Meet MAESTRO: How Hexagon is Turning Quality Into a Power Play, 462

If inspection is the bottleneck in your shop, you're not alone—and this episode might just be your blueprint for breaking through it. We sat down with the team behind MAESTRO, the latest release from Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division, to explore how a complete reinvention of the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is shifting quality control from a necessary evil to a productivity enabler. MAESTRO isn't just faster or sleeker—it's smarter. Built from the ground up with the realities of today's shops in mind, it tackles challenges like workforce shortages, inconsistent programming skills, and disconnected systems. With Shawn Thelen and Jörg Deller from Hexagon joining us, we get into how this all-digital, automation-ready CMM uses no-code software, digital twins, and smart integration to become a seamless part of the production process. We loved hearing how Hexagon developed five key user personas to design MAESTRO for real people—not just ideal conditions. Whether you're a seasoned metrologist or a machine operator cross-trained on quality, this system aims to make measurement intuitive, reliable, and lightning-fast. And if you're on the road to lights-out manufacturing, the implications are huge. With real-time MES integration, remote diagnostics, and even the ability to support automatic offset corrections, MAESTRO isn't just measuring—it's making decisions. For shops serious about throughput, this episode shows how smart metrology can finally keep pace with the rest of your operation. Segments (0:00) How Hexagon is turning quality into a power play (3:31) Introducing today's guests(s) and topic (5:57) Stationary metrology vs portable metrology (6:25) Why CMMs haven't evolved—and what Hexagon is doing about it  (10:02) Building MAESTRO around five real-world user archetypes (13:06) Voice-of-the-customer feedback and shaping product features (15:15) Real shop struggles: why CMMs feel like a "necessary evil" (22:06) MAESTRO's digital twin and no-code environment explained (27:08) How MAESTRO integrates with MES and enables smart automation (28:46) OEE, bottlenecks, and the role of metrology in real ROI (32:25) MAESTRO in practice: speed, feedback, and the smart machine eye (36:36) Getting closer to lights-out: standard protocols and future-proofing (39:50) Where and when you can see MAESTRO live  Resources mentioned on this episode Connect with Shawn on LinkedIn Connect with Jörg on LinkedIn Follow Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence on LinkedIn Learn more about MAESTRO Connect With MakingChips www.MakingChips.com On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instagram On Twitter On YouTube