Interoperability in Coordinate Metrology

Coordinate metrology is an essential part of a product life-cycle management, since it guarantees the quality of component used in industrial processes. Nevertheless, nowadays industry environment is complex and full of players, which are correlated or even dependent one to another. Manufacturers use hardware and software to support their industrial process; these assets are provided by different companies, specialized in each specific segment, so there is the need to manage the communication between them. Usually, Coordinate Measurement Machines (CMM), together with their related metrology software and CAD/CAM/CAE/CAIP (Computer-Aided Design, Computer-Aided Manufacturing, Computer-Aided Engineering, Computer-Aided Inspection Planning) software, are developed by different companies. Moreover, the urge to integrate data into a Product Life-cycle Management (PLM) system is increasing; it allows to have a comprehensive control on the product, improve performances and develop strategies. Starting from these necessities, interoperability becomes a topic of interest and important point of arrival in manufacturing; specifically, the focus of this paper is on interoperability Issues in coordinate metrology.