Inside the Factory: SEAT Automotive

A behind the scenes insight into the quality department from the team at SEAT automotive in Spain

SEAT is the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting more than 80% of its vehicles, and is present in over 75 countries. In 2015, SEAT’s turnover amounted to over 8.3 billion euros, the highest in its history, and the company achieved worldwide sales of more than 400,000 units for the first time since 2007.

SEAT Group employs more than 14,000 professionals at its three production centres – Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza and Leon. Additionally, the company produces the Ateca and the Toledo in the Czech Republic, the Alhambra in Portugal and the Mii in Slovakia.  

The multinational has a Technical Centre, which operates as a knowledge hub that brings together 1,000 engineers who are focused on developing innovation for Spain’s largest industrial investor in R&D. SEAT already features the latest connectivity technology in its vehicle range and is currently engaged in the company’s global digitisation process to promote the mobility of the future. Find out more at www.seat.com. 

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence provides SEAT with a range of quality analysis and process control systems, many of which can be seen in this video. The ROMER Absolute Arm portable measuring system is used for both tactile probing and laser scanning applications. Its quick and accurate inspection supports part matching and analysis of fit and finish conditions in the car body and Meisterbock quality and prototyping centres. Also in use in the prototyping centre, as well as on finished vehicles, is the Leica Absolute Tracker with Leica T-Probe – shown here inspecting car interior quality.

Hexagon’s WLS400M white light inspection system, shown at work in sheet metal part qualification and assembly, is also used across the stamping, closure and body shop assembly lines. The automated WLS400A and 360° SIMS solutions bring 3D measurement for body in white and closures inline on the shop floor and provide 100% inspection at the end of the line. Hexagon horizontal arm CMMs are also deployed near the line in SEAT’s body shops to support quality assurance within ramp-up and production.

Video supplied courtesy of SEAT.