Classic cars get WMG laser solution

Warwick University's

(Warwick Manufacturing Group) is using highly accurate laser measurement to help make custom parts for classic cars.

WMG’s Craftsmanship team has recently installed a £350,000 laser measurement machine, supplied by Derbyshire-based Metris UK, that can measure to the nearest micron anything from the smallest component to a complete car.

The team plans to demonstrate this technology next week by laser scanning a priceless Lea Francis Hyper which won the 1928 Ulster TT race to develop a unique computer model of the car.

Lead researcher Dr Mark Williams said of the technology: ‘No other university in the country has one and the cost usually means that only the biggest manufacturing companies are able to use them.

'The story with the Lea Francis, as with many other classic cars, is that they are often ‘one-of-a-kind’ examples with engineering drawings hard to find, making it difficult to manufacture new components or replace broken ones.