A customer’s perception of a car’s quality is shaped by a complex interplay of several factors – including branding.
But the decisive test of perceived quality comes when a customer enters a showroom and evaluates the look, touch and feel of a vehicle. A slight flaw in the fit and finish, such as a barely perceptible gap between the door and the window trim, can make a customer wonder what else is wrong.
Automotive manufacturers understand a perfect fit and finish gives them a strong competitive advantage – especially as customers increasingly see safety and technical excellence as a given and focus more on the sensory and emotional experience of being in a car.
Getting the perceived quality right also helps when the driver is out on the road. Even small gaps, for example, can impact the wider driving experience by allowing road noise to penetrate the interior of a car.
That’s why manufacturers are turning to digital metrology tools to rapidly measure and analyse the joins between the parts of a car, as well as the design line and hemming, throughout production and assembly.
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence’s NEXTSENSE CALIPRI range for automotive uses a patented sensing technique to measure gap and flush, seal gap and feature lines throughout manufacturing, whether it’s during the stamping process or qualifying closures during body part assembly.
A non-contact tool, CALIPRI systems work equally well when the operation is manual and either offline or inline; inline and automated; or relates to sideline, sampling, or prototyping. Its ease-of-use, flexibility and speed make it an ideal complement to WLS400A,Hexagon’s white light measuring system for scanning large automotive parts. It’s also the perfect tool for measuring hemming quality, which can have a significant effect on flush and gap.
Crucially, it also supports the automotive industry’s digitalisation initiatives by capturing and analysing data about how well the parts of a car fit together, which enables manufacturers to take quick corrective action.
Find out how Audi uses CALIPRI to achieve a superb fit and finish.
