PrecisionPath launches industry-wide metrology survey

PrecisionPath Consortium for Large-Scale Manufacturing will officially launch an industry-at-large survey to address usage scenarios and issues impacting many industries, such as aerospace, automotive, defense, power generation, boatbuilding, satellite, oil and gas, and any related field that manufactures large-scale, precision parts that require in-place measurement.

(photo: Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence)

Users and managers of portable metrology systems are encouraged to take the survey which is open until June 30, 2016. The survey is being conducted purely for research purposes and all answers are private. To ensure confidentiality, no identifying personal information is collected with the survey.

The PrecisionPath team has prepared their first industry-at-large survey based on member feedback from the consortium’s “Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis” workshop held in February 2016. This study will gather information about current capabilities and requirements, as well as anticipated future needs, for portable metrology systems in support of large-scale precision manufacturing (LPM).

More than 20 members of the PrecisionPath Planning and Visioning Council participated in the pivotal “Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis” workshop.

The bulk of the meeting was spent reviewing the technology drivers and usage scenarios identified at their October 2015 meeting, then addressing questions about the various attributes of metrology instruments utilized in manufacturing or scientific applications. The group also discussed additional needs for workforce development, data management, and the industry standards required to support this field. This project is funded by an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech) Grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department.

The PrecisionPath Consortium is comprised of representatives from leading manufacturing companies including Lockheed Martin, The Boeing Company, Spirit AeroSystems, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Siemens. Participating OEMs and metrology service providers included Automated Precision (API), New River Kinematics (NRK), Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, ECM Global Measurement Solutions, FARO Technologies, Nikon Metrology and Planet Tool and Engineering. Consortium organizers are Ron Hicks, CMS PrecisionPath Chair, and UNC Charlotte representatives Ed Morse, John Ziegert, Ram Kumar, and Antonis Stylianou. Thomas Lettieri of NIST serves in a consulting role for the consortium.

www.precisionpathconsortium.com