This video introduces Hexagon's new "Maestro" Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) system, designed to revolutionize metrology by addressing long-standing industry challenges. The hosts interview Hexagon representatives, Sean Thielen and Jörg Deler, who explain the "ground zero" development approach. Maestro aims to overcome issues like the scarcity of skilled metrologists, the need for increased adaptability in manufacturing, slow measurement speeds, and a lack of autonomy in traditional CMMs. The solution is presented as an all-digital, high-speed CMM with intuitive, no-code programming via a digital twin, enhanced connectivity through industry standards like MQTT, and integrated monitoring capabilities, all contributing to improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and seamless integration into automated production workflows.
Summarizing the "Maestro" CMM System from Hexagon
0:00 Introduction and Problem Statement: The hosts discuss the common perception of CMMs (Coordinate Measuring Machines) as a "necessary evil" in manufacturing, often becoming a bottleneck due to their complexity and lack of integration.
1:17 Guest Introductions: Sean Thielen (Hexagon Product Sales Manager, 29 years in metrology) and Jörg Deler (Hexagon General Manager for stationary measurement devices, 17 years in metrology) are introduced. They define "stationary metrology" as bringing the part to the measurement device.
6:55 The "Why" Behind Maestro: Traditional CMMs have seen little fundamental change in 40 years. Hexagon designed Maestro from "ground zero" to tackle key customer challenges:
7:41 Lack of Expertise: A shortage of highly skilled CMM operators.
8:43 Adaptability: Traditional CMMs are not designed for frequent part changes.
9:07 Productivity: CMMs are often slow and bottleneck production processes.
9:30 Autonomy: The need for systems that reduce operator influence, are faster, and seamlessly connect with production workflows.
10:10 User-Centric Development: Maestro's development focused on understanding user "personas" or "archetypes," including metrology experts, supervisors, operators, "all-rounders" in smaller companies, and production/automation personnel who prioritize ease of integration over metrology specifics.
21:11 All-Digital CMM Solution: Maestro is designed as an all-digital CMM, aiming to bridge the gap between CMM and CNC machine tool workflows. Jörg's dual responsibility for both areas aids this integration.
23:47 Key Innovations for Ease of Use and Connectivity:
23:50 Streamlined Workflows: Designed to be similar to machine tools.
24:04 Bi-directional Connectivity: Features standard automation interfaces like MQTT for seamless data sharing with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and other production systems.
24:28 Enhanced Robustness & Uptime: Built to be more robust than previous CMMs, with a focus on plannability and predicting potential failures (e.g., MTBF data).
25:08 No-Code Environment: Automates programming using a digital twin. Users load CAD files with Product Manufacturing Information (PMI), and the system automatically generates inspection programs tailored to specific machines and sensors.
28:50 Business Impact (OEE): Maestro significantly improves uptime, availability, and plannability, directly contributing to Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by providing critical quality data. It enables centralized planning across multiple CMMs and sites, allowing any CMM to handle any job.
34:46 On-Machine Display: Provides real-time status and alerts.
35:03 Smart Machine Eye: An integrated camera records machine activity, automatically triggering recording on errors or crashes, aiding remote diagnostics and troubleshooting.
36:03 Increased Speed: Maestro is significantly faster (25-30% improvement over Hexagon's Global S), achieved by eliminating process delays and enabling full 5-axis synchronized movements.
38:35 Automation & In-Process Inspection: Maestro facilitates easier integration with automation systems and in-process inspection solutions by speaking a more universal language (e.g., MQTT) that automation engineers can understand without specialized CMM knowledge.
41:00 Availability: Maestro was revealed on May 6th at the Control show in Germany and will be available for orders and delivery after Hexagon Live (June 16-19th in Las Vegas), with initial production in Germany.
43:00 Key Takeaway: Integration: The hosts emphasize that Maestro's core value lies in its integration capabilities, making CMMs less of a bottleneck and more of a seamless, efficient part of the overall manufacturing process, crucial for "lights out" operations and increased throughput.