MoreANN ARBOR, MI—Coordinate measuring machine (CMM) sales revenue was down 20% in 2002 compared to 2001, and 22% fewer units were shipped, according to the Metrology Automation Association (MAA). Data from members of MAA show CMM sales for the year were $135.4 million, with 1,243 units shipped.
“This industry, like most others for capital equipment, is struggling in the wake of a stagnant economy,” says Brian Huse, MAA’s managing director. “It’s hard to say how or when the industry may return to the $200 million mark, where it was in 1999 and 2000, but one thing is sure—the landscape will have changed.”
Among the trends the MAA is watching is the mix of metrology equipment on the shop floor, and the use of video measurement systems. Some of the latest technology was showcased at the International Robots & Vision Show and Conference in June.
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