As manufacturers face growing demands for precision and efficiency, off-the-shelf measurement tools often aren’t enough to do the job.

Increasingly, companies are looking for custom-engineered precision measuring instruments and systems that can meet their unique manufacturing needs and help them remain innovative and competitive.

That’s where Mitutoyo’s Custom Solutions offerings come in.

Solutions manager Ken Myers, who heads up the Custom Solutions group, says it handles more than 200 requests for customized products and applications every year, “ranging from the smallest micrometers, calipers and hand tool-type solutions, all the way up to really large multi-axis CNC systems.”

Customer-driven solutions can include modifying an existing machine so it can measure faster or handle bigger parts; adding sensors, cameras or software to automate inspections; or building a complete turnkey system to fully automate production.

“There’s a lot of versatility that our group can offer,” Myers says. “For example, we recently did a custom solution with our high-accuracy micrometer that included a robot feed into the laser mic.”

Custom Metrology Solutions Meet Evolving Industry Needs

One of the biggest drivers of the need for custom solutions is the shift toward automation, Myers says.

“The need for fully integrated lights-out manufacturing has led to a huge uptick in automation,” he says. “With our CNC line of equipment, we’re getting a lot of requests for complete turnkey systems—including manufacturing, inspection, all of the part handling, cleaning and processing—that are in the door, ready to run.”

It’s a trend that Myers doesn’t see manufacturers moving away from anytime soon. “Companies continue to look at ways to make their manpower resources more efficient and open them up to less repetitive and remedial tasks, and automation is key to that.”

The ability to run multiple shifts is another reason why automation will continue to be in demand, Myers says. “It’s difficult to find highly qualified people who are willing to work nights and weekends, so automation will become a critical link for the future.”

Myers says the Custom Solutions group gets requests from a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, medical, automotive and semiconductors.

“There was a need for a lot of medical-type applications during COVID, and right now, we’re seeing some redevelopment in automotive,” Myers says. “It used to be that automakers were moving away from internal combustion engine technology and were going toward EV, but now we’re seeing a transition back to those older technologies, where they’re reinvesting in certain facilities and factories to handle a growing demand for internal combustion engine manufacturing.”

The resurgence of chips manufacturing in the U.S. is also having an impact, Myers says. “We’re seeing a big influx in opportunities for semiconductor processing equipment and those kind of peripheral needs and machinery, as well.”

From Concept to Implementation: The Custom Metrology Solutions Process

Manufacturers looking to optimize measurement and quality processes can work with Mitutoyo’s Custom Solutions engineers through a structured evaluation.

The process starts with a detailed assessment of the facility’s production requirements and measurement challenges. Engineers then identify which Mitutoyo products, software or third-party components can meet those needs and develop specifications for any custom equipment.

Myers says that when a Custom Solutions team takes on a project, they want to understand the challenges a customer is currently facing so they can find ways to improve them—first, to reduce the uncertainty that may come with measurement systems, and second, to help increase the efficiency and the operator experience in general.

“We want to make sure the system is easy to use but also accurate and repeatable, which is obviously critical for measurement applications,” he says.

Next, the team designs and builds tailored mechanical, optical and electrical components, often producing 3D CAD drawings or prototypes to validate the solution. Once finalized, the system is installed and integrated into the facility’s existing workflow.

The time frame from start to finish can range from a couple of weeks “if it’s a minor modification to a component we have in stock” to a couple of years if it’s a full custom R&D development. “I’ve got one project that’s still ongoing where we had our first meeting in 2019,” Myers says. “It’s a huge project that covers multiple countries, inputs and divisions.”

Once the system is deployed, Mitutoyo continues to provide training, troubleshooting, calibration and ongoing maintenance to ensure peak performance in demanding manufacturing environments.

Training is an integral part of the process, Myers says. “It’s not something we add on that you have to buy in addition,” he says. “Especially when it comes to custom solutions, we want to ensure that workers fully understand all of the nuances and intricacies that come along with a system, so they’re going to be able to maintain the system’s accuracy expectations through its lifespan.”

Since justifying the cost of a custom solution is top of mind for manufacturers, Myers says the Custom Solutions team also provides customers with the information they need to do their ROI calculations.

The Value of Full-Service Metrology Expertise

As a leading provider of metrology equipment and data systems, Mitutoyo is able to draw on a wide range of resources both within the Custom Solutions group as well as the entire company, Myers says.

“My background is electrical engineering controls and automation, and I have a team of engineers who work with me—mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, a software engineer, and a general solutions engineer who handles assembly and packaging,” Myers says.

In addition, the Solutions Group has access to Ph.D.-level scientists in Mitutoyo’s R&D division on the West Coast, as well as professionals in its factories in Japan they can reach out to if they need optics engineers, photonic engineers or other specialists, he adds.

“We have the largest depth and breadth of any company that I’m aware of in the metrology business,” Myers says. “That means we can cover just about any situation or scenario a manufacturer may have. If there’s a measurement challenge, we have the resources to help them overcome it.”

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