and varying part conditions.
What is Hexagon AI Illumination?
AI Illumination will automatically optimise lighting parameters during optical inspection to improve edge detection and reduce manual setup and trial-and-error programming. Commercial release is planned for 2027.
How much faster is the new OPTIV S?
Hexagon says the new OPTIV S provides approximately 30% higher machine dynamics. Initial application tests have shown approximately 15% shorter inspection cycle times.
When will Hexagon OPTIV S be available?
The first OPTIV S configuration, the 4.4.3, becomes commercially available on 14 September 2026 at IMTS in Chicago and AMB in Stuttgart.
Will existing OPTIV M machines receive the AI capabilities?
Yes. Hexagon says AI Edge Detection, AI Illumination and Fast Auto-Focus will also become available on the existing OPTIV M platform through its PC-DMIS software and AI-assisted measurement capabilities.
Further Reading
Hexagon APOLLO Predicts Metrology Failures Up to 90 Days Early
MVTec MERLIC AI Machine Vision Moves From Endress+Hauser Pilot to Global Assembly Rollout
