We usually think of a “quantum leap” as a big thing, a great change or advance, and often when we are using this term, it is. Yet the term actually originates from atomic science and describes an electron moving from one energy level to another. This is a very tiny change indeed, however significant it is for the electron involved.
The next quantum leap in form measurement will be of similar proportion: very small in scale but significant in impact. In this “next big thing,” microns will be considered a gross measure and nanometers will become targets of interest. We’re not quite fully there yet, of course, but industry is rapidly shifting towards micron level tolerance requirements and the need for high precision manufacturing and measurement is growing. While most current projects are related to scientific applications in aerospace and nuclear, many micro-mechanical elements of optics and electronics also require higher and higher levels of fit, form and function. In addition, economical low-emission engines, high-performance hydraulics, and medical diagnostic equipment all require increasingly accurate reliable components that meet not only the required dimensions but also the required shape.