Optics, Metrology and Photonics

The company was founded 1956 and started with classic lens design and customer-specific optical solutions. The company focus has gradually shifted to today’s product lines: polarization-maintaining fiber optics, lasers for machine vision as well as line scan cameras and scanner systems. 
Schäfter+Kirchhoff GmbH has its headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. At this location, high-quality optical ­­prod­ucts are developed, manufactured and shipped to customers all over the world, and beyond. Our focus is set on the winning combination of high optical and mechanical precision.

Fiber Optics: Schäfter+Kirchhoff manufactures fiber optic components for single-mode, polarization-maintaining and multimode fiber cables from UV to IR. Our product range includes laser beam couplers, fiber couplers, fiber collimators, fiber cables, multicube elements for compact and rugged fiber-optic systems, fiber port clusters, polarization analyzers and fiber-coupled laser sources.

Lasers for Machine Vision: Schäfter+Kirchhoff offers a wide range of diode-based laser systems with wavelengths from the UV to the IR. Products include laser line generators with different line geometries, laser focus generators and laser collimators that are being used in the machine vision sector, for laser triangulation or laser light sectioning.

Line Scan Cameras: Another main product line of Schäfter+Kirchhoff are line scan cameras in monochrome and color with different interfaces.These are used mainly in the machine vision sector.

Scanner Systems: Line sensors also form the basis of highly specialised scanner systems and sensor heads, such as high-resolution scanners or the robot-guided line scan camera. When combined with specially developed software, they become a complete measurement system, such as the Corrosion Inspector for automated evaluation of corrosion phenomena.

After 60 years of private ownership, Schäfter+Kirchhoff GmbH was transferred in 2016 to the Gregor Federau Foundation, which was established by the former owner of the company to support child and youth welfare.