Hexagon reported Sept. 14 that manufacturers know automation is essential for staying competitive. However, according to its upcoming “Americas state of manufacturing survey,” when it comes to automation, only 24% believe they are ahead of competitors, 46% are keeping pace, 30% are behind or have not started. Meanwhile, 85% report at least one barrier to accelerating AI and automation.

For years, manufacturers often had to choose between buying an off-the-shelf automation system that might not fit their production requirements or investing in a custom automation project that required added engineering resources, systems integration and upfront investment. As a result, Hexagon reports many automation initiatives stall before they begin.

Consequently, Hexagon’s portable metrology division has refocused on more practical, achievable, gradual automation. Rather than asking users to leap into automation all at once, it’s giving them options for expanding automation as their production requirements increase. This is expected to help users automate at a pace that aligns with their production needs with pathways ranging from ready-to-deploy inspection cells to fully customized automation solutions built with integration partners.

"Automation shouldn't require manufacturers to choose between a rigid, one-size-fits-all system and an overwhelming custom engineering project,” says Joel Martin, product management director in Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence’s portable division. "Our goal is to give manufacturers practical options that let them automate today, while leaving room to grow tomorrow."

To lower the barriers to adopting automation, beyond simply reducing costs, Hexagon adds it’s making automation easier to deploy, operate and integrate into day-to-day production, particularly for manufacturers that may not have dedicated automation expertise. This means creating more entry points into automation, while giving users the flexibility to scale as their needs evolve.

For example, Hexagon’s Presto standardized, robotic inspection cells, combine industrial robotics, metrology technology and automation software to bring automated quality inspection closer to production. More specifically, Hexagon is previewing its Presto XS entry point to automated metrology within Presto’s Quality Stations ecosystem at this week’s International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago.

Designed for small, complex parts, Presto XS brings industrial metrology into a compact, mobile system that can move closer to production, and operate in space-constrained environments with minimal infrastructure changes. Its intuitive, plant-floor interface lets user create and edit inspection routines without robot programming expertise, enabling users to implement automated inspection without typical automation complexities.

Presto XS also supports flexible, two-in-one workflows, which let manufacturers use it as an automated cobot or handheld scanner as inspection demands change. This flexibility lets users reduce inspection cycle times and transport delays, free skilled metrology experts from repetitive scanning tasks, and standardize quality processes across multiple stations.

Hexagon adds its IMTS exhibit will also demonstrate how automation doesn't have to begin with a robot. Manufacturers can start by using portable metrology systems, including handheld scanners, laser trackers and optical measurement technologies for manual inspection. As production volumes increase, those measurement technologies can be integrated into robotic inspection cells or automated workflows without requiring users to replace sensors they already invested in. This approach reduces retraining, preserves existing measurement workflows, and provides a practical path from manual inspection to automation at each user’s own pace.

The exhibit will also feature Hexagon's Leica Absolute Tracker ATS800 two-in-one laser tracker integrated on an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), which will show how optical measurement technology can support customized automation workflows for large-scale manufacturing applications. Designed for industries such as aerospace and shipbuilding, where moving large parts to a fixed inspection station is often impractical, ATS800 illustrates how manufacturers can bring inspection directly into production, enabling quality data to guide manufacturing decisions earlier in the process, rather than waiting until after production.