Patent ID: 7526873

Claim:
A method of measuring an artefact using a machine on which a measuring probe is mounted for relative movement with respect to the artefact, said machine having at least one measuring device for providing an output indicative of the relative position of the probe, the probe having at least one measuring device to provide one or more probe outputs which in combination with the machine output are indicative of the position of a point on the surface of the artefact, the method having the following steps in any suitable order: (a) determining the approximate position of one or more points on the surface of the artefact; (b) using the approximate position determined in step (a) to drive at least one of the probe and artefact to one or more desired relative positions of the probe and the surface and taking one or more surface measurements of said one or more points on the surface of the artefact at said position, wherein there is no relative movement between the probe and the artefact whilst the one or more surface measurements are taken; and (c) using data from step (b) to determine a position of the one or more points on the surface in which dynamic error is substantially reduced.