Hexagon Partners with Hendrick Motorsports

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence (North Kingstown, RI) and Hendrick Motorsports (Concord, NC), the winner of a record 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, have announced a landmark technology partnership. The two-year agreement effectively merges metrology expertise and technology with the brightest engineering minds in auto racing. The relationship will expand Hendrick’s in-house capabilities with additional measurement systems, training and expert technical support. The team is a longtime user of Romer Absolute Arms and GridLOK volume-expansion systems, as well as Hexagon coordinate measuring machines. These systems are used to inspect and assemble auto bodies, chassis and engine components for pre-race fine tuning and post-race evaluation.

Hexagon will partner in collaborative technology development and problem solving with Hendrick’s engineering team. As they develop new concepts in metrology, they will have the opportunity to preview those advancements before the technology reaches the marketplace. The team will also have the option to participate in beta testing and provide user feedback during the course of development projects. With multi-disciplinary expertise, Hexagon will benefit from those early stage metrics and gain valuable insight into the intricate performance and manufacturing challenges found in NASCAR.

“We are honored to partner with a dynamic team pushing the boundaries of manufacturing and metrology to ensure repeatable wins on the track. Our goals are the same, to cross the finish line first with speed and confidence in all aspects of the production process,” stated Angus Taylor, the president and chief executive officer of Hexagon North America. “This landmark agreement aligns us with a like-minded, highly successful partner, both of us committed to breaking new ground in our respective markets.”

“This new relationship will give us access to additional offerings and emerging technologies to drive performance across our entire organization,” said Doug Duchardt, the general manager of Hendrick. “Working closely with their technical personnel will provide a higher level of training and allow us to see the full potential of each product we use. It’s this combination of people and technology that will help both companies innovate and deliver results.”

Hexagon experts in the Charlotte, NC, area worked closely with the NASCAR research and development center to develop the methodology used to verify and enforce race car design rules and exacting standards for chassis design. Hendrick was an early adopter of Romer arm systems used to verify that each car adhered to the new standards. These portable coordinate measuring machines (PCMMs) are also used to acquire coordinate data to gain insight into vehicle performance, and serve the metrology needs of motor sports teams and industries worldwide.

Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, the Hendrick motorsports organization has earned more than 200 race victories. In 2016, they will field four full-time Chevrolet teams on the Sprint Cup circuit with drivers Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Headquartered in Concord, they employ more than 600 people.

www.hexagonMI.com,  www.hendrickmotorsports.com