Handheld Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM)

The Fabrication Technology Office (FTO) provides a wide range of engineering, fabrication, and technical services to support the creation of unique measurement instruments and scientific apparatus needed by NIST scientists and research staff. The group provides the mission critical engineering and manufacturing expertise and equipment needed to produce specialized parts and subassemblies for a variety of one-of-a-kind instruments conceived by NIST scientists and engineers. A cadre of highly skilled engineers, instrument makers, and engineering technicians provide this core capability. Beyond fabricating parts and equipment, group staff members work collaboratively with NIST research staff providing research support, technical consulting, and testing services. The group specializes in single job/prototype work and short production runs of unique mechanical components. The group also provides mechanical engineering design, optics and glass fabrication, and overall technical solutions for the fabrication and assembly of electromechanical devices.

To meet mission requirements, the FTO needs to procure a handheld coordinate measurement machine (CMM). Currently FTO uses a bridge type of CMM that is several decades old, which experiences calibration and operational issues. As a result, the quality and dimensional accuracy of the parts produced vary significantly, directly impacting the science and mission at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The majority of parts requested by customers require an accuracy of 5 thousandths of an inch and are small enough to fit on a standard tabletop. While most complete parts are inspected in an engineer’s office, few parts are inspected in the inspection room or on the fabrication floor. Currently inspections taking place in the inspection room or at the machine are done by hand which don’t have the same type of accuracy as a CMM..