3D scanning provides high accuracy in mold inspection and repair, helping to detect geometric deviations, optimize maintenance processes, and reduce downtime in the automotive industry.
In the European automotive industry, aluminum die casting technology plays a crucial role in producing lightweight yet highly durable components. The trend towards electric vehicles is driving manufacturers to demand lighter components, while technical tolerances are becoming increasingly stringent.
Tier suppliers like Nemak must meet stringent requirements for geometric accuracy, data traceability, and production time. This is especially important for complex molds, where any small deviation can directly impact product quality and line performance.
Nemak is a supplier of lightweight aluminum solutions to many major automotive manufacturers worldwide. The company employs over twenty-four thousand people across thirty-eight factories and achieved approximately five billion US dollars in revenue in 2023.
At Nemak's factory in Spain, mold maintenance has become a bottleneck in production. Previous repair processes relied heavily on the experience and manual manipulation of technicians. Even a very small geometric deviation could lead to product defects, requiring rework or even rendering the mold inoperable.
During production, molds are subjected to cycles of high temperatures, high pressure, and continuous wear. Over time, small deformations can alter the shape of the manufactured part.
Before adopting handheld 3D scanning technology, Nemak relied primarily on manual inspection methods and the experience of its technicians. This method can yield results but requires a lot of time and heavily relies on the skill of the operator.
The engineering team identified several obvious problems. Mold repair time was longer than necessary. Confirming geometric accuracy after repair was not easy. Small deviations during maintenance were sometimes difficult to detect based solely on visual observation.
If a small detail is overlooked, the mold could return to the production line with a potential geometric defect.
After evaluating many different measurement solutions, Nemak chose the HandySCAN BLACK Series 3D scanner combined with the Inspection software in the Creaform Metrology Suite.
This solution was chosen due to its high scanning speed, metrology-grade accuracy, and flexible use directly in the production workshop.
Handheld 3D scanners are compact and easy to operate, allowing technicians to perform measurements directly on the mold without moving the part to a dedicated measurement room. System deployment is quick, and technicians can become familiar with the equipment after only a short training period.
One of the first applications of 3D scanning systems is analyzing a damaged mold after multiple work cycles. The engineering team needs to understand the mold wear pattern to develop an effective repair plan.
The process begins by scanning the entire damaged area directly in the workshop. The scanned data is transferred to Inspection software for comparison with the original CAD model.
The software displays geometric deviations as a color map. This helps engineers accurately identify the location and extent of mold deformation.
This information becomes the basis for planning machining and repair welding. Technicians know exactly which surfaces need repair and which remain acceptable.
This makes the repair process data-driven instead of relying entirely on experience.
When 3D scan data was incorporated into the mold maintenance process, the engineering team saw a significant change in how they worked.
Previously, repairs were often a trial-and-error process. Technicians had to constantly re-check the mold geometry to ensure no details were missed.
With scan data, the entire state of the mold is clearly displayed from the start. This speeds up the repair process and reduces the risk of errors.
Technicians can confirm geometric tolerances in minutes instead of spending a lot of time on manual measurements.
After implementing 3D scanning technology in the maintenance process, Nemak has observed many significant improvements.
Mold repair time is reduced thanks to the rapid identification of deviations. Technicians can perform their work with greater confidence because the geometric data has been accurately verified.
In addition, mold inspection before returning to the production line becomes simpler. Geometric deviations can be detected and corrected early on, reducing the risk of product defects during production.
Thanks to the high accuracy and stable measurement capabilities of the 3D scanning system, the mold repair process becomes more reliable.
3D scanning technology is becoming an important tool in the automotive aluminum die casting industry. Thanks to its ability to collect accurate and intuitive geometric data, engineers can quickly detect deviations and plan repairs effectively.
The shift from experience-based repair methods to data-driven processes improves mold maintenance quality, reduces downtime, and ensures stable production.
In the context of the automotive industry's increasing demand for high precision, 3D scanning technology is playing a crucial role in optimizing maintenance processes and extending the lifespan of molds.
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