Choosing the correct instrument for surface texture measurement can be confusing, given the wide range of options. Stylus-based instruments are the most prevalent in manufacturing. Yet, measuring a surface with a sharp stylus can seem old-fashioned when so many noncontact optical techniques are now available.

In reality, both stylus and optical technologies have their place.…

For years, manufacturers have been told the future of Industry 4.0 lives in the cloud. Vendors promised plug-and-play AI that could analyze everything, automate anything, and transform the factory floor overnight. In theory, this appears to work, but operationalizing cloud-based AI isn’t always feasible. As we begin 2026, that reality is facing plant leaders across the U.S.

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When we set out to film Episode 2, we faced a fundamental challenge: How do you make people care about errors they can’t see?

(See all the episodes here.)

Error propagation is critical to metrology, the science of measurement, but it’s abstract. These are mistakes measured in tiny amounts that compound and build until they create failure, sometimes catastrophic. To make this…