Hexagon today announced the launch of METRICAL, an automated queuing, loading, and unloading system designed to enable autonomous inspection of parts of all sizes on coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). The solution addresses one of manufacturing’s most pressing challenges: the global shortage of skilled inspection labour and the need to increase output without adding operators.
Credit: Hexagon
“As manufacturers face tightening labour markets, increasing product complexity, and pressure to maintain 24/7 production, inspection teams are often forced to balance high-value metrology work with repetitive manual loading tasks,” said Jörg Deller, Vice President Product Technology Hardware for Division Stationary Metrology at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence. “METRICAL removes that bottleneck by automating part handling and enabling more continuous measurement cycles with minimal human oversight.”
METRICAL integrates seamlessly with Hexagon’s latest and existing CMM portfolio, including the new MAESTRO CMM as well as GLOBAL CMMs, enabling manufacturers to extend automation across both new and already installed equipment.
Designed for high-volume, continuous inspection
METRICAL supports automated measurement workflows, allowing parts to be queued, loaded, measured, and unloaded across multiple shifts. This helps manufacturers increase CMM utilisation and inspection capacity while allowing skilled operators to focus on programming, analysis, and process optimisation.
Key benefits include:
- Increased CMM throughput, utilisation, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
- Reduced dependency on scarce, skilled inspection labour
- Enabling off-shift, unattended inspection operations
- Improved workforce allocation and operator productivity
- Flexible automation for evolving production demand
Credit: Hexagon
Scalable configurations for changing inspection volumes
Available in three configurations – three, five, or seven preparation bays – METRICAL is designed to adapt to different production volumes and factory layouts. Its modular approach allows manufacturers to scale automation incrementally, matching inspection capacity to changing demand.
The system supports rapid deployment and configuration, enabling manufacturers to begin automated inspection shortly after installation, without lengthy integration cycles.
Turning idle time into productive capacity
By reducing idle time between measurement cycles, METRICAL helps manufacturers maximise CMM capacity across shifts while maintaining inspection quality.
The system is designed to improve:
- Machine utilisation by shortening inspection idle time
- Workforce safety by reducing repetitive handling tasks
- Operational flexibility across shifts and product variants
Smart software for simplified automation
METRICAL includes an intuitive, visual software interface that simplifies task setup and inspection scheduling. Dashboard-based monitoring tools provide real-time visibility into production status, enabling teams to optimise CMM utilisation and workflow efficiency.
Reconfiguration for new parts is streamlined through modular fixturing, allowing manufacturers to adapt quickly to evolving production requirements without complex reprogramming.
METRICAL is one of several automation and AI-driven advances Hexagon is bringing to inspection this year, with further additions to its CMM portfolio to be announced in the coming weeks.