Toyota Expands Use of Perceptron AutoSpect(R) Paint Quality System to First North American-built Lexus Plant

PLYMOUTH, Mich., April 7 -- Perceptron, Inc. today announced Toyota Motor Corporation has installed its AutoSpect(R) paint quality measurement system in the Cambridge, Ontario, production facility to measure the paint quality characteristics of the new 2004 Lexus RX 330.

This luxury-brand SUV debuted at the 2003 North American International Auto Show and will be the first Lexus vehicle built in North America. The plant has been outfitted with systems and software to maintain the same Japan- based Lexus quality.

"Quality pressures on this North American plant are extremely high and Lexus paint finishes are almost legendary," says Bill Corriveau, Perceptron senior vice president. "Toyota chose AutoSpect(R) for this high-profile vehicle because of AutoSpect's proven ability to validate a consistent, high- quality finish on every vehicle produced."

Toyota currently uses the AutoSpect(R) system on multiple paint lines in Japan and Europe. The web-based system provides the capability to check up- to-the-minute paint quality on vehicles being produced in plants anywhere in the world.

About AutoSpect(R)

Perceptron's AutoSpect(R) system is a non-contact, automated measurement system that checks the critical characteristics affecting the appearance quality of painted surfaces such as orange peel, distinctness of image (DOI) and gloss. The system helps manufacturers monitor and control their paint processes by identifying data trends, repetitive pattern errors, and unintended process changes.

Traditional paint quality assessment methods include subjective visual evaluation or manually measuring only a few vehicles per day. AutoSpect(R) performs these checks on 100% of production. Also, Perceptron's exclusive IPNet(TM) web-based platform makes the data available to company engineers anywhere in the world for comparison and analysis.

AutoSpect(R) data is based on the proprietary AutoSpect(R) (1-100) scale of paint appearance which has been widely adopted by global automobile and paint manufacturers. Products using this scale have been sold to DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Honda and PSA (Peugeot-Citroen), among others.

About Perceptron

Perceptron produces information-based process improvement solutions for industry as well as technology components for non-contact measurement and inspection applications. Automotive and manufacturing companies throughout the world rely on Perceptron's process management solutions to help them improve quality, shorten product launch times and reduce overall manufacturing costs.

Headquartered in Plymouth, Mich., Perceptron has approximately 215 employees worldwide, with facilities in the United States, Germany, Brazil, and Japan. For more information, please visit www.perceptron.com .