The Certification Committee of the Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) has been laser-locked on its target to deliver its first Level Two Certification, a device-specific performance assessment for users of portable coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). Those efforts will come to fruition at this year’s 30th annual Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference (CMSC), held July 21–25, 2014, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The committee’s journey toward a personnel certification program began in 2009. Last year, the CMS delivered the first industry-recognized certification to the profession of portable 3D metrology.

The use of 3D measurement technology has grown exponentially in manufacturing and scientific applications, while the current workforce is graying and heading toward retirement. The CMS determined a clear need for certification programs for metrology experts and potential newcomers to the field. Measurement equipment is calibrated to traceable artifacts, yet technicians and shop-floor personnel operating this equipment have lacked industry-recognized proficiency credentials. Their skill level and measurement techniques can significantly influence data collection.

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