By: Masanobu Nishizuka, Staff Editor, SEISANZAI Japan

Launch event for PRESTO XL in Asia 

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Managing Director: Nozomu Ikeya), the Japanese subsidiary of the Swedish metrology giant, and Tokyo Boeki Techno Systems (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Hirohito Mizuhara), a measurement engineering company, held a new product launch event on June 26–27. They highlighted “offensive measurement” using automated inspection equipment such as PRESTO XL. 

The event, called Automation Day, took place at Tokyo Boeki Techno-System’s Atsugi Technical Center in Kanagawa Prefecture and attracted about 40 participants from automotive manufacturers and related companies over two days. The highlight was the modular automated inspection solution PRESTO XL, installed for the first time in the Asian region as a demonstration unit. 

Automated inspection with the PRESTO series 

The PRESTO series integrates the portable Leica Absolute Tracker AT960, industrial robots, linear axes, and dedicated control software into a single package. When combined with a handheld non-contact scanner or touch probe, the AT960 delivers high measurement accuracy. 

In the PRESTO system, the scanner is mounted on the robot to automate inspection. The series is available in three sizes—M, L, and XL—depending on the required measurement area. 

Large-scale measurement and easy operation 

PRESTO XL capable of measuring full automotive bodies

Tokyo Boeki Techno-System installed the largest model, PRESTO XL, which provides a measurement area approximately 2.5 m wide and 6 m deep. It can measure full automotive bodies or unpainted white bodies. 

PRESTO XL achieves measurement accuracy comparable to that of horizontal-arm contact CMMs, but completes the process in about one-quarter of the time. It can also evaluate surface quality, which is difficult with contact-based methods. 

The Hexagon Robotic Automation control software manages the entire workflow—from creating measurement routines, teaching the AT960 and robot, to outputting evaluation data after inspection. Even users without programming knowledge can operate the system easily. 

Driving “offensive measurement” 

Nicolas Lachaud Bandres, Vice President, visiting Japan for the event

According to Nicolas Lachaud Bandres, Vice President Industry Solutions at Hexagon, 

“Measurement has traditionally been a ‘defensive’ activity, focused on pass/fail judgment and quality assurance. Moving forward, automating measurement and leveraging the resulting data to generate new value—what we call ‘offensive measurement’—will be essential. PRESTO is a strategic product aligned with Hexagon’s initiative to redefine quality.”