Manufacturers typically use two main approaches for industrial metrology:
| Tool Type | Accuracy Level | Common Use Case | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | ±0.01 mm | Calipers, micrometers, dial indicators for spot checks. | | CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) | ±0.001 mm | Touching a probe to hundreds of points on a complex 3D part (e.g., turbine blade). | | Optical / Vision Systems | ±0.0005 mm | Measuring tiny, delicate parts (e.g., stents, circuit boards) using cameras and light. | | Laser Scanners | ±0.025 mm | Capturing the entire surface of a part as a "point cloud" for reverse engineering or comparing to CAD. | | Surface Roughness Testers | ±0.1 µm (micrometers) | Checking the "smoothness" of a bearing surface or a mold finish. | what is metrology in manufacturing
Interchangeability: Modern global supply chains rely on the fact that components from different suppliers will fit together. Without standardized metrology, mass production would be impossible. | | Laser Scanners | ±0