Two applications of small feature dimensional measurements on a coordinate measuring machine with a fiber probe

This paper describes two applications of dimensional measurements performed using a contact fiber probe on a commercial coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Both examples involve artifacts that serve as reference standards and contain features in the 100 μm to 500 μm range. The first application involves measuring the spacing between features, either holes or rectangular prisms, on a cylinder that is approximately the size of a finger. The artifact, referred to as the fingerprint target, serves as a standard for verifying the performance of fingerprint scanners. The second application involves measuring the volume of small three-dimensional features such as cylinders and rectangular prisms that rise from a plate. This artifact is referred to as the volume target in this paper; these targets serve as volume standards for manufacturers and users of solder paste inspection systems. In each case, the measurement challenges presented by these artifacts are discussed and the measurand, the measurement plan, error sources, and uncertainty budget are described.