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How Hexagon empowers the French Defence Procurement Agency (Direction générale de l’armement, DGA) with 3D CT data segmentation using VGTRAINER and AI.

Until now, analysts at the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) of the French Ministry of Defence needed a great deal of time to evaluate CT scans of printed circuit boards — one single board could take up to an entire day. Experts examined the data voxel by voxel to identify conductive connections between the vias and thus decode the circuitry. It was clear to the DGA: this process needed to be faster, more precise, and more wide ranging. With AI-based training using Hexagon’s VGTRAINER, evaluations can now be completed within seconds — while achieving higher accuracy and enabling larger data volumes to be processed efficiently in VGSTUDIO MAX.

When the DGA receives a new printed circuit board — such as from drones or other airborne systems with highly complex control mechanisms — analysts can look directly inside. Using computed tomography, the agency generates high-resolution 3D datasets, which are digitally evaluated during subsequent postprocessing. Every detail counts: The data reveals insights into internal structures, tight geometries, and even the smallest features such as traces and solder joints — completely non-destructively and without time-consuming physical sectioning. 

As France’s defense procurement authority, the DGA operates under substantial pressure for both speed and precision. For the design, assessment, and further development of defense systems and operations, correct information must be available as quickly as possible. This also applies to the postprocessing of complex 3D CT scans. That’s why some sites of the agency began collaborating with Hexagon as early as ten years ago and have since relied on software solutions such as VGSTUDIO MAX for non-destructive analysis. The department responsible for analyzing circuit boards has now taken another step forward: it explored the possibilities of automated data evaluation using artificial intelligence — and thereby its own optimization potential.

This question has been pondered upon by humans for thousands of years. But are we any closer to finding the answer?
 
For OHB’s space missions that aim to answer one of humanity’s biggest questions—are we alone in the Universe?—precision and reliability are non‑negotiable. VG software plays a crucial role in ensuring that the instruments sent to explore distant worlds are flawless at a microscopic level.

Turbine blades are a critical component for jet engines. Ensuring their quality is not just a safety consideration; high-quality turbine blades ensure optimal engine performance, fuel efficiency, durability, and reduced emissions.

It’s important to remember here that the aerospace industry is not like the high-volume world of automotive where samples from the production line are tested. In aerospace, every blade must be tested.

Of course, embedding rigorous inspection processes into manufacturing also helps to detect potential turbine blade issues before they lead to failures. But such a rigorous inspection routine can involve multiple processes, such as tactile or optical 3D coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) for the external dimensions in tandem with computed tomography (CT) for internal dimensions and structure.

One manufacturer, Safran Tech, identified this as an area where efficiency improvements could be made. Safran Tech is part of Safran Group - the world’s second largest aircraft equipment manufacturer, employing over 92,000 people and generating 27.31 billion euros in revenue (2024).

No two deviations are created equal. As much as we strive for an ideal form, each part is produced with manufacturing imperfections that cause it to deviate from its nominal shape. As such, we often end up with a slew of parts, each with its own deviations. In some cases, such as reverse engineering and mesh compensation, we need to choose one to work with. The question is, how do we decide? Join us as we use VGSTUDIO MAX to average them out and find the golden surface! 

It's time for the Winter Olympics! And what better way for us to celebrate at Volume Graphics than with a bit of sports and 3D scanning? Join CEITEC, Vagus, and One3D as they work together to design the perfect helmet for Olympic skeleton racer, Anna Fernstädtová!

In some dental practices—and at least in large dental laboratories—digitization has arrived. For example, intraoral scanners are becoming more and more popular in fabricating crowns and veneers. However, in the lateral and posterior tooth regions, the accuracy of the scans is quite limited. As soon as a cast of several teeth is required, such as for bridges or aligners, creating a plaster cast from a classic dental impression is still hailed as the most precise method—but unfortunately the most time-consuming.
With CT technology and VGSTUDIO MAX, dental professionals have now found the time-saving shortcut they were looking for. Thanks to automation, they can save a lot of time without having to compromise on the quality they've gotten used to.

We at VG Stories would like to wish you a fantastic start to the new year! And what better—and environmentally friendlier—way to celebrate than virtual firecrackers? Join us as we use VGSTUDIO MAX to examine what, exactly, gives a firecracker its spark!

VGSTUDIO MAX has rolled out with a game-changing feature that has revamped how we work with distorted parts—adaptive measurement templates! With this feature, a measurement plan created from nominal CAD data (or imported with PMI) can be applied to even the most distorted parts. Join us as we walk you through this nifty new feature!

3D printing is all the rage, and with good reason! It allows for the rapid prototyping and printing of more complex designs in a highly sustainable and flexible way compared to conventional manufacturing processes. But even in the world of additive manufacturing, there are endless possibilities. Where does one even begin? Join Fraunhofer IWS as they use VGSTUDIO MAX to evaluate the quality of different 3D printing technologies and materials!