Precision in Every Layer: Lafer’s Coating Philosophy

The Challenge: Quality Assurance on Complex Coated Geometries

With up to 20,000 coated parts processed daily, Lafer needed a robust and flexible metrology system capable of verifying key surface parameters across a diverse range of geometries, substrates, and coating types. Traditional tactile or stylus-based systems weren’t up to the task—especially when inspecting cutting edges, high-gloss surfaces, or surfaces prior to coating, where tactile systems risk causing damage and scratches.

"Contact-based systems are often unsuitable for the highly complex surfaces we deal with,” explains Colombi. "We were looking for non-contact, high-resolution, and highly adaptable optical metrology.”

And that’s when Lafer turned to Bruker Alicona.

The Solution: InfiniteFocus – One System, Infinite Capabilities

Through industry referrals and technical evaluations, Lafer discovered that Bruker Alicona’s optical 3D metrology platform was already widely adopted by their customers in the tooling and high-precision machining sectors. It didn’t take long before a customized solution of the Bruker Alicona InfiniteFocus system was integrated into Lafer’s QA workflow.

"The versatility of InfiniteFocus was a decisive factor,” says Colombi. "Our applications range from hob cutters and molds to medical tools and racing parts—all with complex geometries and varying materials. We needed one system that could measure all of them—without compromising precision or speed.”

Coating Metrology Redefined: Edge Sharpness, Roughness & Repeatability

Whether it’s a coated gear, a high-speed endmill, or a DLC-coated piston pin, Lafer now inspects:

·         Edge radius and integrity

·         Surface roughness (Ra, Sa, Sp)

·         Coating homogeneity

Particularly for cutting tools, edge geometry is a make-or-break factor. A deviation in edge radius can lead to poor coating adhesion, premature wear, or complete failure during machining.

With InfiniteFocus, Lafer can detect even the smallest deviation early in the process. "In one case,” Colombi recalls, "we detected a problematic edge radius before coating. Catching it early saved us from rework, time waste, and potential customer dissatisfaction.”

Mastering Surface Complexity with Focus-Variation Technology

Bruker Alicona’s focus-variation technology proved essential for overcoming the inherent challenges of inspecting coated surfaces:

·         Shiny or dark coatings like CrN or DLC

·         Steep flanks found in gears and tools

·         Multi-layer and hybrid coatings with different reflectivity profiles

"With Bruker Alicona’s technology, even our most difficult surfaces became accessible,” says Colombi. "We were able to build flexible measurement protocols together with Alicona Support Team, which gave us repeatable and trustworthy data, even on the most challenging geometries.”

From Quality Control to Knowledge Hub

What started as a tool for quality inspection quickly evolved into a cross-functional knowledge hub at Lafer. 3D visualization features now support interdepartmental communication, troubleshooting, and customer engagement.

"The ability to generate full-color 3D models of a surface helps us explain technical decisions to customers or production teams,” explains Colombi. "It’s more than QA—it’s knowledge transfer.”

Even operators with limited metrology experience quickly became proficient. "The intuitive software and workflow meant our team didn’t need weeks of training. They became productive in days and now confidently perform advanced analyses.”

Result: Smarter Processes, Stronger Customer Trust

While scrap reduction and inspection speed are always KPIs, the greatest value of Bruker Alicona’s system at Lafer has been in deepening process understanding and reinforcing customer confidence.

"Today, our customers recognize that we’re not just coating their parts—we’re engineering surface performance with scientific rigor,” Colombi emphasizes. "Bruker Alicona has been a part of that transformation.”

Why Bruker Alicona? A Strategic Choice Backed by Experience and Trust

The decision to choose Bruker Alicona was not taken lightly at Lafer. As a company that operates at the intersection of cutting-edge materials science and customer-driven application engineering, Lafer had explored multiple metrology providers before committing to a solution. But none matched the technical sophistication, application versatility, and customer orientation of Bruker Alicona.

"We were looking for a solution that could match the complexity of our coatings and the diversity of the components we work with—tools, molds, gears, and medical parts alike,” recalls Paolo Colombi. "Bruker Alicona didn’t just deliver a product—they delivered a solution tailored to our world.”

A major factor was Bruker Alicona’s non-contact optical technology, which outperformed tactile systems by far when it came to inspecting fragile cutting edges, steep geometries, and highly reflective surfaces—the exact challenges Lafer faces daily. Traditional stylus-based systems often struggled with access and repeatability, especially on coated or polished edges where even microns matter.

"The precision we gain with Bruker Alicona’s optical system is not only technical, it’s strategic,” says Colombi. "It enables us to inspect what tactile systems cannot reach—and to do so with consistency, regardless of the operator.”

But what truly sealed the partnership was the human factor: Bruker Alicona’s application engineers didn’t just deliver a machine—they worked alongside Lafer to develop flexible, reliable measurement protocols that could adapt even to multilayer coatings, dark DLC surfaces, and intricate tool geometries.

"The support was outstanding,” Colombi emphasizes. "They listened to our needs, they understood our constraints, and they helped us configure a system that seamlessly integrates into our inspection process and our data management.”

Even more impressively, the usability of the system meant that Lafer’s team could hit the ground running. With minimal training, operators learned to use the software intuitively and soon developed their own advanced routines for edge radius measurements, surface analysis, and failure investigations.

"In a matter of days, our team was confident enough to work independently—and within weeks, they were pushing the instrument to new levels of capability,” says Colombi.

This synergy of technological excellence, application flexibility, and human-centered collaboration is what ultimately made Bruker Alicona the clear choice for Lafer. Not just a tool supplier—but a true innovation partner in the pursuit of coating excellence.

The Road Ahead: Data-Driven Coating Innovation

As Lafer continues to push boundaries in coating technology— from KRONOS for high demanding cutting tools applications to DLC LAFER for medical and aerospace applications—the partnership with Bruker Alicona ensures that surface quality always keeps pace with coating innovation.

"Our goal is to not just meet but anticipate the performance needs of our clients,” says Colombi. "With Bruker Alicona, we now have the data, the accuracy, and the confidence to do exactly that.”