A coordinate measuring machine, wherein the coordinate measuring machine (100, 300, 500, 600) comprises: a vertical support (110, 310, 510) extending along a vertical axis direction and having a vertical support length, the vertical support including a fixed base portion (312, 512); a workpiece stage (120, 320) that is coupled to the vertical support and that is located above a top end of the vertical support, wherein a workpiece that is to be inspected may be located in a working volume on the workpiece stage and above the top end of the vertical support; a movement configuration (130, 330, 530, 630) that is coupled to the vertical support and that is configured to provide relative motion between a measurement probe (195, 395, 695) and the workpiece that is located in the working volume on the workpiece stage above the top end of the vertical support in order to inspect the workpiece, the movement configuration including: a vertical translation mechanism (340, 640), comprising a vertical translation element (342, 642) that is coupled to a vertical guide (344, 644) through a vertical coupling portion (346, 646) and is adapted to move parallel to the vertical guide over a vertical translation range, wherein at least a majority of the vertical guide and the vertical translation range is located below a top end of the workpiece stage; and a rotary motion configuration (350, 550) comprising a first rotary motion mechanism that is coupled to the vertical support (310, 510) below the workpiece stage and configured to couple to and rotate the vertical guide (344, 644) around the vertical support (310, 510) about a rotation axis approximately parallel to the vertical axis direction; and a controller (15, 215, 399) that is configured to control the movement configuration to provide the relative motion between the measurement probe and a workpiece that is located in the working volume on the workpiece stage. a vertical support (110, 310, 510) extending along a vertical axis direction and having a vertical support length, the vertical support including a fixed base portion (312, 512); a workpiece stage (120, 320) that is coupled to the vertical support and that is located above a top end of the vertical support, wherein a workpiece that is to be inspected may be located in a working volume on the workpiece stage and above the top end of the vertical support; a movement configuration (130, 330, 530, 630) that is coupled to the vertical support and that is configured to provide relative motion between a measurement probe (195, 395, 695) and the workpiece that is located in the working volume on the workpiece stage above the top end of the vertical support in order to inspect the workpiece, the movement configuration including: a vertical translation mechanism (340, 640), comprising a vertical translation element (342, 642) that is coupled to a vertical guide (344, 644) through a vertical coupling portion (346, 646) and is adapted to move parallel to the vertical guide over a vertical translation range, wherein at least a majority of the vertical guide and the vertical translation range is located below a top end of the workpiece stage; and a rotary motion configuration (350, 550) comprising a first rotary motion mechanism that is coupled to the vertical support (310, 510) below the workpiece stage and configured to couple to and rotate the vertical guide (344, 644) around the vertical support (310, 510) about a rotation axis approximately parallel to the vertical axis direction; and a vertical translation mechanism (340, 640), comprising a vertical translation element (342, 642) that is coupled to a vertical guide (344, 644) through a vertical coupling portion (346, 646) and is adapted to move parallel to the vertical guide over a vertical translation range, wherein at least a majority of the vertical guide and the vertical translation range is located below a top end of the workpiece stage; and a rotary motion configuration (350, 550) comprising a first rotary motion mechanism that is coupled to the vertical support (310, 510) below the workpiece stage and configured to couple to and rotate the vertical guide (344, 644) around the vertical support (310, 510) about a rotation axis approximately parallel to the vertical axis direction; and a controller (15, 215, 399) that is configured to control the movement configuration to provide the relative motion between the measurement probe and a workpiece that is located in the working volume on the workpiece stage.