Where Quality Meets Possibility

The QC Group’s 3D Scanning Service Mobilizes Rollx Vans to Market Months Ahead of Competition

Rollx, a manufacturer of new and used wheelchair-equipped vans has begun introducing new van models 3-4 months ahead of competitors. This success has come as a result of incorporating accurate 3D scanning of many of the van's features, allowing for rapid reverse engineering of interior and exterior ground effects. Now Rollx offers late-model vehicles to the wheelchair community more quickly than could have ever been done before.

Burnsville, MN March 4, 2010 -- Rollx, the only manufacturer and direct seller of new and used mini and full-size wheelchair-equipped vans has a mission—deliver freedom to the wheelchair community. In addition to the freedom of movement, it guarantees the freedom to choose the most convenient service center, including an At Home Service program—any time and anywhere customers designate. No wonder 99 percent of Rollx’s customers say they would return again and recommend the company to others.

Wheelchair accessible van modified using 3D scanning services.In return for this commitment and its high quality standards, Rollx expects the same from its service providers. That’s why Chief Engineer Lynn Ringdahl chose The QC Group to provide 3D scans of the latest van models and says that the company’s flawless scans were essential in introducing customized vans three to four months ahead of their competitors.
    
Painful lessons
The eventual choice did not come without a few bumps in the road. Lengthy reworks associated with manual measurements and patterns frustrated Ringdahl. He explains, “The problem with this approach is that we wouldn’t know a pattern wasn’t right until the mold was made. We went through this process three or four times, making refinements. It took several months until we got it right, which created a real hurdle in meeting customer and market demand. That’s just unacceptable to us.” Ringdahl opted for 3D scanning services and chose the company that makes its molds, “assuming they would be best suited and motivated to provide us accurate scans,” he explains. “The results were disappointing. They just didn’t meet Rollx

We simply could not have done this without accurate 3D scanning services.

That’s when he asked the company that manufactured Rollx’s plastic parts for their recommendations. “It was clear from investigating the candidates that The QC Group had the expertise we needed.”

Fastest route to a factory finish
Rollx actually removes the factory-installed floor from a van and drops a new one in 11 inches lower to accommodate a wheelchair. In order to make the van look factory finished, the interior and exterior ground effects need to be reverse engineered, enabling the creation of new interior plastic shrouds that fill gaps created by the change in the floor location.

Ringdahl says, “A 3D scan should be the fastest route to detailed dimensional drawings. It takes skilled operators and engineers who know their stuff to clean up the data and build the CAD model in the computer—the kind of people at the QC Group.”

According to RIngdahl, The QC Group made the process fast and painless. “They had a quote for us within a couple days that included options for how detailed we wanted the scans to be. The job was done within about a week and a half, and the scans were flawless. The GM knew how concerned I was and let me work directly with the company’s engineers."

Record time-to-market
“Best of all,” he adds, “We saved months of frustrating delays and reworks, but the most important result is that we were able to provide our customers the new models as fast as possible.”

Three months after Rollx released its new-model vans, Ringdahl had one of those moments in the sun. While attending a trade show, he felt tremendous satisfaction in seeing a couple of competitors exhibiting their prototypes. He says, “We simply could not have done this without The QC Group. Accurate 3D scanning services made a huge difference.”

Note from The QC Group: We commend Rollx Vans founder, the late Wade Harris, for creating a charitable program within the company in 2004 that has been providing the free use of accessible vans to veterans returning from service in Afghanistan and Iraq who were injured and required lengthy hospitalization and rehabilitation. “Wounded Warriors” has helped 200 injured veterans return home to their families much sooner, with transportation to and from rehabilitation sites and medical clinics. In addition, Wade’s significant contributions are helping The MS Society The Muscular Dystrophy Association, Paralyzed Veterans Games, ALS, United Cerebral Palsy and other organizations that support the wheelchair community.

For more information, contact
The QC Group
David DeVowe, General Manager
952-746-5860