On the i.materialise blog, a fascinating post on the way that 3D printing revolutionizes quality assurance in the automotive industry, where a chain of suppliers produce little widgets that go in bigger widgets that go in bigger widgets that go in cars. If one of those suppliers starts making stuff that’s bigger or smaller than advertised, the whole system goes blooie. Previously, machined aluminum relief-molds were used to check parts (at great expense); now custom 3D printed objects are used to verify parts as they move though the manufacturing process.
With RapidFit+ an OEM for example can use the RapidFit+ online platform to upload their 3D and engineering data to us. We will then do the engineering and work out a precise system of fixtures and a rig that can exactly check all of the dimensions of the part. At any time the manufacturer can log into the online platform and give their design approval or make edits to the parts. The fixture is then produced and we 3D print precise locators. These locators are orange and you can see them in the images above and below. They are then positioned on the custom made fixture using 3D measurement techniques. A person then checks each of the locators and their positions. The person can manually adjust the locators to get the optimal accuracy.
RapidFit+ using 3D printing to check mass produced parts