Micro Epsilon

What Micro Epsilon does

Micro-Epsilon is a German privately held manufacturer of precision non-contact sensors and integrated measurement systems used for displacement, distance, position, thickness, color, and temperature measurement in industrial environments. Founded in 1968 in Ortenburg, Lower Bavaria, the company serves industrial customers in semiconductor manufacturing, battery production, automotive, factory automation, rail infrastructure, aerospace, medical technology, glass, and metals processing. Named end customers include KUKA, Siemens Gamesa, BASF Leuna, WAGO, Aluminium Norf, and Vossloh Rail Services, with the company citing more than 40,000 users worldwide.

The product portfolio spans five core sensing modalities — eddy current (eddyNCDT), capacitive (capaNCDT), laser triangulation (optoNCDT), confocal chromatic (confocalDT), and white light interferometry (interferoMETER) — supplemented by infrared pyrometers, color sensors, magneto-inductive and LVDT sensors, draw-wire sensors, and 3D laser profile and snapshot sensors (scanCONTROL, surfaceCONTROL). Resolution reaches sub-nanometer levels on flagship confocal and interferometric lines, the company holds over 400 active patents, and integrated systems include thicknessGAUGE/thicknessCONTROL for battery electrode films and metal strip, profileGAUGE for inline geometry inspection, and full inspection cells for automotive paint and tire production. Supporting software (3DInspect, sensorTOOL, MEDAQLib) handles integration and 3D evaluation, with deep-learning defect detection layered into surface inspection.

Micro-Epsilon operates a direct-to-customer hardware sales model combined with long-tail OEM custom engineering, supported by a wholly-owned subsidiary network covering 17+ countries across Europe, North America, and Asia, plus regional distributors in uncovered markets such as South Africa (TANDM). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, spanning standard catalog sensors through fully custom OEM developments. The business is described as financially independent and family-owned since 1968, with no venture or private equity backing, an average labor turnover rate below 1%, and a workforce exceeding 1,400 globally.

Name

Micro Epsilon

Legal name

MICRO-EPSILON Messtechnik

Website

https://micro-epsilon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Micro-Epsilon is a privately held German manufacturer of precision non-contact displacement, thickness, and 3D inspection sensors serving semiconductor, battery, automotive, automation, and industrial customers globally through 17+ country subsidiaries. Founded in 1968, it holds 400+ patents and serves over 40,000 customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Industrial Sensors and Measurement Systems

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Metrology & Dimensional Measurement (CMMs, laser trackers, gauges, surface/roughness) (IMAGAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Machine Vision & Optical Sensing (Cameras, 3D vision, LiDAR, illumination) (IMAGAFAB), Industrial Quality Inspection & Metrology (Machine Vision) (IMAIAMAF), Industrial Vision & Quality Inspection (HDAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Precision displacement sensors
• Industrial measurement systems
• Non-contact laser sensors
• 3D inspection solutions
• Eddy current sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Ortenburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices21 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Sensors and Displacement Sensors: Sale of precision sensors for displacement, distance, position, and thickness measurements for industrial applications including machine building, factory automation, and OEM series production.
2. 2D/3D Measurement Systems: Sale of 3D laser scanners, snapshot sensors, and profile measurement systems for inline quality inspection and geometry measurement.
3. Measuring and Inspection Systems: Turnkey measuring systems for process monitoring and automated quality control, including thickness gauges, 3D geometry inspection, and industry-specific solutions for automotive, battery, and semiconductor production.
4. OEM Custom Sensors: Customer-specific sensor development and manufacturing for OEM series applications with customization for specific industrial environments and requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Micro-Epsilon designs, manufactures, and sells precision sensors and integrated measuring systems for non-contact displacement, distance, position, thickness, color, and 3D inspection in industrial environments. Its portfolio spans eddy current, capacitive, laser triangulation, confocal chromatic, white light interferometry, draw-wire, and LVDT sensors, along with 2D/3D laser scanners, snapshot sensors, and turnkey inline inspection systems for OEM manufacturers and machine builders. The company also develops integration software and offers customer-specific OEM sensor solutions.

Product overview

Micro-Epsilon offers the largest range of precision displacement sensors, infrared temperature sensors, color sensors, and dimensional measurement devices and systems for industrial applications. The portfolio is organized as a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on multiple sensor technology lines (inductive eddy current, capacitive, laser triangulation, confocal chromatic, white light interferometry) that feed into integrated measuring systems for specific industries. Key product families include: eddyNCDT inductive sensors for harsh industrial environments; capaNCDT capacitive sensors for semiconductor and precision applications; optoNCDT laser sensors for factory automation; confocalDT and interferoMETER for ultra-high precision measurement; surfaceCONTROL and scanCONTROL for 3D inspection; thicknessGAUGE/thicknessCONTROL for inline quality control; and comprehensive software tools (3DInspect, sensorTOOL, MEDAQLib) for sensor integration and data evaluation. The company also delivers complete turnkey measuring systems for automotive, battery production, semiconductor, tire, and metals industries, as well as OEM custom solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• eddyNCDT: Eddy current displacement sensors for non-contact measurement in industrial environments
• capaNCDT
• optoNCDT
• confocalDT
• scanCONTROL
• surfaceCONTROL
• interferoMETER
• thermoMETER
• thicknessGAUGE
• mainSENSOR
• induSENSOR
• colorSENSOR
• profileGAUGE

Products and services

• eddyNCDT 3001 Compact eddy current displacement sensor with integrated controller, designed for industrial displacement, distance, and position measurement with 2-8 mm range and 4 µm resolution.
• eddyNCDT 3005 Miniature eddy current sensor system designed for OEM machine integration with 1-6 mm range and 0.5 µm resolution.
• eddyNCDT 3020 Series-capable eddy current sensor system for industrial applications in high ambient temperatures up to 200°C, with 1-80 mm range and 0.04 µm resolution.
• eddyNCDT 3060/3070 High-performance eddy current sensor system for demanding industrial applications with 0.4-8 mm range, 0.01% resolution, and 20 kHz frequency response.
• capaNCDT capacitive sensors Capacitive displacement sensors and systems for high-precision distance measurement with maximum signal stability, targeting semiconductor, battery production, and industrial applications.
• optoNCDT laser triangulation sensors Family of compact laser triangulation sensors for displacement, distance, and thickness measurements, including optoNCDT 1220/1320/1420 for OEM series use, optoNCDT 1900 for advanced automation, optoNCDT 2300 for high-dynamic measurements, and optoNCDT 5500 with 150 kHz speed, 200,000 lx ambient light resistance, and 8 nm repeatability.
• Blue Laser Sensors (BL) Blue laser triangulation sensors optimized for measurement on metals and organic materials where red laser performance is limited.
• confocalDT confocal chromatic sensors and controllers Confocal chromatic sensors and controllers for highest precision and dynamics, with linearity from 0.01%, vacuum and high-temperature models up to 200°C, and resolution below 1 nm.
• interferoMETER white light interferometers White light interferometers for absolute distance and thickness measurement with sub-nanometer resolution, used for transparent objects and wafers in industry and semiconductor machine building.
• optoNCDT ILR laser distance sensors Laser distance sensors using time-of-flight principle for non-contact distance measurements up to 270m, for positioning and type classification in machine building.
• induSENSOR LVDT displacement sensors Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) displacement sensors, gauges, and long-stroke sensors for automated processes, quality assurance, and automotive engineering.
• mainSENSOR magneto-inductive displacement sensors Magneto-inductive displacement sensors combining advantages of inductive and magnetic sensing technologies for process automation, packaging, and machine monitoring.
• wireSENSOR draw-wire displacement sensors Draw-wire displacement and position sensors with measuring ranges from 50 mm to 50,000 mm, for OEM integration, medical devices, lifts, conveyors, and automotive engineering.
• thermoMETER infrared pyrometers Non-contact infrared pyrometers for industrial temperature measurement, including high-performance UC, miniature SE, and fully integrated compact FI models.
• colorSENSOR CFO color sensors Color sensor systems for precise color detection, high-precision inline color measurement, and LED analyzers used in industrial quality control.
• surfaceCONTROL 3D snapshot sensors High-precision 3D snapshot sensors for industrial environments, including models 2500, 3200, and 3500, providing sub-micron accuracy geometry, shape, and surface inspection.
• scanCONTROL 8x00 3D laser profile scanners Latest-generation 3D laser profile scanners with integrated SMART 3D evaluation, ultra-compact form factor, green laser technology, and 4K resolution for inline quality inspection.
• scanCONTROL 25x0/29x0/30x0/30x2 laser profile scanners High-performance 2D/3D laser profile scanners (25x0, 29x0, 30x0, 30x2 families) for precise industrial measurement across series, high-precision, and demanding applications.
• reflectCONTROL 3D deflectometry sensor 3D deflectometry sensor for measurement of shiny surfaces such as painted automotive bodies in inline paint inspection and quality control.
• optoCONTROL optical micrometers Optical precision micrometers, including compact 1200 high-speed, 2520 class 1M laser micrometer, and 2700 high-performance models, for diameter and gap measurement.
• thicknessGAUGE inline thickness measurement systems Inline thickness measurement systems using laser, confocal, laser profile, eddy current, or capacitive sensors for industrial process monitoring.
• thicknessCONTROL electrode film measurement systems High-performance measuring systems for inline electrode film thickness measurement in battery production for process monitoring and quality control.
• profileGAUGE 3D geometry inspection systems Measuring systems for 3D geometry inspection of profiles and semi-finished products, including profileGAUGE X.LP-3D for 360° inline inspection using four scanCONTROL scanners and profileGAUGE C.ODC for biaxial profile measurement.
• Automotive inspection systems Inline measuring and inspection systems for the automotive industry, including defect detection on painted car bodies and bodyshells, painted attachments, and interior parts.
• Tire industry inspection systems Inspection and production systems for the tire industry, covering preparation area, curing area, and final finishing area quality control.
• 3DInspect software 3D measurement and inspection software for all Micro-Epsilon 3D sensors, providing data preprocessing, 3D evaluation, and result configuration.
• sensorTOOL commissioning software Intuitive commissioning software for all Micro-Epsilon sensors, enabling sensor addressing, measured data display, and recording.
• MEDAQLib data acquisition library Data acquisition library providing software modules for simple and fast connection of Micro-Epsilon sensors into customer systems.
• OEM custom sensor solutions Customer-specific sensor development and manufacturing for OEM series applications, including customizations for semiconductor, industrial, and actuator use cases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Resolution down to sub-nanometer range (less than one millionth of a millimeter)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Renishaw: Renishaw is a UK-based precision measurement and manufacturing technology company offering encoders, position sensors, and metrology systems. It competes in high-precision measurement for semiconductor, machine tool, and scientific applications — directly comparable to Micro-Epsilon's interferoMETER and confocalDT product lines.
• Sick AG: Sick AG is a German-based global manufacturer of sensors and sensor-based solutions for industrial automation, including distance, position, and 3D measurement systems. Highly comparable as a German-headquartered precision sensor peer with broad industrial exposure.
• Cognex Corporation: Cognex is a leading provider of machine vision and industrial barcode reading systems. It directly competes with Micro-Epsilon's scanCONTROL and surfaceCONTROL 3D inspection products in factory automation and quality inspection, and has a documented integration partnership with Micro-Epsilon's 3D scanners.
• Heidenhain: Heidenhain is a German precision measurement specialist in length and angle metrology, including encoders and high-precision position measurement. Directly comparable to Micro-Epsilon's high-precision displacement and interferometry offerings, particularly for machine tool and semiconductor applications.
• Keyence: Keyence is the global leader in industrial sensors including laser displacement sensors, proximity sensors, and measurement systems. It is the most direct competitor to Micro-Epsilon's optoNCDT and eddyNCDT lines, competing head-to-head in factory automation displacement and inspection applications.
• Balluff: Balluff is a German-based global sensor specialist offering inductive, capacitive, optical, and magnetic sensors for factory automation. It directly competes with Micro-Epsilon's eddyNCDT, capaNCDT, and optoNCDT product families, particularly in mid-range OEM displacement sensing.
• Wenglor Sensoric: Wenglor is a German sensor specialist offering 2D/3D sensors, laser distance sensors, and machine vision products. It directly competes with Micro-Epsilon's laser triangulation and 3D inspection portfolios, particularly in mid-range industrial applications.
• IFM Electronic: IFM Electronic is a German-based manufacturer of industrial sensors and control systems, including position, distance, and process sensors. It is a direct peer in non-contact displacement measurement for factory automation, with comparable mid-market customer profiles.
• Baumer Group: Baumer is a Swiss-German sensor and vision specialist offering proximity, distance, ultrasonic, and 3D vision sensors for industrial automation. Directly comparable to Micro-Epsilon's laser triangulation and 3D inspection portfolio with strong positions in factory automation.

Broad incumbents

• Omron Corporation: Omron is a large Japanese industrial automation company offering a broad portfolio of sensors, vision systems, and control components. While not a direct specialist in precision displacement, it competes in factory automation sensing and machine vision, providing a broader incumbent benchmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpD1JcEM57Wp1GSyiBLZ8NA
• Xx.com/MicroEpsilon
• Facebookfacebook.com/microepsilon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/372778

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Micro Epsilon