CONCORD, N.C. — Hexagon has joined 14-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports as its official metrology hardware and software provider for the next decade.
The shared goal of the partnership is to take the race team’s performance to the next level by applying the latest scanning, measuring and digitization technologies from Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division.
Running through 2032, the 10-year agreement includes Hexagon’s presenting sponsorship of a 3,000-square-foot advanced Quality Control Lab on Hendrick Motorsports’ Concord, North Carolina, campus.
The technical partnership provides the all-time winningest team at NASCAR’s top level with the ability to enter competitive environments with additional confidence as the team closes in on its milestone 300th Cup victory and 500th NASCAR national series engine win.
“A relentless focus on quality, accuracy and attention to the finest details is what wins races and championships in NASCAR,” said Jeff Andrews, president and general manager of Hendrick Motorsports. “In today’s environment, the level of competition is very high, and we must maximize everything we can control.
“Hexagon’s precision products provide us peace of mind as we enter race weekends on the cusp of some remarkable milestones. With this landmark decade-long commitment, we look forward to celebrating many exciting achievements together in the future.”
The integration of a variety of Hexagon metrology technologies new to Hendrick Motorsports will enable the team to measure a higher volume of parts as it strives to meet tight racing deadlines and production lead times.
Making performance gains is especially challenging when the team is at the top of its game, and the new technologies will help it make more informed choices about what components and assemblies are ideal for the track. Tolerance differences of even a few thousandths of an inch can make or break top performance of valve-train components, such as rocker arms, push rods and valve springs.
The ability to collect metrology data quickly and easily will help the team decide what combination of components will yield the best performance.
“Partnering to provide technologies that will help Hendrick Motorsports continue to make race- winning performance innovations is an exciting opportunity and further strengthens the long-time relationship we have maintained,” said commercial operations manager Scott Grumbles of Hexagon. “In providing metrology solutions that offer more flexibility, capacity and accuracy, the goal is to ensure Hendrick Motorsports has the tools it needs to confidently push the limits of performance and keep crossing the finish line first.”
New collaborative robotic inspection capabilities will help eliminate inspection bottlenecks, as they will allow the team to automate unattended measurement so that it can devote more valuable manpower to other mission-critical tasks.
The addition of three new coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) will provide greater inspection capacity while ensuring the organization has the technology needed to diversify both probing and non-contact measurement capabilities.
Increased inspection flexibility will help it more efficiently and accurately scan part surfaces in their entirety and inspect challenging reflective materials, such as carbon fiber. The new Quality Control Lab at Hendrick Motorsports will also include portable laser scanners that simplify the measurement of components throughout the facility.