Artec Neo Launches Wireless 3D Scanning for Factory Dimensional Control

A Wireless Scanner That Measures Like a CMM

Artec 3D launched the Neo at IMTS 2026, and the claim is specific: this is the first tolerance-driven wireless 3D scanner. That means it is built for dimensional control, not just visual scanning. The device captures metrology-grade accuracy of 0.025 mm and full-color 3D data at up to 0.05 mm resolution, all without a cable tethering it to a computer.

The practical effect is that inspection can happen directly at the part. An engineer can walk up to a large casting, a turbine blade, or a retrofit assembly and scan it on the factory floor without routing a cable through a confined space or carrying a laptop into the field. The scanner works tethered or fully wirelessly, with up to five hours of continuous battery-powered scanning and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.

Built for the Workflows That Already Exist

Artec designed the Neo around three use cases: aerospace maintenance, repair, and overhaul; industrial maintenance and reverse engineering; and defense retrofits where drawings or CAD files no longer exist. In each case, the problem is the same: someone needs exact measurements of a physical part, and traditional methods like coordinate measuring machines are too slow or too inflexible for the shapes involved.

The scanner captures geometry and color together. That matters for documentation, but it also matters for reverse engineering complex surfaces where texture and finish are part of the specification. A companion app for iOS and Android is coming soon, which means an iPhone or Android tablet can serve as the capture device instead of a dedicated workstation.

What This Means for Quality Control

On-machine inspection has been a growing trend in additive manufacturing and conventional machining alike. The idea is to catch deviations before a part leaves the cell, not after it fails downstream. Artec Neo fits into that trend by moving the measuring tool closer to the work, removing the cable as a physical constraint, and delivering accuracy that meets engineering drawing tolerances.

The scanner is available now through Artec 3D global reseller network. Pricing was not disclosed in the release. For shops already running CMM programs or optical scanners, the question is whether wireless freedom justifies the switch. For shops that have avoided portable scanning because of accuracy concerns, the Neo is a direct answer.