Evaluation of the Performance of Coordinate Measuring Machines in the Industry, Using Calibrated Artefacts

Abstract The coordinate measuring machines (CMM's) has given a new impulse in the field of geometrical and dimensional metrology. The CMM's in industrial environments have become an important resource for the quality systems, monitoring manufacturing processes, reduction errors during the manufacturing process, inspection of product specifications and in continuous quality improvement. However, there is a need to evaluate, through practical, fast, effective and low cost methods, the CMM metrological specifications. Using calibrated artefacts, able to reproduce the geometric elements frequently measured, it seeks to ensure stability of the functional and metrological characteristics between calibrations and simultaneously knowing the errors. With better monitoring of the control parameters it is possible evaluate and optimize the calibration set deadlines, timely detection of faults and failures, detect structural changes and changes in environmental conditions of the laboratories, thus seeking to conduct a more detailed assessment of the stability of metrological characteristics of a CMM in industrial environments.