How Open-Platform CMMs Empower Manufacturers to Control Their Future
In modern manufacturing, measurement isn’t just about precision, it’s about freedom. For decades, companies have been locked into proprietary coordinate measuring machine (CMM) ecosystems. These systems dictate how, when, and even who can service their equipment. But a quiet revolution is happening, and Made to Measure Metrology is leading the charge through transparency, education, and open-platform technology.
Breaking the OEM Lock
If you’ve ever owned a car that could only be serviced at a dealership, you already understand the challenge manufacturers face with proprietary CMMs. OEMs like Zeiss, Hexagon, or Mitutoyo have long built closed systems designed to keep customers dependent on their service contracts and software updates.
“Many customers think they have no choice but to go back to the OEM,” says Quinton Bley, Service Manager at Made to Measure.
“But that’s just not true. We can retrofit, rebuild, and recalibrate almost any machine. You don’t have to throw it out, you just have to open it up.”
The result is a more empowered customer, one who can extend the life of their assets, save on replacement costs, and maintain ownership of their technology.
What Is an Open-Platform CMM?
An open-platform CMM gives manufacturers the flexibility to integrate their choice of controllers, probing systems, and metrology software. It’s the metrology equivalent of a modular machine, adaptable, upgradeable, and built for long-term value.
As Bley explains, “Our AccuFLEX machines are open-cable designs. That means we can pair them with Renishaw controllers and sensors, then run whatever software best fits the customer’s workflow. You own it, you control it, and you decide how it evolves.”
This flexibility translates directly into savings and sustainability. Rather than discarding a perfectly good CMM frame when electronics become outdated, Made to Measure breathes new life into the system through a retrofit, updating its control hardware, software, and even accuracy performance to meet today’s standards.
The Right to Repair, in Action
The Right to Repair movement has gained momentum across industries, from farm equipment to smartphones and metrology is no exception.
Made to Measure supports that same philosophy by ensuring that customers own their equipment, not just rent access to it through restrictive OEM systems.
“We believe customers should have the right to repair and improve their own tools,” Bley says. “It’s not just a technical preference, it’s a matter of integrity.”
That integrity-first approach builds long-term trust. Made to Measure customers know they’re never being upsold into something unnecessary. They’re being educated so they can make the best decision for their process, budget, and people.
Education Over Persuasion
Rather than traditional sales tactics, Made to Measure focuses on out-teaching the competition. Through clear communication, on-site demos, and comprehensive AUKOM metrology training, the company helps customers understand every layer of their equipment and inspection process.
This educational approach transforms complex topics, like calibration protocols, probe compatibility, and outcome standardization into practical learning experiences that manufacturers can immediately apply to their own facilities.
“Sometimes a customer calls thinking their machine is ‘dead,’” says Bley. “But after a short inspection, we show them that with a retrofit and recalibration, they can get another 15 years out of it. Those moments, when the light bulb goes off, that’s what we live for.”
Open-Platform Service, Now Coast-to-Coast
With Made to Measure West, the company now serves the entire U.S. from its Los Angeles-based satellite facility.
This expansion allows faster turnaround times, reduced travel costs, and the same hands-on service that has defined Made to Measure’s Chicago headquarters for decades.
From calibrations and retrofits to new AccuFLEX installations, customers across the West Coast can expect the same level of responsive, personal care that OEMs can’t match.
Empowerment Through Precision
At its core, Made to Measure’s open-platform CMM philosophy is about empowering manufacturers to measure what they make, so they can make it better.
By offering transparent service, flexible technology, and world-class training, the company is redefining what customer success looks like in metrology.
Bley sums it up best:
“We don’t just sell machines. We help manufacturers take back control of their quality and their future.”