Comparison Study of CMMs and software along with Probe Types

I am looking for a fair way to evaluate CMM manufactures and software along with probe types. We are looking at 4 new CMMs'.
We currently held round one of a CMM meeting to talk with different manufactures for what they would offer.
The manufacturers that presented were Zeiss promoting Prismo, Hexagon promoting two models Global advantage (articulating Tesa head) and Reference Xi using same head, Nikon promoting LK with PH20 head, and two third parties promoting Coord3 both using Revo heads but one promoting Modus software other CMM Manager.

Think the criteria should include pros and cons of Articulating head types versus fixed head units. Different articulating head types and pros and cons. Service agreements and support from each vendor, Compared ISO standards for MPEe, MPEp, and MPEtph.

If anyone has other criteria or other feedback that could be helpful, it would appreciated.

Re: Comparision Study on CMMs'.

Is this your first CMM?

Re: Comparision Study on CMMs'.

No, We currently have 5 CMMs'. 4 older Brown and Sharps amd 1 Mitutoyo all running PC-Dimis. We are looking to the future and trying to evaluate them fairly

Re: Comparision Study on CMMs'.

5 CMMs? Thanks for your reply, we only have two. They are old and Manual at that. We have to be able to use hard probes. When the computer went bad, we decided to upgrade and went with CMM Manager software. I hope the companies that you are looking at, have it all together, that they've thought of everything. Because, to me, the cmms have to be able to do it all, easily! The companies will most certainly tell you that they have the latest and greatest. We live in a McDonalds world, you want a Big Mac, push a button with a picture of it on it. Good Luck and Happy Hunting! That's my two cents worth.

Re: Comparision Study of CMMs and software along with Probe Types

If you take form measurements (e.g., circularity, etc.) make sure that you understand the algorithm each company uses and what options (e.g., average diameter, largest inscribed, smallest circumscribed) may be available.

Re: Comparision Study of CMMs and software along with Probe Types

Thanks for input. I am trying to set up a comparision to best evaluate them all.
Thanks

Re: Comparision Study of CMMs and software along with Probe Types

Make sure that you involve the individuals who are going to operate and program the CMMs so that they can help to identify the software that is easiest to learn and to use. The ease of software is mission critical in my opinion since I think that CMMs have become almost a commodity in the measuring world and most can do the measurements, but the software can sometimes be a real problem if it has a lot of bugs. The last time I bought CMMS, the operators were very helpful in determining what aspects of the software were helpful and which were difficult. They can also be helpful in identifying which CMM might have ergonomic issues or pinch points for your type of products.

There's a lot of cost savings in sticking with one type of machine / software. Why maintain multiple programs, spare part inventories, stylii, etc. Also you now need operators trained on multiple types of software.

If a salesperson is saying their machine can import/export another type of software no problem ask for a demonstration with one of your programs on their machine.

Thank you both for your inputs.
My CMM specialist and operators have had input and the Specialist is fully involved with this process.
All sales people want to sell you the world and that it fully supports input of your current program and will convert no issues. I have done this couple times and that is not fully true. They will support a heavy amount of the conversion but always needs little tweeking from the CMM Programmers.

I really am looking for any tangleable categories to compare different CMM manufacturers to, to even the playing field.

Thank you

So far have Categories: Size, Software, (Sub -Cat: Pro/con vs current software, Priority of Software), Probe Type, Probe specific, Probe angles, cost, MPEe, MPEp, MPEthp, RBE availble, Cost of RBE, Training costs & time, Bridge materials, Mean time between failures, Service time from Call,

Does anyone have any other criteria or categories to evaluate CMM? Also does anyone know what is or how to best show the pros and cons of REVO head versus Fixed head or Articulating (7 degree) head?

Thank you