Virtual geometry assurance process and toolbox

Geometrical variation in individual manufacturing and assembly processes often propagates and accumulates, resulting in products that do not fulfil functional, esthetical or assembly conditions. Geometrical quality problems are often discovered late with huge cost for changes and delays as a consequence. The ability to simulate and foresee geometry problems early, allows robust concepts to be developed, tolerances and assembly sequences to be optimized and key inspection features to be selected. This paper presents a comprehensive geometry assurance process with an efficient set of tools that supports the geometry assurance process from early concept phases, through verification and pre-production and finally during production.