Rhopoint Instruments has launched Rhopoint TAMS 3, a portable appearance and surface metrology platform designed to give manufacturers complete process control in their workflow, from matt raw material or E-coat through primer, colour and final high-glossy clearcoats.
Built on the initial TAMS platform first introduced in 2017 and continuously developed since then, TAMS 3 represents the latest generation of a mature industrial system for both standalone use and connected factory environments.
like Quality, Harmony or Waviness to help users assess reflected image quality or orange peel in clear coated finishes. For a deeper process understanding, the system generates topographic maps to understand impact of process parameters.
In low gloss mode, it generates full‑field 3D altitude maps and calculates optical roughness and ISO 25178 parameters such as Sa, RaX, RaY and RsM, helping users link substrate, E‑coat and primer behaviour directly to final visual quality.
Unlike traditional rolling instruments that capture waviness in a single line trace, TAMS uses a static, image‑based full‑field measurement, enabling analysis in both X and Y directions and on parts that are difficult or impossible to access with line‑scanning devices.
The instrument also reports legacy‑correlated 20° gloss, DOI, Long Wave (LW)/Short Wave (SW) and Powder Coating Index related values, providing a practical bridge between established specifications and newer perception‑based metrics.
A key advantage of TAMS 3 is that it extends measurement beyond the final topcoat.
By helping users study roughness, waviness and defect development throughout the paint and pre-treatment process, it becomes possible to identify where visible issues such as orange peel are introduced and where corrective action will have the greatest effect.
The instrument also rates dark colours, light colours and metallics on a single visual scale aligned with real customer perception, helping reduce unnecessary rejects and rework.
TAMS 3 also brings the platform to a much higher level of connectivity and integration. The system supports Ethernet, high‑speed wireless transfer, direct PC control, Siemens S7 communication, REST API support and connected workflows through Rhopoint Appearance Elements and Elements Hub.
Rhopoint Appearance Elements software provides map‑based analysis, job and batch organisation, line profiles, reporting and traceable storage of numeric results, images and surface maps.
For automated inspection, Rhopoint also offers RoboTAMS, a non‑contact robotic version of the system for production line measurement of automotive car bodies, body‑in‑white or E‑coat surfaces.
Mounted on a standard industrial robot and supplied with a full SDK, RoboTAMS can measure a full vehicle with capture times of less than 1.6 seconds per position, supporting automated appearance monitoring, process control and quality assurance.
To learn more about Rhopoint TAMS 3 or arrange a demonstration, please contact your local Rhopoint office or visit the TAMS 3 product page.
