Proposed new tests for evaluating CMM performance

The current series of international standards for performance evaluation of Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMMs), ISO 10360, outline tests that allow manufacturers (OEMs) to publish specifications in such a way that it is more difficult for the non-expert CMM user to compare different brands of machines. The intent is to improve competitive advantage by having a very attractive, yet many times non-representative, value denoting the machine possible accuracy. Typically these values can only be achieved under very strict conditions. Once values are established and published in accordance with current standards, it is very difficult to challenge them without executing (expensive) tests.