Quality assurance through precision measurement in manufacturing
| Equipment | Measurement | Accuracy | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) | 3D dimensions | ±0.001 mm | Complex geometries, GD&T |
| Optical Comparator | 2D profiles | ±0.01 mm | Contour inspection |
| Vision Measuring System | 2D/3D dimensions | ±0.002 mm | Small parts, multiple features |
| Surface Roughness Tester | Ra, Rz, Rmax | ±5% | Surface finish verification |
| Laser Scanner | 3D point cloud | ±0.02 mm | Reverse engineering, large parts |
| Hardness Tester | HRC, HB, HV | ±1-2 HRC | Material hardness verification |
All inspection equipment must be calibrated at regular intervals with traceability to national or international standards (ISO 17025). Calibration frequency ranges from monthly for high-usage CMMs to annually for less critical equipment.
Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) inspection requires CMM or dedicated gages. Common GD&T callouts include flatness, parallelism, concentricity, and true position.