Inside Accretech’s expanding portfolio of metrology solutions

If the UK market signals cautious confidence, Accretech’s technology roadmap reflects decisive intent, just as visitors to the company’s stand at the MACH 2026 exhibition in April discovered for themselves. Across surface texture, contour, roundness, cylindrical form and in-process measurement, it was plainly evident on the busy booth that the company is sharpening its focus on modularity, automation, integration and AI-enhanced usability. All underpinned by sub-micron precision.

Complementing the CMM

At the core of Accretech’s UK success are two standout platforms: SURFCOM NEX and RONDCOM NEX. Both were performing live demonstrations on real-world parts at MACH.

In a single trace, the SURFCOM NEX evaluates surface texture and contour, including inclined, undulating and curved surfaces, while RONDCOM NEX performs roundness and cylindrical profile measurements.

“Both solutions are popular for sub-micron tasks beyond the capabilities of a CMM,” notes Tim Wood, Head of Business – Industrial Metrology at Accretech Europe. “We’re not competing with CMMs, we complement them.”

This positioning is central to Accretech’s differentiation. Rather than replacing established inspection systems, the company’s instruments extend precision capability into domains where ultra-fine surface and form measurement are critical.

Hybrid detection and optical advancement

A notable advancement is Accretech’s hybrid detector, which allows the SURFCOM NEX to perform simultaneous contour and surface roughness measurement.

“The stylus travel, vibration stability of the axes and durability for shop-floor use are all class leading,” he states.

Of course, not every component welcomes contact measurement. Semiconductor devices, medical components and other sensitive parts can present challenges for traditional tactile probing.

That’s where Accretech’s optical technologies come into play. The Opt-Scope NEX, for example, integrates a 3D white light interferometer for sub-nanometre performance in ultra-high-end manufacturing environments.

Aerospace scale and niche strength

One of the more interesting aspects of Accretech’s portfolio is its ability to operate comfortably at opposite ends of the measurement spectrum: from microscopic features to large aerospace components. The aerospace industry is proving particularly active, with high demand for large roundness measurement systems capable of handling rotors, stators and shafts.

“Our ability to operate confidently at both micro and macro scale strengthens our position across high-value manufacturing chains,” notes Tim.

Expanding into emerging markets

Beyond traditional surface and form measurement, Accretech is expanding its metrology portfolio into battery cell testing, launching a dedicated cell cycler machine.

“With significant investment in UK battery manufacturing, we’re expecting genuine demand for this solution.”

On-machine and in-process solutions are further extending capability. Here, Accretech partners with CNC grinding OEMs across the UK and mainland Europe. As a point of note, the recent GrindingHub 2026 exhibition in Stuttgart saw the company launch its SB-6500 control unit, which combines balancing, acoustic emissions monitoring and in-process gauging within a single modular platform.

AI and intelligent integration

Like much of manufacturing, metrology is fast-embracing AI. At Accretech, AI is already embedded within the company’s ACCTee software, where it offers particular gains in feature recognition.

“To expedite measurement, our software can automatically recognise shoulders, radii, angles, circles, patterns and thread forms,” he reveals. “It’s getting better all the time. Forthcoming developments will include AI-driven geometrical dimension recognition.”

Integration is equally important. With many customers running mixed machine environments, seamless data flow is critical. Accretech’s native interface to Zeiss PiWeb supports efficient reporting and quality data management, including generative AI translation of reports and augmented 3D CAD visualisation incorporating contour data.

Modularity and automation

A defining feature of Accretech’s portfolio is its modular architecture. Systems such as SURFCOM and RONDCOM can be configured with additional axes, robotic handling, and TCP/IP communication to support automated quality rooms or integrated metrology cells.

“There’s been a lot of talk about quality room automation in recent years without much action,” observes Tim. “But we anticipate a shift soon. Such a shift would not only drive investment but expand demand for applications engineering and service expertise via our UK Solutions Centre in Coventry.”

Full lifecycle support

Company differentiation also lies in service depth. Accretech manages the complete value stream: special engineering requests, factory acceptance testing, installation, calibration to sub-micron levels, site acceptance validation, training and ongoing maintenance contracts.

“We’re not working through dealers or business partners,” he points out. “We provide direct sales, service and applications support.”

And perhaps that’s the bigger picture. While the technology itself continues to evolve through AI, automation and advanced measurement techniques, Accretech’s focus remains remarkably consistent: helping manufacturers extract more value from increasingly complex inspection challenges.