Dr. Kam Lau

Dr. Kam Lau is CEO and CTO of Automated Precision, Inc. (API). API is a leading innovative technological company supporting dimensional metrology applications within science and industry. Dr. Lau’s first commercialized invention, the Laser Tracker, pioneered the advancement of quality systems for dimensional metrology throughout the world.

Dr. Lau earned a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison before he started his career as a research scientist at the former US National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in the early 1980s, now known as National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).  Dr Lau founded Automated Precision, Inc. in 1987 to commercialize not just the Laser Tracker, but several other innovative products serving the precision machine tool industry. Today, API employs over 400 employees on four continents providing an array of precision instrumentation, software, automated inspection systems and dimensional metrology services for its more than 2000 customers.

Some of Dr. Lau’s inventions include: 3/6-D laser tracking system, 6D laser interferometer system, 9D Dynamic Ladar, and the CNC machine geometric and thermal error mapping and compensation system.  These products and more have become products of choice for the aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, robotics, machine tool, and energy industries.

Dr. Lau currently holds 30+ patents.  He is also recipient of many international awards including SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award; IR100 Best Product Award; Photonics Circle of Excellence Award; US DOC Certificate of Achievements Award and US Defense Advanced Technology Award.