Koenigsegg Speeds-Up Production With Creaform
The Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg Automotive AB is a brand defined by painstaking precision and hand-crafting that results in an end product that most of us can only ever dream of owning. The entire business is built around enhancing vehicle performance and streamlining productivity, something that has undoubtedly been achieved considering the cars have a 0-100mph time that is shorter than most of us can pronounce Koenigsegg!
The small Scandinavian manufacturer has become world renowned, a multiple world record holder and above all, an engineering innovator. This has been true of the company ever since owner and founder Christian Koenigsegg set about following his dream to develop a super car at the age of 22, back in 1994. The odds were stacked against him. It was a now or never moment. His idea was to create a sports car that he felt did not currently exist and one which he believed would be desired — two essential necessities for success.
The concept was a lightweight mid-engine car with a detachable, storable hardtop. The car would look and feel good with the top up or as a roadster—transformed in minutes with the hard top neatly tucked away inside the car. Christian envisioned a car with a timeless appearance that aged like good wine. This was a mid-engine car concept that did not exist at the time. Every Koenigsegg created since then now includes this simple, but effective, DNA attuned to Christian’s original vision. Five production models later, Koenigsegg has exploded on to the international scene and is here to stay.
With a small workforce of just 70 staff, the Ängelholm Company increasingly targets methods to streamline the production process. Already integrating 3D printing and 3D scanning in the development of their vehicles, Koenigsegg decided to tackle quality control in the engineering and production of their cars. Like many before them, the company used a portable measuring arm to perform measurement of parts, together with the setup of fixtures and reverse engineering of components. Due to the frequent functional downsides of such measuring systems, the company turned to the expertise and proven track record of Creaform’s quality control solutions to streamline its design process right down to the final assembly of the car. With the help of Creaform's Swedish distributor, MLT Maskin & Laser Teknik AB, the automotive manufacturer found a solution that seamlessly fitted into the way it wanted to work.
Recalling the introduction of Creaform metrology equipment, Koenigsegg's Technical Director, Mr Jon Gunner comments: "We've tried to push the boundaries whilst focusing upon production engineering. Having ultra low volume of a production vehicle is a big challenge. We used metrology to quickly identify problems and solve them in the best manner. We wanted something that would be more flexible and fit in with the way we work, rather than the other way around. Creaform fitted the bill perfectly for that."
With over 300 hand-formed carbon fibre parts in every car, it was mandatory that the quality control equipment be able to effectively scan on dark and highly reflective surfaces. These surfaces are the most challenging surfaces to scan as light is absorbed by dark objects and shiny surfaces create noise during analysis. To satisfy such demanding applications, Creaform have developed portable scanning solutions that are specifically engineered to overcome these issues.
Moreover, Creaform has optimised its 3D scanner performance levels on shiny surfaces in its latest MetraSCAN3D scanners. The scanners, offered by Measurement Solutions in the UK, can achieve more accurate results at 12 times the speed with its seven laser crosses. The new HandyPROBE portable CMM can also achieve instant measurements at twice the accuracy than before. The two inspection solutions also come in a new sleek and sturdier carbon fibre composite design that has been optimised for shop-floor hardware reliability.
Louis-Olivier, an application engineer from Creaform's Metrology Services Division, helped the Koenigsegg team to conduct a full-body scan of its newest model, the Regera. Just like the Measurement Solutions team, when Creaform’s metrology service team are called on a job, the engineers bring in the equipment required for the most demanding of projects. With Koenigsegg, the team wrapped up the full-body scan with a photogrammetry session using the MAXshot3D optical CMM. This crucial step enabled the team to get the maximum accuracy in the alignment of the scans that are required in quality control applications.
Meeting technical experts from Creaform was also a great opportunity for Koenigsegg engineers to get some tips and tricks on solutions and discuss other applications that would benefit from the enhanced production efficiency and quality control processes that are delivered by Creaform. The MetraSCAN3D and HandySCAN3D scanners proved the perfect fit in terms of system performance and data acquisition accuracy on dark surfaces and bare carbon fibre car bodies. Paired with the HandyPROBE portable CMM for single point measurements, Koenigsegg engineers could rapidly adjust jigs and inspect production parts to get extremely quick feedback on the quality of the company’s production line.
Commenting upon the relationship with Creaform metrology equipment, Mr Jon Gunner continues:"Perfection is a moving target, it's difficult to stay on top and stay ahead of the competition and when we chose partners like Creaform, we're looking for the same aspirations from that company. We definitely feel that Creaform are leading the way in metrology, like we are leading the way in automotive."
As a world-class manufacturer of high-performance sports cars, Christian Koenigsegg and his team push the limits of technology and innovation to develop the best hyper cars on the market. Their passion-infused engineering excellence, backed by Christian’s vision, is what fuels the company’s forward-thinking mindset and makes Koenigsegg a true leader in the automotive industry. His relentless drive and sound ingenuity echo Creaform’s core values of innovation, passion and determination. As of now, Christian and his team are working on integrating the HandySCAN3D in the design process and furthering the capabilities of Creaform’s probing and scanning systems in its production process.
