Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and arrangement for detecting edges and bores on a workpiece with an optical probe head. The optical probe head is guided with constant beam power over the workpiece surface for detecting the edges and bores. In addition to the distance signal of the probe head, the intensity of the radiation backscattered from the workpiece is determined and stored. With the intensity values simultaneously stored with the coordinates of the workpiece surface in the region of the edges and bores, the coordinates of the edges and bores are determined from abrupt changes of the trace of the intensity.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a distance sensor operating in accordance with the triangulation principle. The distance sensor has at least one pilot beam source which makes the imaging beam path of the sensor visible. The imaging beam path is inclined with respect to the measuring beam. A second pilot beam source is provided for the situation wherein the actual measuring beam of the sensor is not in the visible spectral region. A visible pilot beam is then superposed on the measuring beam.