Hexagon revolutionises robotic quality inspection with highly flexible and scalable PRESTO System

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced the launch of PRESTO System – an innovative modular suite of automated robotic inspection cells revolutionising the landscape of 3D measurement for automotive and aerospace manufacturing. PRESTO System builds on the foundation of its turnkey PRESTO quality inspection cell to provide manufacturers a future-proof system that sets a new standard for scalable, versatile, and seamlessly integrated automated quality inspection.

PRESTO System empowers manufacturers to become more agile with automated robotic programming that enables a single quality control specialist to create, test and deploy robust robotic inspection in hours. The deployed cells are highly flexible and accessible to all levels of expertise – an operator can safely load and inspect one part then another simply by selecting the correct part to inspect from the control panel. At a time where skills shortages are impeding daily operations for many manufacturers, the integrated robotic system eliminates repetitive manual setup and calibration processes, enabling teams to work more effectively and focus on operational excellence and halving total inspection time compared other modern inspection technologies.

PRESTO System brings together industry-leading scanning technologies into one turnkey solution for faster, easier, and more accurate automated inspection:

• Hexagon’s best-in-class Absolute Scanner AS1 combined with absolute positioning from the Laser Tracker AT960 to provide unparalleled measurement efficiency and results – even in dynamic ambient light conditions near production lines.
• Blue laser line technology – PRESTO is the first Hexagon turnkey inspection cell to utilise the most advanced and intuitive method for capturing a rich and complete digital representation of both the key features and surfaces.
• SHINE technology that ensures effortless measurement of reflective surfaces, eliminating the need for part preparation.
• Sophisticated robotic automation software that utilises a digital twin to simulate and programme complete inspection programmes offline, and to coordinate the real time execution of all processes for repeatable and uninterrupted operations.
• Full integration and coordination of all systems, from robotic actuation to metrology scanning, enabling near-line inspection at higher speeds, in total safety. 

Leading manufacturers are seeking pervasive quality inspection, sampling more parts and more frequently across production and assembly. The unequivocal and valuable metrology data produced is fundamental to smart manufacturing. PRESTO System is agnostic so that manufacturers can easily integrate it with customer’s existing metrology and quality assurance software, acquiring rich, high-quality datasets that empower manufacturers to optimise quality and inform continuous process improvement. Users can easily develop feedback loops that inform their operations, by identifying key trends, predicting more accurate Out-Of-Tolerance (OOT) results, or addressing the root cause of non-conformances in any major Quality Management System (QMS) on the market.

The modularity of the PRESTO System provides flexible deployment, enabling manufacturers to rapidly scale their quality inspection capacity in alignment with their business needs. Once the first cell is deployed, additional modules can be added with short lead times and rapid installation. This scalability not only enhances operational agility – the standardised single-vendor solution also helps businesses to optimise their investment strategies by facilitating upgrades and enhancements rather than replacement. 

PRESTO's compliance with safety standards, like CE and UL, streamlines the replication process, allowing organisations to deploy the system rapidly and consistently across various regions. This ensures consistent performance and simplifies regulatory compliance for multinational corporations seeking to leverage robotic quality inspection capabilities on a global scale. Additionally, Hexagon's global presence with native-language support in every continent guarantees seamless deployment and ongoing success, regardless of location.

Nicolas Lachaud-Bandres, Global Director at Hexagon said: "As industry demands for robotic inspection solutions continue to rise within a continuously and rapidly evolving market, PRESTO System presents a new benchmark in terms of flexibility and scalability. Its modular design and intuitive interface enable manufacturers of all sizes to seamlessly integrate automated inspection into their workflows and adapt quickly to unexpected changes. By making advanced automation accessible, adaptable and cost-effective, PRESTO is a key stepping stone towards a future where manufacturers harness automation to its full potential, so their employees can enhance their productivity and the efficiency of manufacturing processes."

PRESTO System comprises three ‘base’ models: the existing near-square 4.5m PRESTO M that uses one fixed laser tracker and 3D laser scanner; the 10m x 5.5m PRESTO L, with a mobile tracker and mobile scanner; and the 10m x 7.5m PRESTO XL that employs two mobile trackers and two mobile scanners. Multiple options are offered to adjust inspection performance to user experience and component size, with larger models having increased capacity to inspect a wider range of parts. Experienced quality and metrology professionals can use their preferred metrology software from Hexagon (PC-DMIS, Inspire) or other vendors to work with programs and data. The metrology data produced by deployments of the PRESTO System can be easily analysed and shared with other desktop software and cloud applications through Hexagon’s open digital reality platform, Nexus.