Bentley Motors Limited is a global brand in the luxury car market sector and has recently invested in a range of latest technology measurement products from FARO UK. Bentley enjoys a highly privileged position in the Automotive industry with over 1000 skilled craftsmen and women at its Crewe factory as well as inhouse design and engineering functions.

The company is embarking on an ambitious and exciting new car development program focusing on developing new models that are true to the marque and built to world class standards. This is underlined by the company’s £500 million investment plant and the release of new models, the latest of which is the Continental Flying Spur.

Graham Thorley is the Digital Analysis manager within the Pilot Hall at Bentley. The role of this function is to provide timely and accurate design analysis support, for the functions within the Pilot Hall. This encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and challenges, one of which is Dimensional measurement analysis across all new projects. The Pilot Hall recognised that it was critical that they were able to measure parts and assemblies at every stage of the analysis process, to support the requirement for system feasibility being delivered. The access to measured data and the ability to import it into 3D tolerance models, was also recognised as a key requirement. Graham commented: “We identified a requirement to be able to measure virtually any part of the car at any stage of assembly process. This included individual parts, part built assemblies, complete vehicles and also nominal Physical Tolerance Properties”.

This covered a very broad range and the company approached Coventry based FARO UK as they were already using a number of FARO Arms on site, but these alone could not meet their requirements. Following a demonstration of FARO’s complete range of portable products the company opted for a variety of products to meet their requirements. Bentley selected to purchase a FaroArm, a FARO ScanArm and a FARO Laser Tracker to meet their needs.

Graham continued “The FARO ScanArm allows us to measure compound shaped parts using a non contact laser scanner, which is ideal for interior parts and body panels. The integrated head solution is ideal for ease of use.”.

The Laser Tracker meets the requirement for large envelope measurement and will allow Bentley to measure vehicles during the production assembly process and Physical Tolerance Properties to be measured against CAD data.

Graham summarised “The product suite purchased from FARO will allow us to be self sufficient in meeting our measurement analysis requirements and represents a major step forward in the service we are able to offer to our internal customers”.