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Used coordinate measuring machines are an intelligent way to improve the inspection capacity in your shop while sticking to a strict budget. Today’s manufacturing requires better technological investments to improve productivity in any way you can. Workers are tapped – the productivity improvements in manufacturing over the past ten years have shown that there are few improvements you can make in your shop without putting money into automation, including faster and more accurate inspection. Unlike many machine tools, coordinate measuring machines are a great deal used, because they don’t experience the same kind of use and pressure that machine tools do. That means they can be mechanically sound for 25 years or longer. Plus, while scanning, probing, and software systems do improve regularly, they are easily upgraded and retrofitted. Very few changes have been made to the mechanical structures of coordinate measuring machines over the years.
However, it remains important to be careful when you’re buying used equipment, especially when it comes to replacement parts. OEMs won’t continue to manufacture replacement parts for as long as you can keep a machine running, often winding them down 5-10 years after they stop making the coordinate measuring machine. Major manufacturers of coordinate measuring machines are more likely keep making replacement parts.
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence Coordinate Measuring Machines
Hexagon MI is one of the largest coordinate measuring machine companies in the world, and you can find their new and used coordinate measuring machines from dealers like Canadian Measurement Metrology (or CMM). Dealers like these sell all brands under the Hexagon MI umbrella, including Brown & Sharpe, one of the oldest American metrology companies, DEA, Leitz, Leica, which manufactures vision systems, and ROMER, whose portable arm is widely used and an affordable entry-level type of metrology equipment.
Zeiss Coordinate Measuring Machines
Zeiss is a German metrology manufacturer, and their Zeiss Prismo 7 is a favorite used coordinate measuring machine. It’s easy to find Zeiss CMM equipment online from independent used coordinate measuring machine dealers, who can also help you upgrade outdated software – likely Calypso on a Primso 7. PC-DMIS is a widely used software that’s compatible on a wide range of coordinate measuring machine brands, and it’s a good choice if you want to standardize software in your shop.
Mitutoyo Coordinate Measuring Machines
Mitutoyo is a Japanese coordinate measuring machine manufacturer with its headquarters in Kawasaki, Japan, but whose equipment can be found across the globe. Popular used coordinate measuring machines from Mitutoyo include the Bright Apex and BHN, available from dealers like CMM. Older Mitutoyo machines are some of the most mechanically sound ever made, and they can be purchased on a tight budget and still last for years.
In the manufacturing world today, you can’t compete without a coordinate measuring machine. Not only do buyers want shops to have them, coordinate measuring machines improve the accuracy of your components and your productivity. Buy used coordinate measuring machines to improve your facilities on a budget.
