Faurecia enhances auto parts with CMM & 3D scanning

Audi, BMW, Citro?n, Chrysler, Mercedes, Peugeot and Volkswagen are car manufacturers that produce vastly different high-end automobiles for the consumer market. Despite the huge differentiation in products, these manufacturers have one thing in common - they are all clients of automotive parts giant, Faurecia.
 
As the world's leading automobile engineering solution provider and auto parts manufacturer, Faurecia is an important partner to automakers. It is dedicated to the development of four categories of automotive components, namely: seating systems, exhaust emission control systems, interior and exterior trim.
 
With 75,000 employees working in 238 factories located in 33 countries worldwide, Faurecia's global presence is undeniable. The group is the largest listed company in the Pan-European Stock Exchange, and it has grown tremendously since entering the Chinese market in the 1990s. With over 6,000 employees in 25 Chinese factories now, sales volume for China was Euro1.03 billion (US$1.75 billion) in 2010.
 
Consistency in quality control across its facilities is very important to Faurecia. "A large part of maintaining standards is about precision, as well as being able to get the same results each time, every time," said Leo Sun, Engineer at Faurecia Automotive Systems, Shanghai.

How it all started
When Faurecia decided to set up shop in Shanghai in 2005, it was for the specific purpose of research and development. Faurecia Shanghai was to be the technical hub, where product development, testing, design and quality control would be done. "Faurecia Shanghai helps to enhance the various lines of products that we supply to car makers," commented Leo. "Products are designed, developed and tested adequately here before they are rolled out."
 
Right from the beginning, Faurecia Shanghai chose to go with FARO? solutions for their metrology needs. When asked how the company arrived at the decision, Leo shared, "Our European counterparts introduced the FaroArm? to us when we first started our operations. Based on our colleagues' prior experience and FARO's excellent reputation, Faurecia Shanghai decisively bought three sets of the measuring device at once."
 
3D scanning in design
The product of choice for Faurecia Shanghai is the FaroArm Platinum equipped with Laser ScanArm? capabilities, selected to aid in the company's design and inspection processes. The FaroArm Platinum with Laser ScanArm is a portable coordinate measuring machine (CMM) with built-in functions of a non-contact 3D scanner. Capable of performing measurement tasks such as inspection, point cloud-to-CAD comparison, rapid prototyping, reverse engineering, and 3D modelling, it is a versatile device that suited Faurecia Shanghai's varied metrology needs.
 
As the first of four R&D facilities in China, Faurecia Shanghai is responsible for many of the earlier product development projects. "We deal solely with product development and design here, so the FaroArm is a vital piece of equipment," said Leo. "What we really like about the arm is its ability to perform high-speed 3D scanning. Reverse engineering can be done quickly, allowing designers to modify three-dimensional data on the computer. Sample parts can be pieced together virtually, thereby speeding up the design process."
 
Each project that Faurecia Shanghai embarks on is unique and different from the last. As such, each unique job would require different functions of the FaroArm and also distinct measuring techniques from the operator. "Our design department has managed to adapt the usage of the arm for each project accordingly," said Leo.
 
Performing first-article inspectNIKE AIR HUARACHE