Additive components present a specific measurement problem: the geometry is frequently organic, the surfaces are variable, and there may be no obvious datum structure to measure from. Inspection therefore has to be planned, not improvised on receipt.
Contact measurement — CMM
A coordinate measuring machine measures discrete features accurately against a defined datum frame: bores, faces, positions, geometric tolerances. It is the right tool for machined features and for reporting conformance to a drawing.
Non-contact measurement — 3D scanning
Scanning captures the whole form as a dense point cloud or mesh. For a lattice, a flowing structural form or a distorted thin wall, this is the only practical way to understand the entire component rather than a handful of points on it.
CAD comparison and reporting
- Colour-mapped deviation of the manufactured part against the nominal model.
- Identification of distortion, shrinkage and orientation-related error.
- First Article Inspection for a new manufacturing route.
- GD&T verification against the specified datum structure.
- Dimensional inspection reports issued with the delivered parts.
Plan it before you print it
Agreeing the datum strategy, the critical features and the measurement method before manufacture avoids the common situation where a component is built, machined, delivered — and then found to be unmeasurable against its own drawing.