photo credit: Vulture19 / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0

Key Takeaways

• CMMs are critical for quality control but often act as a bottleneck, slowing down production throughput.
• The goal is not to replace the CMM but to reduce routine reliance by shifting inspections to the CNC machine tool.
• On-machine probing enables accurate, in-process inspection, eliminating delays from part transfers and rework.
• Automated alignment systems like NC-PartLocator ensure perfect part positioning without manual setup or complex fixtures.
• Real-time inspection data helps adjust tool offsets and prevent scrap before it happens, maintaining tight tolerances.
• By freeing up routine checks, the CMM can focus on final acceptance, calibration, audits, and RandD tasks.