DCC CMMs

What are DCC CMMs?

The acronym DCC CMMs (or more commonly known as CMM machines) stands for: Direct Computer Controlled Coordinate Measuring Machines. These machines are meticulously designed to measure the physical geometry of objects by sensing points on the surface of the object with a probe. A CMM’s 3 axis movement capabilities can move the probe with extreme accuracy previously unattainable by traditional methods. In addition to moving the probe along the X, Y, and Z axes, many CMMs also allow the angle of the probe to be controlled to allow measurement of surfaces that would otherwise be unreachable by manual gauges.

Benefits of DCC DMMs:

Inspections on a part’s surface used to be a very labor intensive and time-consuming process.
CMMs are economical, reliable, fast and infinitely more precise when compared to manual gauging done by humans. They allow excellent repeatability without needing excessive adjustments. These machines are essentially universal measuring machines and do not need to be dedicated to only one task. They can measure almost any dimensional characteristic of a component with ease. No fixtures or gauges are required as the probe does all the work.

The quality of the parts being produced by a machine shop like MTM is largely weighted on how accurately they’re made to print. MTM currently has on sight a Zeiss Prismo Ultra which is one of the most advanced CMM’s available today. Only a few machine shops in the nation are outfitted with this machine, thus ensuring your complex parts can be produced with unparalleled accuracy.

The initial cost on a proper DCC CMM can range anywhere from $30,000 to $1,000,000 depending on its features and size. Ultimately this piece of equipment should eventually pay for itself in the amount of labor and hardships it avoids by taking what used to be a complex manual process and automating it.