North American sales of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) fell 33% in 2001 compared to 2000, according to the Metrology Automation Association (MAA, Ann Arbor, MI). The CMM market had sales of $169.3 million with 1,597 units shipped in 2001. According to MAA statistics, bridge-style CMMs accounted for 77% of the market in 2001, about the same as 2000, and continued to be the top seller. Manual bridge-style machines accounted for most of the remaining market share with horizontal bridge and arm-style machines accounting for a small market share. "A slight increase in the percent of units shipped to the motor vehicle sector last year might be considered a minor grace during a tough economic time, but it is interesting to note that the noncomputer sector for electronic and electrical equipment actually eked out a slight increase over 2000," says Brian Huse, MAA managing director. "We also found that in 2001, the Midwest continued to be the largest region for metrology market share."