Great convenience brought by portable measurement

    Founded in 2003, BYD Auto Co., Ltd. has grown at an incredible pace in recent years as it strives to create coveted products for consumers of all ages. The company has differentiated itself from its sister companies under the BYD Co., Ltd. holding group through vertical integration and innovative electric vehicles and technologies that leverage the latest energy advances. BYD has doubled its production in recent years and expects to produce 700,000 vehicles in 2011, some of the best-selling models in China. Consumers have a strong faith in the BYD Auto brand for many reasons, not least the value and quality of the products.

　　“BYD has grown so rapidly due to its success in producing high-quality products,” explains Zhou, BYD Automotive Test Engineer. “But to achieve consistently high quality standards, we had to invest in measurement and calibration solutions that can perform precise and reliable measurements. We use these systems before and during the assembly process to ensure that all product parts meet design specifications.”

　　Measurement Challenges on the Shop Floor

　　The automotive production process is an active assembly point where numerous components of different shapes and sizes are put together to create a finished product. For BYD Auto, some major components are produced in-house, while others are outsourced. Measurement verification for quality control and assembly purposes is a challenge, as the metrology technology required for each step in the assembly process varies greatly. On the welding line alone, body welding fixtures that are several meters long must be measured, as well as locating pins that are several millimeters in diameter.

　　“The objects we need to measure have very different sizes and characteristics. Traditionally, we have to use a range of traditional measuring tools such as calipers, pin gauges and height/geometry rulers to meet the various inspection needs in the workshop. Switching from one tool to another during the measurement process wastes a lot of time and still cannot provide the precision and accuracy we need,” said Zhou.

　　In reality, truly accurate measurements are unlikely to be made with conventional tools alone. This is especially true for large automotive parts, which cannot be accurately or adequately measured with most conventional tools. Even repeated attempts inevitably result in unacceptable measurement errors measured in millimeters rather than microns.

　　Alternative solutions to improve precision

　　To solve the problem of measurement precision, BYD considered fixed coordinate measuring machines (CMM) as an alternative. Fixed CMM systems can achieve high measurement precision and repeatability, but their portability and flexibility are limited. Each set usually requires a huge investment, especially the need for a large dedicated measurement room, which must have a controlled environment to accommodate and operate these types of coordinate measuring machines.

　　At the same time, the production process has become more labor-intensive because parts have to be moved back and forth between the production line and the measuring room for testing. Although fixed coordinate measuring machines can bring BYD a greater degree of measurement precision than traditional measuring tools, their high installation and maintenance costs and inconvenience in operation make this feasible solution unattractive.

　　BYD wanted the precision and accuracy of a fixed CMM, but without the size constraints. Mr. Zhou continued, “We needed a system that could be deployed anywhere, was easy to operate, and more importantly, provided the accuracy and consistency of the measurement results, so that we could maintain the excellent quality of our products.”

　　The ideal solution is a portable, articulated arm CMM, i.e. a measuring arm that can be manually operated, which provides the user with precision, accuracy and convenience. The spherical measuring head at the end of the measuring arm can be oriented at various locations on an object to collect individual 3D data points that need to be processed in the computer CAD/CAM software. Portable CMMs can be configured on the automotive assembly line without the need to move parts to the machine. This can save a lot of time, labor and cost at the same time.

　　“After carefully analyzing key factors such as capital investment, production volume, measurement precision, and convenience, we decided to use a portable CMM and select FARO Technologies metrology technology solutions to meet our quality inspection needs,” said Mr. Zhou. “This has proven to be the right choice for BYD, and with FARO’s help, we truly enjoy measurement convenience that is unmatched by any other type of system.”

　　Greater confidence, higher productivity

　　Currently, BYD Auto has about 20 FARO platinum measuring arms. BYD's automobile production bases in Shenzhen, Xi'an, Changsha and Huizhou are equipped with FARO portable three-dimensional coordinate measuring arms to assist in high-quality measurement verification. All collected data will be processed by FARO's CAM2 software (also known as Geomagic software).

    With the FARO measuring arm in the workshop, BYD can use one tool to measure all automotive parts of various sizes and models. Mr. Zhou added: "With the flexibility of the measuring arm, we can measure and control the quality of not only small automotive components, but also large parts with extraordinary precision. The ruggedness of the FARO equipment can also withstand our harsh workshop conditions; and it can achieve accuracy and reliability even in an uncontrolled environment."

　　For BYD, the FARO measurement arm has everything the company was looking for. Mr. Zhou pointed out: "We really like the flexibility of the six-axis rotation. Its infinite rotation allows us to measure in all directions, even in hard-to-reach locations or awkward angles. The power pack software is also easy to master, which helps us save a lot of valuable time. In addition, FARO's strong after-sales team means we don't have to worry about any possible downtime events.

　　With the application of FARO solutions, BYD Auto has a complete inspection and testing process. Engineers can ensure the structural stability of fixed components at the beginning of the design stage, and quality control personnel can conduct effective and objective evaluation and calibration to maintain the excellent quality of the product. "With a short equipment installation time and easy-to-use controls, we can quickly inspect various qualities, collect data, and then generate reports," said Mr. Zhou, "This really helps us simplify the entire production process."

　　FARO has helped BYD achieve excellent production and quality, which is unmatched by any other measurement solution. The measurement efficiency has been greatly improved, but the working hours have been reduced. Mr. Zhou explained: "It takes a whole day to perform quality verification using a fixed three-dimensional coordinate measuring machine, but now we can complete it in 3 to 4 hours. FARO's measurement solution has quickly become an indispensable part of BYD's daily operations."

　　Not only does the FARO solution bring greater convenience and increased productivity, it also enables BYD Auto to measure its products with precision, consistency, and confidence. This extraordinary combination will be an important factor in leading BYD to future success.