​​This Revolutionary Smart 3D Scanner that Spots Problems Before They Leave the Shop​ 

When discussing manufacturing, the term quality control often comes up, but it can be difficult to visualize exactly what it entails. GM sheds some light on the subject thanks to its recent use of a high-tech tool that effectively tests parts for quality and precision. The 3D Metra Scan is a portable, handheld device that not only measures parts more quickly but also provides a different perspective. As manufacturing becomes more complex, teams are exploring new methods to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and product quality, using tools such as the 3D Metra Scan. Ewing Buick-GMC tells you more.  

In the industry, precision measurement has traditionally relied on slow, point-by-point analysis. A few years ago, GM’s Defiance plant in Ohio, a key location for producing engine blocks and cylinder head castings, began using the innovative hand-held 3D Metra Scan tool. This technology helps workers quickly identify manufacturing conditions that don’t meet the required standards.  

In the past, touchpoint coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) captured data only at discrete points. The Metra scanner can analyze a part’s entire surface at an astonishing rate of 1.8 million data points per second. This allows workers to see fine grooves, internal channels, and surface details that older methods couldn’t detect.  

Using the 3D Metra Scan clearly shows how GM’s manufacturing teams are growing and adapting by adopting advanced technology — not just to speed up their work but to do it more intelligently and improve quality. This scanning technology helps teams spot issues more quickly, enabling them to fix potential problems before parts even leave the shop. 

The 3D Metra Scan is now used at GM’s Saginaw, Brownstown Battery, and Factory Zero. In addition, parts from the Romulus Engine plant are regularly sent to Defiance for inspection with the scanner. Teams now collaborate more closely—they scan, share, and solve together. This connected, technology-driven problem-solving truly captures the spirit of modern manufacturing. This sophisticated level of data-driven collaboration relies on robust Automotive IT Support, ensuring that real-time scans from the Defiance plant can be instantly accessed and analyzed by engineering teams at facilities nationwide.

“Using the 3D Metra Scan has been a game changer,” said Tim Scherer, Pattern Maker at GM Defiance Operations, who has helped lead the way. “This process obtains full-surface, high-precision analysis and insight quickly – so you pinpoint issues sooner, cut rework, and provide real-time feedback to plant teams or customer plants, minimizing impact to production.” 

Chances are, you will never see the effect the 3D Metric scanner has on the vehicles you see at Ewing Buick-GMC. The result of this innovation is fewer defects, a better fit, and improved long-term durability.