Low Clearance Machined Part Mating System

A measurement system that coincidentally determines the size and geometric errors of a first part that mates with a second part, wherein at least the first part has a specified manufacturing tolerance range and at least the second part mates slidably with the first part, the system comprising:

• a metrology device suitable for coincidentally measuring at least a first and second parameter of the first part, said first parameter contributing to a first data set comprising at least a plurality of distances between a reference point and the surface of the first part and said second parameter contributing to a second data set comprising at least a plurality of distances between opposing points on the surface of the first part;
• a control system programmed to accept said first data set and said second data set, said control system having means to determine the size and geometric error associated with the first part from said second data set and said first data set, respectively;
• and
• a processing machine for processing the second part based upon the combined size and geometric error determined by said control system.

A method of making parts with a predetermined tolerance relationship to one another, comprising:

• providing a measurement device;
• providing a first part;
• mounting said first part in relation to said measuring device;
• producing rotational and translational movement as between said measurement device and said first part;
• generating a first data set with the measuring device representing at least a first parameter of said first part, said first data set having as an input a distance between a reference point and the surface of said first part;
• generating a second data set with the measuring device representing at least a second parameter of said first part, said second data set having as an input a distance between opposing points on the surface of said first part;
• determining, based on said second data set, at least a dimension of said first part, and, based on said first data set, at least one geometric error representative of said first part shape, wherein said determining includes the elimination of at least one of said tilt error and said positional error;
• and
• manufacturing a second part based on a combination of said at least one dimension and said at least one geometric error.