Laser Components is now offering ball-mounted hollow retroreflectors from PLX for laser tracker targets. These instruments measure distances and coordinates. As a single surface invariant reflector, the retroreflectors provide accuracy with a constant optical path difference. This is important, because it allows accurate distance measurement without the need to account for refraction, a problem that can occur when using solid prism type retroreflectors.
The ball-mounted hollow retroreflectors are manufactured in three different diameters. They are 1½-inches, 7/8 of an inch and half an inch. They are available in two centering accuracies, 0.0005 of an inch and within 0.0001 of an inch. The ball mounted hollow retroreflector's manufacturer, PLX, guarantees their compatibility with laser tracking systems from all makers. Should the optical elements of a retroreflector become damaged PLX can replace them with units of comparable accuracy and alignment to the original at a price.