TURIN, Italy, 27 July 2005 – Geomagic Qualify software has been certified by Fiat as part of a digital inspection process that exceeds standards set by ANFIA, the trade association that defines manufacturing methods for the Italian automotive industry.

Fiat’s testing was conducted using the non-contact Atos III 3D scanner from GOM for data capture and Geomagic Qualify to automatically process scan data into accurate 3D models for analysis and reporting.? The inspection process using the 3D scanner and Geomagic Qualify met or exceeded all ANFIA standards and provided greater measurement capability than CMM.

“The 3D digital inspection process passed every test and exceeded all expectations,” says Domenico Bongiovanni, Fiat’s Quality Manufacturing Engineer.? “We believe it has great potential for enabling us to inspect more part features in equal or less time than with CMM processes and for automating other areas such as incoming inspection.”

Testing was conducted by Fiat in Turin with the assistance of Microsystem, Raindrop Geomagic’s Italian distributor.? Six copies of an underbody sheet metal part containing slots and holes were tested by two operators, with three runs for each part.? A total of 110 characteristics were inspected.? Tolerances were well within ANFIA specifications and repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) percentages were much higher than the association’s minimum requirement.

While results for the digital process are comparable to those for traditional CMM, the newer process offers major advantages.? The 3D scanner can capture thousands of points in a single scan; the CMM system collects one point at a time.? Multiple characteristics from the scan data can be analyzed by Geomagic Qualify without having to measure the part again.? Geomagic Qualify also extracts more information from the 3D scan data and enables procedures such as GD&T analysis.??

Fiat’s tests follow Geomagic Qualify receiving the highest accuracy certification from Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Germany’s technical authority for metrology and physical safety engineering, and successful gauge R&R testing by Honeywell and other major turbine manufacturers.

“We are witnessing a major shift in inspection to a digital process that is easier, much faster, and more comprehensive than traditional methods, while meeting or exceeding repeatability and reproducibility standards,” says Alberto Griffa, senior product manager for Geomagic Qualify.

About Raindrop Geomagic – the 3D digitizing and processing leader

Raindrop Geomagic (www.geomagic.com) simplifies 3D digitizing and processing, enabling customers to accelerate their design-build cycles and ensure quality at every step.? More than 3,000 professionals in industries such as automotive, aerospace, medical devices and consumer products use Geomagic software.? They benefit from unprecedented time savings, fast learning curves, increased productivity, and high levels of user satisfaction.? Raindrop Geomagic has headquarters in Research Triangle Park, N.C., subsidiaries in Europe and Asia, and distributors worldwide.