Q&A with Joe Bioty CO of API Metrology about the new Smallest Laser Tracker
In this insightful Q&A session, Joe Bioty, CO of API Metrology, delves into the groundbreaking launch of the Integrated Laser Tracker (iLT) and discusses why it’s poised to revolutionize precision measurement and inspection. Joe highlights the strategic importance of iLT as the industry’s smallest, most accurate, and competitively priced laser tracker, emphasizing its potential to reestablish API’s leadership in the metrology market.
Throughout the discussion, you’ll discover the innovations that set iLT apart—including its advanced optical design, embedded AI-capable camera, state-of-the-art electronics, and intuitive MeasurePro software. Joe also explores the diverse industries poised to benefit most from the iLT’s compact size, unmatched reliability, and affordability. To fully appreciate the transformative potential of the iLT and understand why it’s generating excitement across the metrology industry, we encourage you to watch the complete video.
Watch The Compressed Version of the Q&A
The following is the full interview text from API CO Joe Bioty. The Video is an edited version of this Q&A.
The Full Uncut Q&A about the Worlds Smallest Laser Tracker
From a leadership perspective, what does the launch of the iLT mean for API and its customers?
iLT is a game changer. From a leadership perspective, it’s about API regaining market leadership. In a nutshell, it’s about strategic product positioning. iLT is the smallest laser tracker in industry, approximately 50% of the size and weight of an API Radian Laser Tracker. It’s the most accurate laser tracker, lowest cost, and most competitively priced Laser Tracker the industry has ever seen.
iLT stands for Integrated Laser Tracker, or some might also say Intelligent Laser Tracker. Originally designed by Dr. Kam Lau, this is the latest of his current inventions of Laser Tracker technology.
What are the key improvements and innovations that make the iLT stand out from other laser trackers?
iLT has so much to offer. First of all, it has an entirely new optical laser design, and in that design, it has an advanced camera that has AI capability, and it also has overall higher reliability as a Laser Tracker. It has state-of-the-art electronics. It’s also offered with an embedded measurement software by API called MeasurePro, offering fundamental measurement software without requiring third-party software for measurement and reporting.
“it also has overall higher reliability as a Laser Tracker.” – Joe Bioty
API has always been at the forefront of innovation in metrology. What inspired the development of the Integrated Laser Tracker?
The goal to become the number one world market leader in total Laser Trackers produced and sold, and secondly, the ability to provide a cost-competitive iLT with API sensors for automated inspection applications using an iLT with another API sensor, 9D Ladar, or another API sensor, i360, for position control, to have literally a world-best, cost competitive system that offers automated inspection.
How does the iLT represent API’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in precision measurement?
iLT represents API’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in precision metrology by literally looking at API’s vision and never-ending commitment to providing sensors that provide dimensional data for ensuring improved process quality for manufacturing. API has been at this now for six generations of Laser Trackers, over 38 years of innovating.
What industries or applications do you see benefiting the most from the iLT’s capabilities?
Most of the industries that API participates in today will benefit from iLT. All of these traditional industries where Laser Trackers have been sold, such as automotive, aerospace, ship-building, energy, and the thousands of service providers performing third-party dimensional measurements for OEMs are looking at iLT because of its size and weight as a new major advantage for industry. Everything you’d need with the iLT neatly fits in a backpack.
How does the iLT reinforce API’s position as a leader in the metrology space?
The reason why I believe iLT reinforces API’s position as a leader in the metrology space is simply, we were the first designers and inventors of the Laser Tracker. That was invented over 38 years ago by Dr. Lau, and Dr. Lau continues to be part of the iLT and its mission to become the greatest Laser Tracker ever produced.
What kind of feedback have you received from early testers or key customers about the iLT?
The feedback that we’ve received from early testers and customers using the iLT has been incredible. The test market users of the iLT are overwhelmed by the Laser Tracker performance. Its size, its capability, the software embedded, the compactness overall, the ease of use has created excitement beyond any Laser Tracker that API has ever put into the marketplace.
How do you think the iLT will shape the competitive landscape in laser tracking technology?
I think that iLT will be very competitive in reshaping the landscape of Laser Tracker technology. Some major customers who traditionally own large fleets of Hexagon or FARO laser trackers have commented to me on how pleased they are in the performance, the size, the costs, and they’re literally looking at replacing their fleet of competitive Laser Trackers with this new brand, iLT, from API.
API’s mantra is “Nothing Beyond Measure.” How does the iLT embody this philosophy?
Nothing beyond measure is the API mantra. iLT is yet another API innovation that goes beyond traditional measurement and embraces a new generation of technology and application. That’s API.
What excites you most about this product launch?
The most exciting thing about the iLT product launch has been watching the customer literally take iLT out of the box. They witness the small size and weight of an instrument as compared to other Laser Trackers. They all have smiles on their faces once they set the iLT up and run it. Then when it measures, the look in their eyes says, “This is something special. We have to have one of these instruments.”
If you could sum up the impact of the iLT in one sentence, what would it be?
If I could summarize the impact of iLT in one sentence in the marketplace, it will be the one word that I used at the beginning of this interview, and that is:
iLT is the game changer.
