Leitz Reference HP ensures quality of engine components at GM Powertrain

General Motors (GM) owns facilities all around the world. One of the GM plants is located in Uzbekistan where car engine components roll off the assembly line. The GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan plant in Tashkent exists since November 2011 and represents a joint venture between General Motors and its partner in Uzbekistan Uzavtosanoat JSC. The plant is operated by General Motors. It produces Ecotec 1.2L and 1.5L engines which are incorporated in GM passengers’ cars such as the Chevrolet Spark.

GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan uses seven coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) from Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence. Four Leitz Reference HP are placed inside special climate-controlled measuring cells directly next to the shop floor. They were planned, delivered and set up by Hexagon. Two Leitz Reference HP and one DEA GLOBAL Advantage are located separately in two metrology laboratories.

Measuring the heart of the car

Technology from Hexagon ensures the quality of the most precious part of the car – its engine. GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan measures various engine components purchased from outside such as camshafts, crankshaft castings, block castings and head castings. Features such as roundness, cylindricity, angularity, flatness, and straightness as well as characteristics including diameter, length and depth are checked. The measured features have tolerances of 0.020mm for true position, 0.008mm for cylindricity and 0.005mm for roundness. In the future GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan plans to measure in-house produced cylinder blocks, cylinder heads and crankshafts.

Factors that made a difference

GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan chose a solution from Hexagon for several reasons. The hardware and software solution, the competitive price as well as the on-site support concept convinced the company. Two engineers from Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent (which cooperates with GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan) have been trained during the design and implementation phases of the project in Hexagon facilities. The major focus of GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan was adequate training on the job, prior to the installation. The package of QUINDOS 7 software and I++ Simulator enabled the users at GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan to program new operations, test the “real” CMM situation virtually and modify existing programs quickly on-site or from any other place in the world. Last but not least, what made Hexagon a preferred supplier was the all-in-one solution that consists of the coordinate measuring machines, software, programming, climate measuring cells, loading system, fixture, and support during the whole implementation phase.

Flexibility and accuracy

The high accuracy of the Leitz Reference HP and its universality meet the expectation of GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan every day. The machines in the plant are operated constantly during production hours. Dr. Narendra Deshpande, Manufacturing Engineering Implementation Manager at GM Powertrain – Uzbekistan, says: “The Leitz Reference HP offers us the flexibility to measure a variety of components. The machines from Hexagon are a vital part of our control process and help us ensure the quality of the end-product. Thanks to them we are able to continuously keep an eye on the stability of our production process.”