> but rendering it inoperable is stupid.

No, it's prudent.

Having to toss a few hundred K worth of product is stupid.

> Also why would the mfr complain about having to recalibrate the machine, they get paid for that if you're the one that ruined it.

Because once there is a pile of money on the line people tend to forget that they moved the machine.

> You also seem to assume that machinists are mere button pushers following instructions.

No, but calibrating a machine after installation is a job that requires different tools and skills than operating a machine.

> A good experienced machinist knows more about his/her machine's capabilities/precision than anyone ITT.

More than the designers in some cases. But that's the exception, not the rule. Typical machine operators are definitely not in the same class as the technicians that install the machinery and calibrate it. Though over the years some of them can become experts on their machine over and beyond what anybody else knows about it, and they can gain the ability to coax workpieces from them with accuracy beyond what the machines are spec'd to.

> Hell, for the machine we're talking about, the machinist may well be an ME and if not, then probably one won't be far from it.

That still doesn't mean he/she has the expert view on what goes on inside it. In my experience machinists tend to be experts on materials, tooling, cooling, clamping, feeds & speeds, QA, packaging and sometimes alloys.

They tend to be less knowledgeable about electronics, motorized drives, software, environmental factors.

>>Ostensibly another reason is that some guy in Iran could set up a shop in the US as a front, buy a bunch of these machines and then ship them to evade an embargo so that's why they are locked to location.

> Also nonsense. Let's not pretend that Iranians (as in Iranian physicists) are too stupid to defeat such a scheme.

Let me cite a representative of a manufacturer:

" Sorry you've not had a stellar service experience. PM me with your info, names, etc. and I'll make sure you get better support.

Regarding the device, Weapons of Mass Destruction. Worst case for a negligent violation would be Dr. Mori himself spending time in the slammer. That along is enough motivation for DMG MORI to follow the regulation very carefully. Other reasons include all of those stated above!

btw, no need to waste time on bypassing it. It is pretty solid. We have to make it so Iran, N. Korea, etc's best can't bypass it. "

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/dmg-mori-gildemeister-m...

> No way. This is all just hand-waviness and big-words. Laser interferometry systems have gotten much cheaper, more portable; and purpose built instruments are available for all manner of trades.

Yes, amazingly miniaturization and such work even for expensive gear. That doesn't mean it's suddenly much less expensive though it is definitely a bit cheaper than in the past when the technology was brand new.

Just the setup is a couple of days (to reach thermal equilibrium), a basic system is a few tens of thousands of dollars, a system capable of simultaneous alignment of a 5 axis machining center to within a fraction of a thou will be a tad more than that. Operators of that gear aren't free either.

> Now either that is a very special maintenance mechanic, or laser-interferometry is more common than you thought.

Or maybe there are multiple classes of such instruments for various applications and ranges of precision?

Note how that job posting is for a maintenance mechanic and not for a machinist?