Method for operating a coordinate measuring machine

A method for operating a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) including a CMM control system, a surface scanning probe that measures a workpiece surface by outputting probe workpiece measurements, and a probe measurement timing subsystem, the method comprising:

• operating the CMM control system to output a measurement synchronization trigger signal at predictable times;
• operating the probe measurement timing subsystem to determine the predictable times, and to determine a current duration of a probe workpiece measurement sample period during which the surface scanning probe acquires measurement data associated with a single instance of the output probe workpiece measurements;
• operating the probe measurement timing subsystem to determine a pre-trigger lead time that is a fraction of the current duration of the probe workpiece measurement sample period;
• operating the probe measurement timing subsystem to initiate a current instance of the probe workpiece measurement sample period at the pre-trigger lead time before a next predictable time of the measurement synchronization trigger signal, and determine an associated current instance of the probe workpiece measurements;
• operating the CMM control system to output a current measurement synchronization trigger signal at the next predictable time and to latch a current set of CMM position coordinate values associated with the current measurement synchronization trigger signal;
• and
• operating the surface scanning probe to output the current instance of the probe workpiece measurements at a time associated with the current measurement synchronization trigger signal, such that the CMM control system associates the current instance of the probe workpiece measurements with the current set of CMM position coordinate values.