World Metrology Week is a good time to think about how the science of test and measurement affects our lives. From reducing the time and cost of large-volume manufacturing and assembly to helping ensure the safety and reliability of aircraft, automobiles, and sea vessels, portable coordinate metrology in particular has provided wide but largely unacknowledged benefits to the modern world.

The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) stands at the forefront of the effort to advocate for the advancement of this industry and shine light on its many accomplishments. For 30 years, the CMS, together with its annual signature event, the Coordinate Measurement Systems Conference (CMSC), has defined metrology for an influential group of academics, vendors, and test and measurement professionals.

The first CMSC took place in San Antonio, Texas, in the autumn of 1984. In the three decades since, the CMS has helped industry achieve almost unbelievable improvements in the volume, speed, and accuracy of coordinate measurement. The CMSC today is a showcase event for high-level users, academics, and providers of the hardware and software that have powered these advancements.

 …