Renishaw discusses the importance of metrology in the electric vehicle revolution

As the world continues its ongoing revolution from diesel and petrol engines to electric vehicles (EV), the automotive industry is constantly looking for new ways that it can speed up the manufacturing process. However, according to Zapmap, up to only 16% of all new car registrations in the UK in 2023 were EVs.

Widespread adoption of EVs is currently being hindered by three primary issues: high purchase prices, poor charging infrastructure, and a low battery range. To tackle these issues, governments, local authorities, large businesses, and manufacturers need to help promote change to enhance the take up of EVs, to ultimately drive the net zero initiative. Gareth Tomkinson, Business Development Manager in Renishaw's CMM & Gauging Products Division has explored how metrology can help solve these issues.

Manufacturers change from traditional to electric measures

As the automotive industry tries to boost its capacity for producing EV over traditional vehicles, equipment used to develop machine cylinder heads, cylinder blocks, and cranks, are being removed. They are making way for new processes for components like rotors and stators for electric motors. 

While the technology surrounding electric motors is not new, manufacturers have been evolving the technology's efficiency levels to handle mass-scale production. Each development must complete the same process that sees it go from the CAD screen, through the manufacturing process, to the finished product with precise tolerances. 

As these designs are new, quality assurance checks are even more important as they ensure efficiency, safety and reliability levels. These inspection checks can be used in two ways, the first is a standard pass/fail check of each component. While the second will help manufacturers make constant micro-adjustments to upstream machining.

Flexible measurement systems like Renishaw’s REVO five-axis measuring head allow automotive manufacturers to adapt to any unpredictable changes in the designs they may need to inspect.

Renishaw REVO five-axis measuring head key features:

The REVO five-axis measuring head features a variety of different sensors that can be tailored to meet future, unseen demands. These include:

• Tactile spanning probes.
• Non-contact camera-based sensors.
• Surface finish sensor.
• Ultrasonic thickness probe.

The challenge presented to the automotive industry

To fulfil the rising demand faced by the automotive industry for EVs, inspection processes must become quicker, more reliable, and increasingly flexible, as EV designs continue to evolve. Additionally, introducing more flexibility in the manufacturing inspection setup is increasingly important to help minimise the disadvantages of EVs, primarily their current limited battery range.

Another key element of flexibility related to the world’s movement towards net zero relates to the vast array of technologies that can increase the uptake of sustainable transport. In addition to producing EVs, vehicles can also be powered using eFuels, hydrogen, or batteries.

Ultimately, manufacturers working on EVs face the high probability of revolutionary step-changes occurring that can improve the development process. These changes are challenging to predict, however, discussions with customers can provide necessary insights into the metrology and inspection evolutions that are required. Which, in turn, will help companies predict upcoming changes.