As quality control continues to be taken more seriously, an increasing amount of companies are making room for inspection equipment in their budgets. In the same token, they must continue to invest in the best inspection software, which has grown in leaps and bounds in terms of its capabilities.
Today’s inspection software is a versatile and powerful technology: one that relies more and more upon Model Based Definition (MBD )—where all the tolerances and dimensions can be pre-defined in CAD software when the product is designed—instead of inspecting against drawings. “In these cases, inspection planning is totally automatic, reducing the risk of inconsistent interpretation and human error,” says Tom Charron, vice president of product marketing for 3D Systems Inc.