Coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), vision systems, the trusty micrometer—no manufacturer would argue the importance of traditional dimensional metrology equipment, but the fact remains that the tried and true sometimes comes up lacking. What happens when you can’t see or reach interior features? Is there any porosity or stress cracking deep within the workpiece? How about fiber orientation? And once a product has been assembled, how does one go about measuring the clearance between its mating components, the fit and function of the unseen interior?
These are just a few of the instances where a more robust metrology approach is required. Yes, nondestructive testing (NDT) methods like magnetic particle inspection and eddy current are great for finding shallow defects, but that’s about all. Destructive testing is also a possibility, but the slice and dice approach is both time-consuming and quite expensive; worse, the cross-section taken from one area of a workpiece might suggest that all is well, while the view from an adjacent section could show something completely different.