Imagine a handheld scanner that can measure the exact shape of any object — a train wheel, a car body panel, even red-hot steel — just by pointing it. Normally you'd need expensive specialized equipment and trained technicians for each type of measurement. CALIPRI Smart uses clever software to get high-precision results even when held by hand, and the same core device can be customized for completely different industries just by swapping the housing and loading a new configuration file. It's like having one smartphone that runs different apps instead of buying a separate gadget for every task.
Measuring the precise geometry of complex shapes — train wheels, car body panels, hot steel profiles — currently requires expensive specialized equipment, skilled operators, and often physical contact with the part. Each industry needs different measurement setups, driving up costs. There is no portable, universal solution that works across these different environments, especially for measuring red-hot steel where no portable option existed at all.
A handheld optical 2D profile measurement device with four market-specific versions: C42 SA and C42 MA for railway wheel and rail safety checks, C14 for automotive car body quality control, and C-Hot for measuring red-hot steel profiles in rolling mills. Deliverables confirm completed housing designs for the C14 and C42 product lines.
If you are a railway company dealing with manual wheel flange inspections that require skilled technicians and contact-based gauges — this project developed CALIPRI C42, a handheld optical device that performs 100% contact-less safety checks on wheel flanges, brakes, wheel diameters and rails. No skilled employees needed, and the company claims pay-off time lower than a year.
If you are an automotive manufacturer struggling with car body quality control that relies on expensive fixed measurement stations — this project developed CALIPRI C14, a portable optical gauge purpose-built for car body profile inspection. It delivers high-precision 2D measurements without touching the surface and can be operated by any production floor worker without special training.
If you are a rolling mill operator who currently cannot measure the profiles of red-hot steel parts on the production line — this project developed C-Hot, described as the only portable device that measures profiles of red-hot steel parts. This enables in-process quality checks that were previously impossible, catching defects before the steel cools and becomes costly scrap.
The project objective states pay-off time lower than a year. The device keeps costs down by using the same core hardware across all versions — only the housing and software configuration change per use case. This high-volume, low-unit-cost production model means niche products at mass-product pricing.
Yes. CALIPRI Smart was developed under the SME Instrument Phase 2, which targets companies scaling commercial products. The project planned launches of four product versions (C42 SA, C42 MA, C14, C-Hot) and expansion from 50 to over 120 employees with new subsidiaries in Atlanta and Shanghai.
NEXTSENSE GMBH is the sole developer and IP owner. The key intellectual property is in the software that enables hand-guided high-precision measurement. As a commercial product company, they sell devices directly rather than licensing the technology. Visit nextsense-worldwide.com for current product offerings.
The device outputs 2D profiles via WLAN, which enables wireless integration with existing quality management and data systems. The software can be adapted to individual customer needs through configuration files, suggesting compatibility with various workflows.
No. One of the core selling points is that the measuring procedure does not need skilled employees. The software compensates for hand-guided operation to deliver high-precision results, making it described as easy to use and failsafe.
Based on available project data, specific measurement standards or certifications are not mentioned. However, the device targets safety checks in the railway industry and quality control in automotive, both of which have strict regulatory requirements. Contact NEXTSENSE directly for compliance documentation.
This is a single-company project — NEXTSENSE GMBH from Austria is the sole participant, which is typical for SME Instrument Phase 2 funding designed to help individual companies scale commercially. With EUR 2,006,283 in EU support and a 100% industry consortium, every euro went directly into product development and market launch. The absence of university or research partners indicates the core R&D was already done; this project was about turning existing technology into market-ready products and building the commercial infrastructure (subsidiaries, hiring) to sell them globally.
NEXTSENSE GMBH is based in Austria. Their products and contact information are available on their company website.
Want an introduction to the CALIPRI Smart team to discuss measurement solutions for your production line? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right technical contact.
