Aluminum doesn’t rub off onto silicon-nitride ceramic the same way it does on ruby, so these Renishaw styli keep their shape as you scan. However, because silicon-nitride ceramic doesn’t stand up to wear as well as ruby, these styli aren’t a good choice for harder materials, such as steel and cast iron. When they touch a workpiece, they trigger your coordinate measuring machine (CMM) probe to send a signal and measure geometric features. They have a completely round ball end to avoid touching your workpiece at more than one precise point, preventing inaccurate measurements.

As a rule of thumb, you should use a stylus with the shortest length and largest ball end diameter that works for your application. If a stylus is too long, it’s more likely to move farther than it should, reducing measurement accuracy. Larger ball ends minimize the risk that the stem will accidentally touch your workpiece and interfere with the reading.

Tungsten carbide stems are the stiffest and least likely to flex. Tungsten carbide can slightly expand in changing temperatures, so if you need precise measurements, use these styli in temperature-controlled environments.

Ceramic stems shatter in a collision instead of bending, minimizing impact to your probe and workpiece.

Carbon fiber stems are the most lightweight option, so they’re often found on longer styli.

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Probe cast iron surfaces without worrying about abrasive damage to your workpiece or stylus. These styli have a zirconia ceramic ball end, which minimizes friction on cast iron better than other stylus materials, such as ruby. When they touch a workpiece, they trigger your coordinate measuring machine (CMM) probe to send a signal and measure geometric features. The ball end is completely round to keep from touching your workpiece at more than one precise point, preventing inaccurate measurements. As a rule of thumb, you should use a stylus with the largest ball end diameter that works for your application. Larger ball ends minimize the risk that the stem will accidentally touch your workpiece and interfere with the reading.

Tungsten carbide stems are the stiffest and least likely to flex. Tungsten carbide slightly expands in changing temperatures, so if you need precise measurements, use these styli in temperature-controlled environments.

For technical drawings and 3-D models, click on a part number.

Thread these styli directly onto your FARO arm, so you don’t have to worry about an adapter introducing measurement errors. They have a strengthened joint between the body and stem that prevents them from shaking loose or breaking apart when you move from part to part on your manufacturing floor. When they touch your workpiece, they trigger a probe to send a signal and measure geometric features. For high precision, they have a tungsten carbide stem that’s extremely stiff, preventing flexing. Tungsten carbide can expand slightly from temperature changes, so if you need precise measurements, use these styli in temperature-controlled environments.

Ball styli are the most general purpose. Completely round and smooth, the ball end won’t make contact with a workpiece at more than one point, preventing inaccurate readings. The ball is made of zirconia ceramic, which is tough enough to avoid fracturing from high-speed scanning jobs and frequent contact with rough or hard surfaces. Safe for use on cast iron, zirconia ceramic minimizes the friction that would otherwise damage both your workpiece and your styli. As a rule of thumb, you should choose a ball stylus with the largest ball end diameter that works for your application. Larger ball ends reduce the possibility that the stem will accidentally touch your workpiece and interfere with the stylus’ reading.

Point styli are ideal for inspecting narrow, shallow grooves, lines, and threads. The end is tapered, so if the groove isn’t wide enough, it might inadvertently touch the sides of the groove before it touches the bottom. To avoid measurement errors, you should only use these styli in shallow grooves that are wider than the pointed end. The tungsten carbide end is extremely rigid, so it stands up to wear and tear on hard surfaces.

For technical drawings and 3-D models, click on a part number.

Slip these Renishaw styli into undercuts and grooves that are too narrow for other styli. When the side of the disc touches your workpiece, these styli trigger your coordinate measuring machine (CMM) probe to send a signal and measure geometric features. The disc is completely round, just like a ball stylus, so these styli contact your workpiece with the same precision. However, they can’t measure in as many directions as ball styli. When space is tight, they’re a great alternative to star styli for inspecting features inside holes. They work with both touch-trigger and scanning probes.

Styli with roller balls can measure the width of a groove. The roller balls add a contact surface to the top and bottom of the disc to measure in more directions.

For technical drawings and 3-D models, click on a part number.