This article reviews the transformation and application of inspection and measurement (I&M) technology in the manufacturing industry. I&M offers a wealth of information needed in the development of new products. Cummins and Ford are among the pioneers in connecting I&M systems to the rest of their companies’ computerized decision support systems. Both companies are making wider use of I&M information and bringing factory floor and top-level decision-making closer together. Inspection, test, and measurement results are also vital to establishing the performance of the assembly tools and the capabilities of the processes. Lack of good I&M information can help weaken competitiveness and undermine strategies such as design for manufacturing and design for assembly. Timeliness is also crucial. Squirreling I&M data away in engineering silos perpetuates inspection and measurement as the last island of automation, the repository of information learned and lost.
The Last Island of Automation
