Patent ID: 8302321

Claim:
A method for measuring a surface profile of a feature through a restricted access opening using a surface sensing device mounted on a scanning head on a member of a coordinate positioning apparatus, wherein the coordinate positioning apparatus may be operated to produce relative movement between the scanning head and the surface profile and wherein the scanning head includes a drive for producing rotational movement of the surface sensing device about at least one axis, the method comprising the following steps: positioning the scanning head on a first side of the restricted access opening and then driving the coordinate positioning apparatus to provide relative movement of the member and surface profile along a non-linear path and also driving the scanning head to provide the rotational movement of the surface sensing device about the at least one axis so that the surface sensing device measures the surface profile on a second side of the restricted access opening; wherein the motion of the member of the coordinate positioning apparatus and the rotational movement of the scanning head are synchronized with each other.