The use of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and other discrete point sampling devices in dimensional metrology has raised questions regarding the proper interpretation of data which technically constrains a surface only at the points measured. Reconciling the intrinsic limitations of such inspection techniques with dimensioning and tolerancing standards which often make the implicit assumption that surfaces can be fully characterized has been an issue of major concern in the metrology community in recent years. In addition economic considerations argue for more efficient and reliable procedures for dimensional inspection. This has led to the desire to find sampling and data analysis methods by which the information available through discrete point sampling is maximized.
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