Quality Engineers & Quality Engineering Managers
For Quality Engineers & Quality Engineering Managers
The part arrived and something doesn't look right. The first article is due and the CMM can't reach the surfaces that matter. The fixture needs to be modified but nobody has the CAD file. Whatever the situation — if you need objective, dimensioned geometry to make a quality decision — that's the problem we solve.
NIST-traceable metrology at 0.025mm (0.001") accuracy. Full surface deviation maps against nominal CAD or engineering drawing, not sampled point measurements. Carry-in cases, battery-powered, Class 1 eye-safe — operational in your facility in 20 minutes without disrupting the line. Deliverables typically within 5 business days.
Service Listings
First Article Inspection (FAI) — Machined, Cast & Fabricated Parts
Full surface scan of the first article against your nominal CAD model or engineering drawing. Color-mapped deviation report with GD&T callouts, measurement tables, and out-of-tolerance identification delivered as PDF. Covers AS9100, PPAP, and customer-specific FAI requirements. Particularly valuable for castings, weldments, and complex machined surfaces where CMM coverage is limited. We come to your facility or your vendor's facility.
From $950
Est. per part
Incoming Vendor Dimensional Verification
Dimensional verification of incoming machined, cast, or fabricated components before acceptance into your production line. Identifies non-conformances and dimensional defects before they reach assembly — not after. Common on castings and forgings where surface variation is difficult to catch with manual measurement, and on weldments where distortion from previous runs needs to be identified early. Deliverable is a deviation report with accept/reject recommendation against your drawing.
From $750
Est. per part
GD&T Deviation Map — Complex Surface & Organic Geometry
Full surface deviation map for castings, forgings, stampings, and complex geometry where discrete CMM probing doesn't give you the full picture. Every point on the surface is measured and color-mapped against nominal — showing not just which features are out of tolerance, but how the deviation is distributed across the surface. Used for tooling approval, process qualification, and supplier corrective action documentation. Gear tooth thickness plots, cam profiles, and complex contour verification are all supported.
From $1,100
Est. — contact for quote
Weldment & Fabrication As-Built Inspection
Fabricated weldments verified against nominal drawing or CAD before acceptance — frames, brackets, assemblies, and structural fabrications. Weld distortion, dimensional drift, and missed tolerances are all identified before the part ships or goes to assembly. Particularly useful when a fabricated assembly has to fit with mating structures, when a new vendor's first run needs to be verified, or when a fabrication process change requires dimensional validation.
From $1,100
Est. — contact for quote
Custom Inspection Fixture — Scan, Design & Fabricate
No CAD files for the existing fixture? We scan it, produce a fully parametric SolidWorks model, implement the required design modifications, and coordinate fabrication — CNC machined billet or structural 3D print depending on load requirements. You receive a functioning modified fixture with a CAD file you own. Used for CT scanner sample holders, CMM fixture modifications, go/no-go gauge adaptations, and proprietary inspection tooling where original documentation no longer exists.
From $750
Est. — contact for quote
Production Tooling Wear Analysis
Dies, molds, stamping tooling, and forming tools scanned and deviation-mapped against the nominal CAD to quantify accumulated wear, track dimensional drift between production runs, and determine remaining serviceable life. Gives quality teams objective data for tooling replacement decisions rather than subjective visual assessment or production-defect-triggered replacement. Particularly useful for high-cycle tooling where wear is gradual and hard to detect until it causes a quality escape.
From $1,200
Est. — contact for quote
As-Built Documentation — No Nominal CAD Required
When the nominal CAD doesn't exist, doesn't match what was built, or reflects multiple undocumented field modifications, we scan the actual part and produce a complete as-built geometric record. Used for legacy components entering a new quality system, field-modified assemblies that need to be formally documented, and undocumented production parts where downstream processes need verified geometry. Deliverable is a full-resolution mesh and, where required, a parametric SolidWorks model.
From $950
Est. per part
On-Site & Facility Access
We come to your facility, your vendor's facility, or your incoming inspection area. Equipment is carry-in cases, battery-powered, Class 1 eye-safe — no shore power, no facility shutdown, no special safety setup. We meet your security and PPE requirements. All pricing is estimated — contact us with your part type, quantity, and drawing requirements for a project-specific quote.
| Within 50 miles of Nashville 37206 | Included |
| 51–150 miles | +$180 |
| 151–300 miles | +$295 |
| 300+ miles / Multi-day | Quoted individually |
| National travel | Contact for quote |
When Quality Teams Call Us
Scenario — EV / advanced manufacturing, Spring Hill TN
CT scanner sample-holding jig needs modification. No CAD file exists. Fabrication required.
A quality engineer at a Tier 1 battery cell manufacturer needed a proprietary CT scanner inspection jig modified — wider to accommodate a new sample size. No CAD file existed for the current jig. We came to the facility, scanned the existing jig, produced a fully parametric SolidWorks model, implemented the dimensional modification, and coordinated fabrication. The quality team received a functioning modified fixture with complete CAD documentation in days.
Scenario — Gear / transmission inspection
Tooth thickness deviation plots needed for a gear set coming off a modified process.
A process change upstream introduced suspected dimensional variation in gear tooth geometry. Probing a CMM point-by-point across a full tooth set was impractical given the number of parts and the surfaces involved. We scanned the gear set and produced tooth thickness deviation plots showing profile deviation at multiple stations across each tooth — giving the quality team the full surface picture, not a sampled estimate.
Scenario — Casting first article
The first casting from a new foundry is in. The CMM can reach the machined features but not the as-cast surfaces.
First article inspection on a new casting supplier. The critical machined features were verified on the CMM. But the as-cast surfaces — wall thickness variation, core shift, draft angle consistency — couldn't be probed systematically with contact measurement. We scanned the full casting and produced a color-mapped deviation report against the nominal model, showing the complete dimensional picture before production tooling investment was made.
Scenario — Vendor corrective action
The weldment arrived out of spec. The vendor says it's within tolerance. Quality needs objective data to close the SCAR.
A welded assembly failed fitment in production. The vendor disputed the rejection, claiming the part was within drawing tolerance. We scanned the part against the engineering drawing and produced a deviation report showing which specific features were out of tolerance, by exactly how much, and in which direction. The supplier corrective action request was closed with objective dimensional data rather than competing manual measurements.
Scenario — Tooling life decision
Quality is seeing increasing rejects from a stamping die that's been in production for two years. Nobody knows how worn the tooling actually is.
Rather than waiting for a production quality escape to force a tooling replacement decision, the quality team scanned the die and deviation-mapped it against the original nominal CAD. The report showed specific wear patterns, quantified the dimensional drift, and identified which features were approaching tolerance limits. The quality manager had objective data to make a run/replace decision — and a documented baseline for the next tooling change cycle.
Scenario — Legacy component documentation
A production part has been running for 15 years with no nominal CAD in the quality system. The part is being transferred to a new supplier.
A legacy production component — machined from a drawing that has been revised multiple times and no longer matches the current production configuration — needed to be documented before transferring to a new supplier. We scanned a known-good production sample and produced a complete as-built SolidWorks model with a full drawing package. The new supplier received a verified geometric baseline, not a 15-year-old drawing.
Questions from Quality Engineers & Managers
How does your scanning compare to our CMM for first article inspection?
A CMM probes discrete points — you get measurements at the specific features you specify. Our scanning captures millions of points across the full surface in a single pass and produces a complete deviation map. For tight-tolerance machined features with well-defined GD&T callouts, both methods are valid — CMMs are excellent for those applications. Where scanning adds information a CMM can miss: as-cast surfaces, weld distortion patterns, complex organic geometry, wall thickness variation, and any situation where you need to see how the deviation is distributed across the surface rather than whether specific features are in or out of spec.
Is your equipment NIST-traceable?
Yes. The Creaform HandyScan Black Elite is NIST-traceable at a measurement accuracy of 0.025mm (0.001 inch). Calibration is maintained per the manufacturer's calibration schedule using a certified calibration artifact. If your quality system requires documentation of measurement equipment calibration status, we can provide that.
Can you work in our facility? We have controlled access and PPE requirements.
Yes. We coordinate security check-in, access badge requirements, and PPE requirements in advance. Our equipment list for facility entry is straightforward: carry-in cases containing the scanner, a laptop, and a power bank. We've worked in Tier 1 automotive supplier facilities, EV battery manufacturing plants, and controlled production environments. If your facility has a site access process, we'll complete it before arrival.
We don't have the nominal CAD — only a drawing. Can you still produce a deviation report?
Yes. If you have a 2D drawing with GD&T callouts, we can work from it. We build a nominal model from the drawing or use the drawing directly for dimensional comparison. The deviation report references the drawing callouts. If neither a drawing nor a CAD model exists, we produce an as-built record from the scan that becomes the geometric reference going forward.
How quickly can you turn around an inspection report?
Typically within 5 business days of the scan session for standard FAI and deviation map work. For urgent requests — incoming part holds, line-down situations, or time-sensitive supplier corrective actions — contact us directly. We can discuss accelerated turnaround on a case-by-case basis.
Can you scan complex features like gear teeth, splines, or cam profiles?
Yes. We have direct experience producing tooth thickness deviation plots for gear geometry. Splines, cam profiles, thread forms, and complex contour surfaces can all be scanned and deviation-mapped. Full surface capture is particularly valuable for these features because a CMM can only probe a limited number of points across a tooth or spline form — the full picture only appears when you see the entire surface.
Can you scan parts at our vendor's facility before they ship?
Yes. We travel to vendor facilities for source inspection. Within 50 miles of Nashville is included in base pricing. Beyond that, travel is quoted individually. Source inspection before shipment is the most efficient point to catch a non-conformance — it avoids the freight, receiving, and production disruption that comes with discovering the problem after the part arrives.
Ready to discuss your inspection requirement?
Tell us the part type, what you're inspecting against, and your timeline. We'll respond within one business day.