Quality and inspection of machining operations: CMM integration to the machine tool

Dimensional measurement feedback in manufacturing systems is critical in order to consistently produce quality parts. Considering this, methods and techniques by which to accomplish this feedback have been the focus of numerous studies in recent years. Moreover, with the rapid advances in computing technology, the complexity and computational overhead that can be feasibly incorporated in any developed technique have dramatically improved. Thus, techniques that would have been impractical for implementation just a few years ago can now be realistically applied. This rapid growth has resulted in a wealth of new capabilities for improving part and process quality and reliability. In this paper, overviews of recent advances that apply to machining are presented. More specifically, research publications pertaining to the use of coordinate measurement machines to improve the machining process are discussed.