Denso Manufacturing Czech s.r.o. produces roughly 2.5 million air-conditioning units per year at its Liberec plant, and in 2024 it replaced its ageing third-party structured light scanner with Hexagon's SmartScan VR800 to keep inspection pace with that volume. The Liberec facility employs 2,000 people and supplies HVAC units to Volkswagen Group (including Škoda Auto), BMW, Toyota, Suzuki, Ford and Volvo.

The upgrade matters because the previous scanner had reached the end of its serviceability. Its slow scanning and data processing, particularly on larger part volumes, could not keep up with product development and production demands. The VR800 now performs non-contact inspection of multiple parts simultaneously.

What changed at the plant?

The subsidiary of Japan's DENSO Group, established in 2001, is one of two Denso manufacturing bases in the Czech Republic alongside Denso Czech s.r.o. in Zruč nad Sázavou. The Liberec site specialises in climate control systems for passengers and vehicle batteries.

Denso has worked with Hexagon for nearly two decades, already running GLOBAL series coordinate measuring machines (fixed CMMs that probe parts with a tactile sensor), PC-DMIS metrology software and the Absolute Arm 7-Axis portable measuring arm. Hexagon supported the VR800 transition with practical training on real parts. Four trained operators now run the system.

Pavel Knirsch, Quality Manager at Denso, said: "It was important to ensure that we could adapt to the new system as quickly as possible and start using it effectively in our daily practice."

The scanner typically runs every other day. One day covers scanning — for example, components of flap movement kinematics — and the following day covers detailed data evaluation. Separating the two steps lets the team respond quickly to production requirements.

Why plastic parts drove the decision?

The VR800's main workload is individual plastic components rather than complete HVAC units, which are verified by inspection machines on the production line. Optical scanning digitises surfaces without manual probing, which suits intricate and irregular plastic geometries. The motorised zoom lens adjusts resolution and measurement volume entirely through software, eliminating manual lens changes.

Plastic deformation detection is the core gain. Knirsch said: "Plastic materials are sensitive to deformation, and this is precisely where the scanner truly excels. Thanks to rapid scanning and the ability to generate colour maps, it efficiently reveals deviations and shape changes that could affect a part's functionality." The capability targets common defects such as sink marks from injection moulding, enabling corrective action.

Component compatibility checks also benefit. "An HVAC system is made up of a huge number of parts, each fulfilling a specific function while needing to fit precisely into the overall design," Knirsch said. This matters most during early stages of new projects, when individual parts are fine-tuned. Resulting data goes to design engineers and suppliers for design modifications and tolerance optimisation.

How much time does the system save?

Antonín Kvasnička, Component Quality Team Leader, said: "One of the first visible benefits of the new system is a significant time saving." The VR800 "offers faster scanning and data processing compared to the previous system, which is particularly noticeable when we inspect larger volumes of parts." Denso did not quantify the saving in absolute terms, so treat the efficiency claim as reported benefit rather than measured figure.

Three functions drive the speed gain:

• Smart Zoom and Resolution allow high-resolution scanning of critical areas without full-part scans.
• Smart Snap uses four digital cameras to capture scan and orientation data simultaneously, with LED flash support for target positioning outside the 3D scan area. This reduces required targets and expands measurement volume.
• Software-driven adjustments remove lens or optic changes, and data of differing resolutions integrates into a single project.

What to watch next

Denso is sharing the methodology with other group companies to standardise 3D scanning as a shared measurement approach. The plant plans new products for electric vehicles and next-generation air-conditioning systems, with the VR800 positioned as a supporting asset. The company also targets carbon neutrality by 2030. The next markers to track are the EV product launches at Liberec and whether group-wide scanning standardisation formalises into a common specification.