September 2026 Metrology News Magazine
Editors Message:
September has been a particularly busy month for the industrial metrology sector, with IMTS in Chicago and AMB in Stuttgart providing a clear indication of the technologies and trends shaping the manufacturing industry.
It was also great to be back at IMTS and to have the opportunity to network and discuss the industry’s latest developments with exhibitors and visitors alike. The conversations on the show floor provided valuable insights into the challenges manufacturers are facing and the growing role of metrology, automation, robotics and AI in addressing them.
A common theme emerging from both shows was the closer integration of metrology with manufacturing. Measurement is increasingly moving onto the shop floor and becoming an active part of the production process, rather than simply a final quality-control operation. The growth of closed-loop manufacturing, automated inspection, robotics and machine-tool measurement all point towards a future where measurement data is used to monitor and adjust processes in real time.
This month’s newsletter also reflects the sheer pace of product development across the industry. We feature a particularly large number of new product and technology introductions, ranging from CMMs, optical and 3D scanning systems to X-ray CT, microscopy, machine-tool inspection and AI-enabled metrology. The breadth of these developments highlights how rapidly manufacturers are being offered new ways to capture, analyse and use measurement data.
Artificial intelligence was another recurring theme at IMTS, with AI moving beyond data analysis into inspection programming, defect detection and manufacturing decision support. At the same time, manufacturers are discovering that simply connecting machines and inspection systems is not enough. The real opportunity lies in integrating these technologies so that measurement data can drive meaningful action.
The direction of travel is clear: metrology is becoming an increasingly integral part of manufacturing rather than a separate step at the end of the process.
This month’s featured articles included “3D Inspection Data Transformed into Practical Insights“, “From AI-Assisted Inspection to AI-Native Metrology“, “Why Surface Roughness Specifications Are Shifting from Ra to Sa“, “From Sampling to Seeing – How Optical Metrology is Redefining Manufacturing Quality“, “How Augmented Reality is Transforming Metrology in Smart Factories“, “AI Inspection Needs A Disagreement Audit Before Quality Teams Scale It”, and “The Hidden Cost of Poor Quality in Regulated Manufacturing“.
Access the full library of September Metrology News articles by clicking here.
As usual, I welcome your comments, news, and views – my inbox is always open.
Keith Mills – Publishing Editor
Renishaw Boosts CMM Reach With PH20 PLUS
Renishaw has introduced the new PH20 PLUS 5-axis touch-trigger system for coordinate measuring machines to replace its established PH20 head. It offers over 50% increase in inspection reach over the original head, which will improve access to features deep inside parts and in hard-to-access areas. PH20 PLUS system builds on the proven measurement capabilities of the PH20, enabling high-speed touch-trigger measurement … read more
New Scanner Delivers Tolerance-Driven 3D Metrology
Artec 3D has announced the launch of Artec Neo, the first tolerance-driven wireless 3D scanner, unlocking a new approach to dimensional control and reverse engineering. Artec Neo delivers metrology-grade accuracy of 0.025 mm and volumetric accuracy of 0.025 mm + 0.035 mm/m where the design demands it, while capturing full-color 3D data of the entire part … read more
3D Inspection Data Transformed into Practical Insights
Established in 1995, Quality Manufacturing Corp. is a fabricator offering services from prototype conception to large-scale OEM production. Quality and inspection specialists on the production floor apply Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) for new parts, which includes evaluating manufacturing capabilities, identifying and managing potential risks … read more
From AI-Assisted Inspection to AI-Native Metrology
AI is rapidly changing the role of metrology within manufacturing. What began as the application of AI to individual inspection tasks is evolving into something considerably more significant: measurement systems designed around artificial intelligence, data and increasingly autonomous decision-making. This transition from ‘AI-assisted inspection to AI-native metrology’ … read more
OGP Expands Automated Video Metrology
OGP has announced the introduction of SmartScope E18, a high-capacity benchtop video measurement system that delivers fully automatic 3-axis measurement performance in a compact footprint. SmartScope E18 combines a generous XY measuring range with a space-efficient design for automated dimensional inspection without dedicating significant floor space … read more
Nion Brings High-Resolution 3D Vision to Automation
IDS Imaging Development Systems is expanding its 3D portfolio with Nion, an industrial ToF camera featuring 1.2-megapixel resolution and integrated depth processing. It provides high-resolution and temporally stable depth information at 30 fps, even during rapid movements and in changing lighting conditions where precise 3D data is required at real-world process speeds … read more
Hexagon Launches METRICAL for Fully Autonomous CMM Inspection
Hexagon has announced the launch of METRICAL, an automated queuing, loading, and unloading system designed to enable autonomous inspection of parts of all sizes on coordinate measuring machines. The solution addresses one of manufacturing’s most pressing challenges: the global shortage of skilled inspection labour and the need to increase output … read more
Why Surface Roughness Specifications Are Shifting from Ra to Sa
Surface roughness directly impacts sealing performance, friction, wear, coating adhesion, fatigue life, and product quality. Yet many manufacturing specifications still rely on Ra, a parameter developed nearly a century ago from a single 2D measurement trace. As modern surfaces become increasingly complex … read more
ZEISS Combines X-Ray Microscopy and MicroCT in VersaXRM 5 Insight
ZEISS has introduced the ZEISS VersaXRM 5 Insight, a hybrid 3D X-ray microscope designed to help researchers and engineers understand samples faster. Combining X-ray microscopy and microCT in a single platform, the system delivers multi-scale imaging, guided workflows, and automated AI-enabled reconstruction for efficient non-destructive 3D imaging … read more
Vision Engineering Moves EVO Cam to 4K With New AURA Digital Microscope
Vision Engineering has announced EVO Cam AURA, its new digital microscope platform for industrial inspection, quality control and laboratory analysis. EVO Cam AURA succeeds EVO Cam II — a system that became an industry standard across electronics, automotive, aerospace, medical device and research applications worldwide. EVO Cam II built its reputation … read more
From Sampling to Seeing – How Optical Metrology is Redefining Manufacturing Quality
For decades, industrial metrology has been built around a familiar premise: measure a sample, verify compliance, and assume the rest of production follows suit. CMMs, hard gauges, and tactile sensors have delivered exceptional precision, but they have also reinforced a workflow constrained by speed. Measuring every component has simply not been practical … read more
3D Laser Scanning Sensor Transforms a Machine Tool into a Full-Scale Inspection Platform
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence has introduced an updated version of its M & H LS-R-100 wireless machine tool laser scanner, unveiled at the AMB expo in Stuttgart. The system’s ability to capture high-density point clouds is impressive, realizing a true metrology breakthrough. The scanner fundamentally turns a standard machine tool into an active, closed-loop inspection platform … read more
ZEISS Advances Virtual Clamping for Automated Inspection
ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions (ZEISS IQS) has introduced the latest updates for Virtual Clamping – an app within the ZEISS INSPECT 3D metrology software. In combination with the new Guided Holding Kit, Virtual Clamping enables the precise and flexible clamping of a wide variety of parts – from small to large molded, die-cast, or sheet metal components … read more
Keeping CMMs Current Through Flexible Controller Technology
The CMM has remained a fundamental technology in dimensional metrology for more than five decades, but the role of its controller has changed significantly. As manufacturers look to extend the life of CMMs while demanding greater flexibility, software compatibility and connectivity, controller technology is increasingly important … read more
Hexagon ENSPEC Opens a New Entry Point to Professional CMM Metrology
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence’s Stationary Metrology Division has announced the launch of ENSPEC, its professional-grade bridge CMM, for the UK and EMEA markets. Built for manufacturers and subcontractors bringing measurement in-house for the first time, along with those seeking to upgrade or expand an existing quality operation … read more
Sensofar Introduces Next Generation Optical 3D Surface Metrology Platform
Sensofar has announced the introduction of the S neox 6, the latest generation of its optical 3D surface metrology platform. Designed to support measurement needs across industry and research, the new system expands measurement possibilities while making the entire process faster, easier, and more intuitive. Building on more than 25 years of expertise in optical metrology … read more
How Augmented Reality is Transforming Metrology in Smart Factories
As manufacturing industries transition toward Smart Factory architectures, quality control is shifting from a post-production filter to an inline, real-time feedback loop. At the heart of this transformation is Augmented Reality – a technology bridging the gap between digital quality data and physical inspection. By overlaying CAD models, computer vision analytics, and inspection … read more
AI Inspection Needs A Disagreement Audit Before Quality Teams Scale It
Recent news coverage of AI-driven visual inspection shows a broader manufacturing trend: visual-inspection systems are moving directly into quality and traceability workflows instead of isolated checks. As those systems become more tightly connected to disposition and process decisions, manufacturers can act faster, but a mistaken automated judgment … read more
The Hidden Cost of Poor Quality in Regulated Manufacturing
Poor quality rarely announces itself as a single, contained problem. In manufacturing environments, it may first appear as a rejected batch, a scrapped component, an unexpected line stoppage, or a customer complaint that requires investigation. These visible failures matter, and most manufacturers have some method for tracking them … read more
DMG MORI Introduces Automated probeSET Calibration System
Consistent measurement accuracy is increasingly important as manufacturers push machine tools toward higher levels of automation and increasingly demanding production tolerances. Probing systems play an important role in this process, but their accuracy depends on regular calibration to compensate for changes … read more
Hexagon Launches AI-Enhanced OPTIV S Optical CMM
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence has announced the launch of its next-generation OPTIV S optical coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The redesigned platform delivers significant improvements in speed, accuracy and usability while introducing a new generation of AI-assisted measurement technologies that will be released in phases throughout 2026/27 … read more
Rigaku Launches High-Resolution X-ray CT System
Rigaku Corporation has announced the launch of the CT Lab HR160, a high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) system for battery, semiconductor devices, electronic components, and advanced materials analysis. The system is developed in collaboration with Excillum AB combining Rigaku’s X-ray CT imaging expertise with Excillum’s NanoTube … read more
SHINING 3D Expands Wireless 3D Metrology Lineup
SHINING 3D has announced major updates and additions to its professional 3D digitizing and metrology lineup. Combining untethered wireless freedom, advanced laser configurations, and integrated metrology-grade accuracy, these new product releases aim to streamline large-scale inspection and industrial measurement workflows … read more
Manufacturers have never measured more, faster, or with greater precision. Nowadays, metrology is moving beyond the traditional inspection lab. It is more connected to production environments, with the aim to provide faster feedback, support process control, and smarter decisions. However, a difficult question remains: if we measure faster, why do quality problems … read more
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