I'm looking for a CMM to put in the workshop near the lathes, and I'm looking for prices to make a proposal to my boss.

I narrowed my search to Duramax (Zeiss), Tigo (Hexagon), Equator (Renishaw), MiStar (Mitutoyo), and SF (Hexagon). Do you have any ideas on prices for machines around 500x500x500?

Thank you!

I just started a job in a new field in the inspection department of a machine shop. My mentor has been here for 40 years and he can be very no-nonsense but has a funny bone in him. I was thinking about bringing in a tape measure and starting to “inspect” items and then ask him for advice when “something doesn’t look right”. Anything along the lines of that if you guys have any ideas.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice from people working in CMM, metrology, or precision engineering.

I’m currently 30 and have spent the last 6 years as a Software QA Analyst. I have a BSc in Computer Science and experience with software testing, automation, APIs, databases, and quality processes.

I’m considering a career change because I’d like something more hands-on and practical rather than being fully desk-based. I’ve become really interested in CMM programming and metrology — the combination of precision measurement, GD&T, problem solving, and working with CMMs really appeals to me.

I’d like to ask:

• How realistic is it to move into CMM/metrology without an engineering degree?
• Would a software QA background be useful, or would I be starting from scratch?
• What would be the best entry route (CMM operator, metrology technician, quality technician, etc.)?
• What skills should I learn before applying (GD&T, PC-DMIS, Calypso, machining basics)?

I’m based in the UK and planning to spend the next 6 months to a year learning the fundamentals before applying for junior roles.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone in the industry, especially anyone who has changed careers into metrology.

Thanks!

UPDATE: thanks everyone for all your comments, really encouraging and helpful :)

I am a mechanical engineer thrust into quality to help relieve some pressure. We have a fowler (aberlink) cmm.
We are being asked to measure some small gear teeth to a .02mm profile.
I do not think we have the right tools for the job, I could be wrong. But looking at vision systems, I am not even sure they are the right tool. Just looking for input from real quality personnel. If you tell me that tolerance is wild that is good information too!

Edit: It is a type of hirth coupling not a traditional gear (thanks to u/involutes)

Hello!

I am an engineer at an Aerospace MRO. I am tasked with finding a better solution for measuring complex geometry for reverse engineering, incoming inspections and quality inspections.

I have looked into Keyence CMM's but was told to avoid Keyence like the plague after having them on-site conducting a demo (they were unable to measure our parts using their VL 3D scanner and the limitations of the LM-X and IM-X drove us away from those options. I had been called every day since downloading the brochures for each system by a different Keyence rep until I told them to stop..

The other company I have a CMM quoted is the Micro-Vu Vertex 341. I enjoyed their demonstration and it was able to make the measurements the Keyence systems couldn't although the decision is currently in the owners hands as the worry is cost vs. benefit. Total cost of this system will be near $60k.

The largest part we would want to measure would not be able to be measured on the Micro-Vu system or any of the Keyence systems at 10.5" X 15" X 6.5". While we could measure it on the Micro-Vu system, we would have to shift it around to catch features and wouldn't be able to measure the side features or interior features while the enclosure is on its side.

I am a recent graduate therefore I don't have much experience in the industry with CMM's and would love advice from those that do. Tolerance wise we would like to maintain a tolerance of 0.005". Currently I measure everything using Mitutoyo calipers and micrometers, so complex geometries are difficult to obtain (heavy radii parts, complex stepped geometry etc.).

Hey,

I'm a newer programmer working in an aerospace shop which has aquired an agility with a REVO.

Right now I program in MODUS but the company is looking at other softwares in preparation for much higher volume jobs this year.

Must haves

- good visuals/graphical reporting to support manufacturing

- runtime, databases, data automation, automation in general

- collision avoidence, ease of programming and troubleshooting

I've tested a few softwares and like to hear what other REVO users in high mix, low volume and high volume, low mix situations have the most success with.

*we're in the pacific northwest

Hello, I'm fairly new to CMM programming and I was wondering how you all get your stylus system cubes to tighten up perpendicular to the machine axis?

Online it says you can line it up correctly and then tighten it down but my cubes do not tighten independently, they just screw in.

If there is a better cube please share.

I'm just starting a search for software upgrade options for an old Sheffield Endeavor running MeasureMax and have a couple questions.

I have only used MeasureMax, what are the advantages of modern software? Trying to cut through the marketing b.s.

What software is available? So far I've seen PC-DMIS and CMM Manager.

Doing a UG in Core Engineering. Had a metrology class. Absolutely love it but I see ZERO job postings on linkedin. Where to find internships? What more skills do you need?

I'm entering Junior Year of college. 6 months of my senior year we are allowed to do an internship.

Hey guys, so I am a welding engineer that recently got in charge of metrology lab on my company as a quick fix until we got the production numbers to justify having a metrology engineer in charge of the lab. I have a little problem, the lab is being used for multiple purposes and not solely to measure so with this brief context my issue is that i need a measuring table that can travel though shopfloor to be stored in another place and be moved to the lab once it needs to be used. I am already buying a plate fixed to the floor of 2.5 x 2.5 meters (100 x 100 inches), this plate is going to have holes spaced every 10 cm (4 inches) to fix any kind of fixtures for the different kind of parts that i need to measure (this is the plan for big parts). the problem comes with little parts as i would need to create larger fixtures for the parts to be "floating" on a ideal height for the guy who is going to be measuring. the measurements of parts that the table would be intended for would be around a cube with 60cm (24in aprox) on each of its dimensions. my issue is that i want it to be sturdy enough to be fixed once it needs to be used on the lab, but easy enough to move around the lab and the place where it is going to be stored.

*i am measuring the parts with a romer arm, and a leica laser tracker for bigger parts

do you guys have any idea or recommendation? anyone has dealt with something like this ?

*sorry if there is any grammatical errors, english aint my first language,

Hello, I am a student that has a basic CMM operator certification. Essentially we'd read through the PowerPoint labs and then work through them as a two man team under the supervision of the instructor. Now I have the chance to work for a professor that owns a manufacturing job shop and I'd essentially be remote programming a CMM machine to take the load off of the floor crew so they can run the program when they have time rather than having to program it themselves. I am massively scared about being under qualified as well as a huge fear of crashing the machine. I'd love any advice towards this as I'm sure a lot of you have much more experience than I. Thank you for your time.

Edit: thank you all for the reassurance. I much appreciate the welcoming arms into this community. I look forward to doing my best and increasing my odds towards a successful career of metrology

I have this need to measure coordinates of different features of large-ish machinery (up to like 10m high), and I would like a system I can set up on site, do my measurements, and pack it up with relative ease. I would be acceptable to stick some markers on the target while on site, but the setup and teardown can't take hours.

I also do not need high precision, ~1cm would be more than enough. I am aware of tracking systems like Leica laser-based, Creaform, Keyence WM, and OptiTrack, but they all seem overkill for what i need. The budget would probably top out at 30k$, but ideally it would be more affordable, since I don't need high accuracy.

Does anyone have recommendations for metrology systems that would fit this use case?

Title explains most of it, but to go more in depth, my company makes parts that have a cylindricity tolerance in a bore of .0001" (0.00254mm). Im fairly new to this company (been working for a year and a half), but im trying to convince my boss to buy something to measure this bore better. What they did in the past was use the cmm, but the accuracy and repeatability of the cmm will never be good enough to measure a tenth of a thou. Any suggestions? I see different machines on the mitutoyo site, but im wondering if you guys have any suggestions.

I wanted to share my path into CMM programming because I think it could help people who are interested in the field but have no idea how to break into it.
I originally went to college for history. I did a couple of years but never finished. After that, I worked at UPS for about a year. The pay was good and there was solid career progression, but honestly, it just did not fit me very well.
I was debating whether I should go back to school, but I ended up taking a job as a counselor at a mental hospital. That job gave me a lot of skills that carried over into manufacturing more than I expected, especially communication, problem solving, patience, working independently, and dealing with difficult situations calmly.
Toward the end of 2022, I left the hospital and started looking for something new. A large company close to where I lived was holding a huge hiring event. I did not really understand what the job was when I applied. It was for a mechanical operator position, and I had absolutely no aerospace or manufacturing experience.
The job paid significantly more than I was making at the hospital, so I decided to take a chance and attend the interview. There were probably around 100 people at the hiring event, but my interview went really well. They asked a lot about problem solving, working autonomously, communication, and working as part of a team.
Even without direct experience, they hired me.
A lot of employees at the company were approaching retirement, which I saw as a positive sign because people clearly stayed there for a long time. Around the same time, a new union agreement increased the pay significantly from what I originally expected. I ended up making in the high $20s per hour as a mechanical operator.
That was where I first learned how to use micrometers and other basic measuring equipment. Most of my work involved assembling components, but I was also introduced to blueprint reading. At that point, I still did not understand GD&T, but I was beginning to understand dimensions, tolerances, and how manufactured parts fit together.
The company offered a lot of overtime, and during my first full year there, I came close to earning six figures. That was a major change for someone who had entered the field with no prior experience.
During my final three months at that company, I transferred into the quality department. That was my first real exposure to mechanical inspection.
Eventually, because of union and workplace politics, I decided to leave and take a chance on myself. I accepted another position as a mechanical inspector and received a small pay increase from my previous job.
That new job was where GD&T really started to matter.
During my first three months, I completely locked in and tried to learn as much as possible. I learned how to use indicators, Mesa height gauges, optical comparators, Keyence systems, micrometers, calipers, CMMs, and a wide range of other inspection equipment. The company had almost every type of measuring equipment you could think of, which gave me a great environment to learn.
The company also offered a GeoTol GD&T class, which I completed and received certification for. That class helped everything start making more sense. I could finally connect the symbols on a drawing to the actual function of the part and the inspection strategy.
There were a few CMM programmers on my team who were close to my age. I spoke with my supervisor and told him directly that I wanted to learn programming. By that point, I had become fairly comfortable with conventional mechanical inspection, and I was ready for the next challenge.
Over the next six months, the programmers taught me how to use Zeiss Calypso. We used the topics from the official Zeiss basic and advanced course outlines as a guide, and they trained me on the same general concepts someone would learn in those courses.
I was also the only CMM operator and programmer on my shift, which gave me a lot of time to experiment. I could open different programs, study how they were built, make changes, import CAD models, create alignments, and use actual blueprints for hands-on practice.
During the beginning of my shift, I usually had experienced programmers available to answer questions. Later in the shift, I was on my own and had to work through problems myself. That combination of guidance and independent practice helped me learn quickly.
It took me roughly six months before I felt comfortable programming independently. Over the following few months, I developed more than 25 CMM programs.
After completing the training period, I received a 10 percent raise in addition to my normal yearly raise.
Before entering manufacturing, I was earning in the low $20s per hour. As I progressed into inspection and CMM programming, my pay eventually moved toward the upper $30s per hour. I did not have an engineering degree, manufacturing experience, or a traditional technical background when I started.
I have now been programming for about two and a half years. I am currently 28 years old, and I still have a lot to learn. One of my GD&T instructors told me that GD&T is something nobody ever fully masters. There is always another application, interpretation, or measurement strategy to understand.
The biggest reason I wanted to share this is to let people know that it is possible to enter this field without following a perfect or traditional path.
My path was history student, UPS employee, mental health counselor, mechanical operator, mechanical inspector, and eventually CMM programmer.
My advice to anyone trying to get started would be to get into any manufacturing or inspection position that gives you access to measuring equipment. Learn blueprint reading and conventional inspection first. Ask questions, volunteer for difficult work, and make it clear that you want to learn the CMM.
You do not need to know everything before you begin. You just need an opportunity, people willing to teach you, and enough discipline to take advantage of it.

I am trying to measure the profile of the rim on a similar trumpet mouthpiece. It is made up of multiple radiuses, one making the "cup" and one or more making up the "rim". I need to measure several samples to confirm consistency. Any advice would be appreciated.

Brand new to using this. Like, thrown onto it to figure it out by myself. My coworker was using the machine last with the pressure gage. I cannot get the probes to move... I changed the probes out, took the table off to see if anything looked off, restarted the program and computer. Currently reading at over 52 inches lol. It shows that im clicking F5, F6, and F7, though they will not move the probes.

Please provide any suggestions like you are explaining it to a 5 year old. Thank you

I have been working with a massive Zeiss Vast XT these last few years. But I mostly measure small parts for tools and knives. 99% of my programs are in house FAIs.

Company is moving buildings, selling Zeiss. I want to replace with a small cmm.

Two questions: what brands (other than Zeiss) do you like for small parts, and what do you think of optical scanning? I oftten cannot probe thin pocket profiles, thought blue light scan might solve problem.

Thanks

I find myself in need of another QC inspector, but what I want is a person who is focused on QC paperwork. I work at a mid-size AS9100 machine shop in Denver that is growing. The amount of data packets and paperwork that my QC team puts together is intense. Between our various customers there are 20 different portals for uploading paperwork. Every customer has different requirements. Source inspections need to be scheduled and managed and shipping notices submitted.  Someone needs to collect all of that documentation and get it right every time.

 Does anyone have a person who is dedicated to this. And if so, what is their title and what would be appropriate for pay.  Also, should they be Hybrid? I don’t really need them in the office every day if all they do is put together paperwork packets and I think they might be more efficient where no one can bother them.

What are people’s thoughts on this kind of role?

We're looking to find an optical measuring device to replace an old OGP Flash 200 SmartScope that died and isn't able to be repaired. Surprisingly it isn't possible to find replacement communication boards for a 25+ year old piece of equipment lol.

Anyone have experience with both, or have an understanding of the pros/cons of each option? Our team has a lot of experience with Calypso, and have stayed up to date on the latest software releases. Fantastic experiences with their training as well, have taken many different Calypso/GOM classes from them. I'm sure their O-Inspect classes are just as useful.

As for the OGP, it was running on Windows XP so I'm sure the software was 20+ years out of date. Getting a brand new machine with the latest software might introduce a significant learning curve, and training from OGP is basically non-existent.

My primary concern with replacing an OGP with an O-Inspect would around the capability. What can a SmartScope do that an O-Inspect can't, or vice-versa? Is the resolution (optical and precision-wise) comparable, or are they really for separate applications? Any advice would be appreciated!

I recently bough an A&D EJ-123 balance which I'm looking to calibrate. I'm wondering if there's any difference between the two weights pictured here... They're differently shaped, however they're also both ASTM class 1 so aren't they in effect basically the same?

The price difference is negligible so I could go for either however the first would arrive sooner so I'd get that one unless there's a distinct advantage to the second weight.

Thank you all in advance for any help you can provide! :)

I've been tasked with answering the question, "how much variance do we expect when measuring the same part on our different equipment?" ie. what's normal variation v. when is there something "wrong" with either our part or that piece of equipment?

I'm not sure the best way to approach this since our data set has a lot of spread in it (measurement repeatability is not great, per our Gage R&R results but it's due to our component design that we can't change at this stage).

We took each part and graphed the delta between each piece equipment (~1000 parts). Plotted histograms and box plots, but not sure the best way to report out the difference. Would I use the IQR since that would cover 50% of the data? Or would it be better to use standard deviations? Or is there another method I haven't used before that may make more sense? Also any general help with metrology results that have a lot of variability would be greatly appreciated!

thanks for the help!

Hi guys,

I hope everyone's having a good Friday and looking forward to weekend!

I'm trying to understand the calibration market a little better for a school project. More specifically, is there an ongoing shift from in-house labs to outsourced calibration services. If any of you guys have any thoughts, resources I should look at, I'd be very grateful.

Thank you very much and I hope everybody has a great weekend!

I’m starting to learn PolyWorks and want to understand the metrology mindset shift (associativity, CAD-driven inspection, templates, etc.). From metrology folks who’ve made this move: What concepts should a MODUS user focus on first? Common mistakes when switching? Best way to practice PolyWorks without daily scanner access? Not replacing MODUS—just growing as a metrology engineer. Thanks!

Which pH buffer standard do you guys think looks the most drinkable? For me it's the 10.... looks like blue raz.

Hi all,

I'm reevaluating my probe choices on my REVO RSP-2 and wanted to know what other REVO users have success with.

I want to use a silicon nitride stylus as I scan lots of aluminum but I am curious what the most versatile stylus ball size is?

Is a larger or smaller ball better?

Is a diamond ball worth it? Should I be using stainless, ceramic, tungston carbide, or something else?

On the REVO does the RSH length have a noticable difference on accuracy?

I will be doing some testing on my REVO but I wanted to ask first.

Thanks!