Keeping Industry Informed

Matt Ilardo and Ed Morse represent CMS to quality professionals

Published: Thursday, November 7, 2019 - 20:22

Current Coordinate Metrology Society Chair Matt Ilardo of Brookhaven National Laboratory and CMS PrecisionPath Consortium Co-Chair, Professor Ed Morse of the University of North Carolina–Charlotte, are expert metrologists who always seek to share the importance of precision measurement with members of the broader industry. In a pair of recent presentations, they offered perceptive insights into the steps needed to ensure the bright future for metrology that everyone in the CMS is working toward.

During the Quality Show 2019 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, which occurred from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24, Ilardo and Morse expanded on the work that the CMS is doing to move the industry forward through two of the Society’s most important initiatives: personnel certification and the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies.

Ilardo’s presentation, “Career Enhancement with CMS Certification for Metrologists,” told of the origins and purpose of the CMS personnel certification program. The CMS Level-One Certification is a proctored, online examination covering foundational theory and practice common to most portable and fixed 3D metrology devices. Those who pass the Level-One Certification are eligible to take the Level-Two Certification, which is a practical, hands-on assessment on laser trackers, articulating arms, laser scanners, or traditional CMMs. Certification is a critically important part of the mission of the Coordinate Metrology Society, as it addresses issues of quality improvement, skills enhancement, and workforce development for the individuals and organizations that make up the CMS membership. Ilardo gave attendees an overview of current and future Certification initiatives that the CMS is now developing.

Morse, meanwhile, discussed the topic, “PrecisionPath Consortium Presents a Technology Roadmap for Large-Scale Manufacturing.” The PPC, begun in 2015 through a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, was formed as a partnership between the CMS and the UNC–Charlotte to support advanced manufacturing in the United States. This industry-driven group, which includes high-profile participants such as Siemens, Automated Precision Inc., Newport News Shipbuilding, New River Kinematics, Boeing, and more, exists to identify and prioritize the technology needs of organizations that manufacture large-scale, high-accuracy parts and products. Morse discussed the Technology Roadmap that the group developed and is currently updating and teased new projects such as a forthcoming State of the Industry report.

Taken together, these two presentations demonstrated to attendees that the Coordinate Metrology Society remains very much committed to large-volume, close-tolerance measurement excellence now and in the future. The vast majority of that work comes down to understanding technology as well as training, so that human beings in the measuring process can use metrology equipment efficiently and interpret measurement results effectively.

The Quality Show is a biennial gathering of quality professionals looking for solution providers to help them achieve manufacturing excellence. Event host Quality Magazine, a publication of BNP Media, is a CMS partner that is closely aligned with the CMS mission of developing next generation metrologists within industry.

About The Author

Mike Richman

Mike Richman is the principal at Richman Business Media Consulting.