Much has changed over the years regarding the manufacturing process. Perhaps one of the biggest changes for modern manufacturers is that, today, it’s all about data. Its unprecedented forms and variations make possible the building of databases that can be sorted and analyzed to a degree manufacturing predecessors could have only dreamed. This leads to superior levels of knowledge related to the contributing factors of a process, and it allows for greater proactivity when it comes to predictive decision-making. However, it is still not possible to predict all failures, though the latest technologies do get manufacturers closer. That’s where the trend of adopting flexible automated metrology systems comes into play.

Automating measurement in the manufacturing process itself isn’t new. It’s the how and why related to automated metrology that has evolved. Twenty years ago the primary systems for inline inspection were dedicated gages, specifically made for those operations. Today, we see that method dwindling and instead see more manufacturers moving toward more flexible options like CNC metrology systems.