DURA Automotive Drives Quality Forward with MetroFactory Automated 3D Inspection
As part of its transition to Industry 4.0, DURA Automotive began modernizing its production processes to better meet the automotive market’s shift toward electric vehicles. In this context, OPUS ST, a specialist in dimensional metrology, took the initiative to integrate the MetroFactory automated 3D solution by partnering with Metrologic Group. The objective of this implementation was to improve the productivity, flexibility, and responsiveness of their quality control process while ensuring 100% of parts were compliant.
Optimizing Productivity and Flexibility in Production Control Challenge
DURA Automotive is a global automotive supplier specializing in the manufacturing of mechatronic systems and lightweight structural solutions for both internal combustion and electric vehicles. Located in La Talaudière, near Saint-Étienne, France, and employing around 150 people, the company works with major automotive manufacturers such as Stellantis, Renault, and Nissan.
Like many companies in the industry, DURA Automotive was facing several challenges in its quality control process, including:
- Speed of inspection
- Adaptation to a wide variety of parts
- How to optimize cycle times and improve process flexibility?
Before implementing MetroFactory, parts were taken to a metrology lab for measurement. This process affected the company’s responsiveness to potential non-conformities. Additionally, with a diversified production line including parts for both ICE and EV vehicles, DURA needed a solution that could handle a broad range of parts and technical specifications.
Optimization Goals for DURA’s Quality Control Process
Productivity: It was essential to reduce control cycle times, often extended due to the physical transport of parts between production and metrology.
Flexibility: DURA needed to handle a large number of part references, each with its own specifications and requirements.
Responsiveness: The company had to react quickly to anomalies to avoid delays or non-conformities that could affect product quality.
Turnkey Solution for Automated 3D Control
To address these challenges, DURA Automotive chose MetroFactory, a turnkey solution developed by OPUS ST in collaboration with Metrologic Group and its Metrolog X4 software. This setup includes several advanced technologies designed to maximize productivity while ensuring optimal flexibility.
Key components of the integrated solution include:
Four Machining Centers and Two Articulated Robots: The machining centers produce the parts, while the robots handle loading/unloading of the centers and the Equator comparator, integrating quality control directly into the production line.
Two Blow-Off Stations: As machined parts are contaminated by chips and cutting oil, the blow-off stations ensure clean, dry parts—ideal conditions for precise inspection.
Renishaw Equator Comparator: This system performs rapid and accurate comparisons between machined parts and a reference standard, ensuring consistent quality.
Metrolog X4 Software: At the heart of the system, the universal Metrolog X4 software is programmed by OPUS ST to centralize and automate the measurement of every part. It enables real-time control and adapts easily to different parts, ensuring maximum flexibility.
“We integrated MetroFactory directly into our production line to enable real-time inspections. This not only reduces inspection times but also ensures that all parts are compliant before leaving the plant” explained Yvan Boutte, Methods and Industrialization Manager at DURA.
Automated Inspection Process Implentation Benefits?
One of the main advantages of installing MetroFactory at DURA Automotive has been the drastic reduction in inspection cycle times. Previously, quality inspections were carried out offline or manually by operators, causing delays. Now, parts are inspected in-line, without disrupting production. Thanks to MetroFactory, DURA is now able to inspect 100% of its parts. Operators can focus on higher-value tasks, while the automated system handles full part inspection.
“This automation significantly reduced inspection time. We also improved DURA’s competitiveness, as the productivity gains translate directly into a competitive edge in the automotive market” adds Alexandre Goupy, Eastern France & Switzerland Sales Manager at Metrologic Group.
One of MetroFactory’s core strengths is its ability to adapt to a wide range of parts and specifications. DURA Automotive manufactures components for both ICE and electric vehicles, requiring frequent changes to inspection programs. Metrolog X4 enables fast switching between part types while maintaining precise measurement.
“The flexibility of MetroFactory is crucial for DURA, as it allows easy management of multiple part references. Thanks to Metrolog X4, DURA can quickly adjust measurement programs based on each part’s specifications” comments Nicolas Da Costa, President and Co-Founder of OPUS ST.
This flexibility is critical for DURA, which must quickly adapt to its customers’ evolving needs – especially as electric vehicles gain market share.
Beyond reducing cycle times and enhancing flexibility, MetroFactory also enables real-time detection of anomalies. With quality control integrated into the production line, DURA Automotive can respond immediately to any non-conformity minimizing error risks and ensuring the quality of parts delivered to customers.
“With the previous processes, it could take time before an anomaly was detected. Today, with MetroFactory, we can address potential issues immediately, which drastically reduces the cost of non-conformities” adds Yvan Boutte.
High-Performance Solution
Since installing MetroFactory, DURA Automotive has seen a notable improvement in its quality control performance. Key results include:
- Improved Precision and Productivity: Automation of inspections has drastically reduced delays
- Enhanced flexibility: MetroFactory allows DURA to quickly switch from one part reference to another – crucial in a dynamic, varied production environment.
- Error reduction: Real-time inspections detect non-conformities immediately, which has significantly lowered the error rate and improved process control.
“MetroFactory has truly transformed DURA’s quality control process. It has increased their productivity and improved their ability to respond quickly to production deviations” concludes Alexandre Goupy.
Towards Full Automation
Building on this success, DURA Automotive plans to further enhance its quality control capabilities. The company is considering implementing a Statistical Process Control (SPC) module to monitor production variation trends and further optimize processes.
In addition, DURA aims to automate the adjustment of machining tools based on control data. This step would improve part quality while reducing costs related to manual corrections. “MetroFactory and Metrolog X4 helped us reach a significant milestone, and we aim to go even further. Our next step is to automate more processes and introduce automatic correction features to ensure flawless quality throughout the production cycle” futher comments Alexandre Goupy.
For more information: www.metrologic.group
