Coordinate measurement machines with removable accessories

A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) for measuring three-dimensional coordinates of an object in space, comprising:

• a base;
• a manually positionable arm portion having an opposed first end and second end, the arm portion being rotationally coupled to the base, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal;
• an electronic circuit which receives the position signal from the at least one position transducer in each arm segment;
• a probe end coupled to the first end;
• a noncontact three-dimensional measuring device coupled to the probe end, the noncontact three-dimensional measuring device having a projector and an image sensor, the projector having a source plane, the projector configured to emit a structured light onto the object, the structured light emitted from the source plane and including at least three non-collinear pattern elements, the image sensor arranged to receive the structured light reflected from the object;
• and
• a processor electrically coupled to the electronic circuit, the processor configured to determine the three-dimensional coordinates of a point on the object in response to receiving the position signals from the position transducers and in response to receiving the structured light by the image sensor.