Proper maintenance of coordinate-measuring machines (CMMs) basically consists of two key services that are often confused: Preventive maintenance (PM) and machine calibration. Maintenance includes machine inspection, replacement of worn or damaged components, hardware (mechanical/electrical) adjustments, and thorough cleaning to ensure the machine is in a reliable condition. Calibration service generally consists of verifying how the machine measures and making necessary accuracy adjustments to achieve optimal data results. Many manufacturers believe that a calibration is sufficient to keep the machine running and in peak condition. In reality, calibrating a machine without having performed preventive maintenance leaves the manufacturer open to problematic and possibly costly repair.To avoid unnecessary repair, emphasis on preventive maintenance should be considered in addition to the calibration during your next scheduled service.
Before scheduling a service call, manufacturers should define a few machine specifics such as: