3D scanning and Measurement to Ensure Success in Motor Racing

3D scanning and measuring technologies empower the ORECA Group to fine-tune the design of cutting-edge components to ensure success for major racing teams.

Behind the scenes of endurance racing

Speed, agility and velocity may be the only discernible aspects that enable race car drivers and their vehicles to prevail over their rivals. However, to reach new heights of performance, they have no choice but to make use of the latest developments in engineering, technology and materials composition. French car manufacturer ORECA is no exception, and they make it possible for the biggest names in the motor sports industry to stay competitive and remain at the top of their game when innovation comes knocking.

To ensure continuous improvement in design and implement a reliable inspection and quality control process, the French company has been using Creaform’s cutting-edge hardware and software technologies to perform 3D measurements and digitally reproduce components closely linked to performance and endurance on the track.

But innovation must be executed according to best practices: in other words, in full compliance with, among other governing bodies, the guidelines of the FIA and IMSA. And let’s not forget about industry-specific challenges, such as the need to use fast, efficient, all-in-one technologies that meet the most rigorous standards, and the requirement to react instantly when detecting potential non-conformities during inspection and quality control.

The ability to adapt to any situation

Whether produced in-house, externally or outsourced, the composite parts that ORECA uses in the manufacture and assembly of its cars must be subject to the same standardized procedures for inspection and control. The manufacturer’s quality plan runs like clockwork and leaves nothing to chance, but its implementation is hampered by the number and diversity of the parts that need to be processed, as well as the environment in which the components must be digitized and measured.

For one thing, the smallest components need to be digitized to a resolution that meets current standards, while the largest parts, on the other hand, need to be measured quickly and their model needs to show a sufficiently fine level of detail. And that's not to mention the different surface finishes, materials, textures and many environmental variables that can affect scan quality. Thanks to its innovative technologies, the MetraSCAN 3D|Black Elite can measure volumes of up to fifteen cubic meters in less than three minutes, without compromising on detail quality and mesh precision. This, then, is a method that strikes the right balance between speed, dimensional variability and high scan quality. In addition to these aspects, the MetraSCAN 3D is also renowned for its portability, which makes the 3D measurement process fluid and adaptive.

For the ORECA Group, being in the lead on the race track starts with a head start at the factory. In today’s environment, rivalry between teams is fast becoming a race for technology among suppliers and manufacturers, with competitors now all using similar technological solutions. The key to repeating successes at the finish line is to use all-in-one systems that make it possible to automate the acquisition, visualization and analysis of scan data.

A winning partnership

24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, to name but a few: winning these prestigious and numerous high-profile events depends on a delicate balance of innovation, precision, collaboration and adaptability. ORECA contributes to the success of several major racing teams and demonstrates unparalleled rigor in ensuring the reliability of the cars competing in endurance racing. It is thanks in part to Creaform’s hardware and software ecosystem that the French manufacturer can remain at the forefront of a constantly evolving industry.

“Even after we have looked at all the solutions on the market, we chose Creaform, which offers the best 3D measurement technologies, so that we can ensure that our products are of impeccable quality,” says Rachid Talmatkadi, Head of Quality Control and Metrology at the ORECA Group. “The MetraSCAN BLACK Elite is a versatile and highly efficient solution that fulfills most of our metrology requirements. In addition, Creaform’s sales and technical support team has always been reliable, prompt, competent and attentive in their responses. Without the Creaform equipment, we would not have been able to make so many high-volume, precise measurements.”