About Thomas Hegerty
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Thomas Hegerty
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Thomas Hegerty is the founder and Director of Robotic Vision, the company behind every OFDA fibre measurement instrument manufactured today. With a growing team behind him, Tom personally oversees all stages of instrument production and holds himself responsible for the high standards OFDA customers expect.
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Director, Robotic Vision
Tom founded Robotic Vision Pty Ltd in 2023 after purchasing the OFDA business from BSC Electronics. He spent the previous 10 years at BSC working directly under Mark Brims, the original developer of the Optical Fibre Diameter Analyser. That decade gave Tom hands-on experience across every stage of the OFDA lifecycle: design, manufacturing, calibration, software development, installation, operator training and field support.
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When Mark Brims retired, Tom committed to preserving the standard of customer service BSC was known for and continuing to deliver the accurate, reliable instruments OFDA customers expect. Robotic Vision operates from the same Ardross, Western Australia facility where OFDA instruments have been built for over three decades, using the same workshop infrastructure, tooling and calibration processes.
What Tom Does at Robotic Vision
Robotic Vision is a specialist manufacturer. While the team has grown, Tom remains personally responsible for maintaining the standards the business is built on:
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Instrument manufacturing and assembly: Tom oversees every OFDA2000 and OFDA4000 build, ensuring each instrument meets the quality standards established over three decades of OFDA production
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Calibration: Each instrument is calibrated against traceable reference standards before leaving the Ardross facility. Tom manages the calibration process and maintains the reference materials
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Customer support: Robotic Vision does not outsource support. When customers contact the company with a technical question, calibration issue or service request, they speak directly to the Robotic Vision team. Tom is always available if required, though a team member may be the first point of contact
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Software and product development: Tom continues to develop the OFDA software platform and explore new fibre measurement applications
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Installation and training: Tom and his team provide on-site or remote installation support and operator training, tailored to each customer's fibre types and laboratory environment
Continuing the OFDA Legacy
The OFDA platform was first brought to market in 1991 with the release of the OFDA100. Over the following three decades, BSC Electronics designed, manufactured and supported OFDA instruments for wool growers, testing laboratories, textile processors and researchers across more than 30 countries. More than 400 instruments were installed globally during that period.
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Tom's transition from BSC employee to business owner was designed to maintain continuity. The relationships BSC built with customers, agents and industry bodies carry forward under Robotic Vision. The same engineering principles, the same attention to calibration accuracy, and the same commitment to responsive, direct support remain at the centre of how the business operates.
Expanding OFDA into New Fibre Markets
Under Tom's leadership, Robotic Vision has expanded the range of fibres measured by OFDA instruments beyond the traditional wool and cashmere programmes. Current and growing applications include:
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Hemp: Robotic Vision's fastest-growing market. OFDA instruments measure diameter and distribution of hemp bast and processed fibre, supported by emerging peer-reviewed research
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Mohair: Diameter measurement and grading support for mohair fleece, aligned with industry classing standards
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Synthetic fibres: Curvature measurement is the primary reason synthetic fibre manufacturers use OFDA, alongside diameter profiling for polyester, nylon and acrylic
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Non-woven materials: Diameter and length measurement for quality control in non-woven production
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Flax and linen: Fibre diameter characterisation for flax processing and linen production
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Alpaca: Diameter measurement for alpaca fleece grading and quality assurance
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Cellulose and viscose: Fibre profiling for regenerated cellulose and viscose production
This expansion reflects Tom's approach to the business: maintain the precision and reliability OFDA is known for, while actively working with customers in new fibre industries to develop measurement solutions for their specific needs.
Direct Factory Support
One of the defining characteristics of working with Robotic Vision is the direct factory support model. There is no outsourced support layer; when you contact the company, you are speaking to the people who build and calibrate your instrument. The team provides direct support for:
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Instrument installation and commissioning (on-site or remote)
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Calibration guidance and maintenance scheduling
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Software updates and upgrades
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Operator training tailored to your fibre types and workflows
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Troubleshooting and method development
For customers outside Australia, Robotic Vision works through an established global agent network. Agents provide local sales and first-line support, backed by direct factory expertise from Tom and his team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thomas Hegerty is the founder and Director of Robotic Vision Pty Ltd, the manufacturer of OFDA fibre measurement instruments. Tom spent 10 years at BSC Electronics working directly with OFDA instruments before founding Robotic Vision in 2023 and taking over the OFDA business when BSC's founder, Mark Brims, retired.
Tom worked at BSC Electronics for a decade under Mark Brims, the original developer of the Optical Fibre Diameter Analyser. During that time, he gained hands-on experience in OFDA manufacturing, calibration, software development, installation, training and customer support. He now applies that experience as the owner and operator of Robotic Vision.
Yes. Robotic Vision operates a direct factory support model, which means Tom is personally available for product enquiries, technical support, calibration questions and new application discussions. You can reach him via the OFDA website contact form, by email at info@ofda.com, or by phone on +61 8 9316 9499.
BSC Electronics was the original manufacturer of OFDA instruments, founded by Mark Brims. BSC designed and supported OFDAs for more than 30 years. When Mark retired, Tom founded Robotic Vision and purchased the OFDA business. The transition preserved the manufacturing quality, customer relationships and technical support that defined the OFDA brand under BSC.
Tom is personally involved in the manufacturing, assembly and calibration of every OFDA instrument that leaves the Ardross facility. Robotic Vision is a specialist manufacturer, not a large-scale factory, so each instrument receives direct attention from the person who understands the technology most thoroughly.
Under Tom's leadership, Robotic Vision has expanded OFDA applications into hemp (the company's fastest-growing market), mohair, synthetic fibres, non-woven materials, flax and linen, alpaca, and cellulose and viscose. These complement the established wool and cashmere programmes that have been the foundation of the OFDA platform for over 30 years.
Robotic Vision is based at 13 Willcock Street, Ardross, Western Australia 6153. This is the same facility where OFDA instruments have been designed, manufactured and calibrated since the BSC Electronics era. Customers are welcome to visit the facility to see instruments in production and run test samples on their own material.