A method for operating a dimensional metrology measurement system including system members, comprising:
- a first position measurement device (FPMD), comprising:
- a first position sensor housed in a first device housing and configured to provide first-device measurement sample outputs indicative of a workpiece surface coordinate measurement relative to the FPMD along a first measuring axis, for corresponding measurement sample regions on a workpiece during a corresponding first-device sample period;
- a first signal processing and control portion housed in the first device housing and comprising a first measurement sample association portion that is utilized to implement a combined device operating mode, wherein the FPMD is configured to operate in a standalone operating mode during a standalone operating period and the combined device operating mode during a combined device operating period;
- wherein:
- the combined device operating mode comprises:
- a) establishing an inter-device communication connection with a second position measurement device (SPMD) comprising a second position sensor configured to provide second-device measurement sample outputs indicative of a workpiece surface coordinate measurement relative to the SPMD along a second measuring axis, for corresponding measurement sample regions on a workpiece during a corresponding second-device sample period, wherein the combined device operating mode is usable when the FPMD and the SPMD are held in a fixed relationship in a workpiece measurement arrangement with the first measuring axis and the second measuring axis arranged in a fixed axis relationship;
- b) inputting the first-device measurement sample outputs provided by the first position sensor;
- c) inputting the second-device measurement sample outputs provided by the SPMD via the inter-device communication connection;
- d) determining concurrent measurement data sets comprising a first-device measurement sample output and a second-device measurement sample output corresponding to concurrent first-device and second-device sample periods, each concurrent measurement data set associated with a corresponding measurement sample region on the workpiece;
- and
- e) providing a combined measurement data output for the current measurement sample region on the workpiece based on the corresponding concurrent measurement data set;
- and
- the standalone operating mode comprises:
- f) not establishing an inter-device communication connection with a SPMD;
- and
- g) providing a standalone measurement data output comprising a workpiece surface coordinate measurement relative to the FPMD along the first measuring axis for a current measurement sample region on a workpiece, and
- the method comprising:
- mounting the FPMD and the SPMD using a mounting arrangement to hold the FPMD in a fixed relationship relative to the SPMD, with the first measuring axis and the second measuring axis arranged in the fixed axis relationship;
- arranging the FPMD the SPMD and the mounting arrangement relative to the workpiece in the workpiece measurement arrangement that is operable to provide workpiece surface coordinate measurements for a plurality of measurement sample regions on the workpiece;
- operating the first signal processing and control portion comprising the first measurement sample association portion to activate the combined device operating mode;
- and
- operating the first signal processing and control portion comprising the first measurement sample association portion to perform the operations a) through e) of the combined device operating mode.