The Coordinate Measuring Machine first appeared in the early 60's and the Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) industry was immediately born. The earliest Machine was a 3D devices with a simple DRO displaying the XYZ position of the X Y Z Machine.
坐标测量机问世于1960'年代，坐标测量机工业迅速发展。最早的坐标测量机是一个仅仅配备XYZ三轴数显的三维设备。
The first CMM Devices were probably introduced by the Italian company DEA (Digital Electronic Automation Spa) which introduced a Portal Frame CMM with Hard Probe
第一台坐标测量机设备可能是由意大利DEA公司发明的门式结构并配置硬测头的测量机。
Ferranti Metrology from Scotland introduced its Cantilever CMM with D R O and Fixed Probes. Ferranti (now International Metrology Systems or IMS ) probably introduced the first DCC CMM (Direct Computer Assist) while DEA claim to have introduced the first CNC CMM.
苏格兰Ferranti计量公司发明了悬臂测量机，配置数显设备和硬测头。Ferranti（现在的IMS公司）可能发明了第一台DCC测量机，而DEA发明了第一台CNC测量机。
LK Tool, also from the UK have long claimed to produce the first Bridge CMM that has become the standard configuration for CMM Machines in past years. Cantilever CMM, Bridge CMM, Gantry CMM, Horizontal Arm CMM, Portal CMM, Moving Table CMM, Fixed Bridge CMM and Articulated Arm CMM have all become other common configurations for CMMs.
Ferranti计量公司开创了英国的坐标测量机工业，作为Ferranti计量公司的坐标测量机代理商，美国的邦迪克斯公司得到授权，开始生产坐标测量机。邦迪克斯坐标测量机处于六七十年代统治地位，并最终发展成为今天的谢菲尔德测量机公司。邦迪克斯坐标测量机最初只生产配置硬测头的手动悬臂测量机，慢慢演变成可配置雷尼绍触发测头。当计算机应用于测量机工业后，邦迪克斯公司和谢菲尔德公司开始生产DCC坐标测量机。
IMS machines include the Impact CMM, Merlin CMM, and the Umpire CMM a flexible shop-floor gage.
LK CMMs are the G80 CMM, G90 CMM, G80C CMM, G90C CMM and use LK DMIS or Cameo CMM software.
Other UK CMM Manufacturers have included W & A Metrology, Status Metrology, Eley & Warren, LK Tool, Notsa, Vickers Maxicheck, Kemco, Disc GB and International Metrology Systems or IMS.
As part of the local industry consolidation Notsa was acquired by Vickers Maxicheck, which was subsequently taken over by Ferranti Metrology.
LK CMM known for a while as LK Tool and now known, as L.K. Metrology was a spin off from Notsa while Kemco and Eley Metrology were started by ex LK employees.
其他英国坐标测量机厂家包括：
作为一个地方工业的合并，Notsa被Vickers Maxicheck并购，而随后被Ferranti接管。
LK来自Notsa的一个事业部，而Kemco和Eley由LK的离职人员成立。
Italian CMM Companies have included D.E.A., Poli, Coord3, and Prima.
Prima Industries were focused on Shopfloor CMMs and the CMM Gage and were the first to recognize Flexible Metrology as the future of Shopfloor Gaging, they were acquired by DEA in the early 90's who also purchased the Renault CMM Company from France. DEA are one of the most famous CMM Brands and DEA CMM's can be found in most countries of the world; its brands of CMM include the DEA Omicron CMM, DEA IOTA CMM, DEA Epsilon CMM, DEA Beta CMM, DEA Delta CMM, DEA Gamma CMM, DEA Swift CMM, DEA Omega CMM, DEA Bravo CMM and DEA Lambda CMM. DEA are famous for having produced the largest Gantry Coordinate Measuring Machines ever built.
意大利坐标测量机公司包括DEA,Poli,Coord3和Prima.
Prima侧重于车间级坐标测量机，90年代初被DEA公司并购。DEA同时并购了法国雷诺测量机公司。DEA是世界著名测量机品牌，DEA测量机畅销到世界各地。DEA以生产世界最大龙门测量机而闻名。
French Coordinate Measuring Machine companies have included Renault CMM whose CMMs were marketed in the US by Federal CMM along side their own CMM's that originated with Boice, CMA who have recently changed their name from MFO after a merger with Tri-ax and Tri-Measure who specialized in Ceramic Structure CMM's. French CMM Software includes Prelude Inspect; now part of Matra and Metrologic the developers of Metrolog II metrology software.
法国测量机公司包括雷诺测量机公司，测量机在美国通过测量机联盟，起源于Boice，CMA,由MFO与Tri-ax 和 Tri-Measure合并后易名而得，专业于陶瓷机构测量机。法国测量机软件包括Prelude Inspect。部分Matra 和 Metrologic开发人员开发了Metrolog II
German Coordinate-Measuring-Machine companies include the industry leading Zeiss CMM who is the largest along with Wenzel, Mora, and Steifflmeyer, the latter three are all famous for Horizontal CMM's.
Wenzel is the fastest growing CMM company in Europe and the largest Renishaw Probe customer.
Carl Zeiss CMM produces the High Accuracy CMM with Scanning Probes while most other CMM brands use the Renishaw Touch Probe. Zeiss CMM names include Zeiss Prismo Vast CMM, Zeiss WMM CMM, Zeiss UMC CMM, Zeiss UC CMM, Zeiss UPMC CMM, Zeiss Eclipse CMM, Contura CMM, Vista CMM. The Zeiss Horizontal Arm CMM are named Zeiss Carmet CMM, Zeiss SMC CMM and Zeiss SMM CMM. Zeiss Probes are the Vast Probe, HSS Probe Head, RDS/RST, Zeiss also manufacture the manual CMM called ScanMax which uses ScanWare Software. Zeiss offer the Calypso CMM Software as well as Holos CMM Software, and have developed CMM-OS to allow 3rd party Metrology Software to be interfaced to Zeiss CMMs. The Zeiss Vast CMM system has dominated the automotive power train application over past years.
One other German CMM manufacturer is Leitz, (now named The Wezlar CMM) which has always specialized in the Ultra High Accuracy CMM and was acquired by Brown and Sharpe in the early 90's.
德国坐标测量机公司包括测量机工业领先者蔡司公司，以及温泽，马尔和Steifflmeyer。后三者以生产水平臂测量机著称。蔡司公司后来并购了Steifflmeyer。
温泽是欧洲发展最为迅速的测量机公司，而且是雷尼绍公司最大的客户。
卡尔蔡司测量机生产高精度测量机，配置扫描测头，而其他测量机品牌使用雷尼绍触发测头。蔡司VAST测量机系统已经在汽车发动机行业领先了数十年。
另一家德国测量机厂家是莱兹Leitz，专业于生产高精密测量机，莱兹Leitz一直和蔡司Zeiss竞争，但由于实力悬殊（莱兹Leitz是家族企业，而蔡司Zeiss是基金会企业），1990's初被Brown and Sharpe并购。以前的Leitz的家族企业演变成今天的莱卡Leica
Switzerland produced the SIP Company manufacturer of the SIP CMM another High Accuracy CMM. In addition Switzerland is the home of Metromec the first mainstream supplier of PC based Metrology Software, which became popular with most CMM Manufacturers in the mid 80's and CMM Users who started looking for User Friendly CMM Systems. Today Metromec is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wenzel and is a main stream supplier of CAD CMM software.
瑞典的SIP公司生产SIP高精度测量机。另外，瑞典是Metromec公司的总部，第一个PC机计量软件的主流供应商，1980年代中期在测量机生产厂家流行，用户友好测量机系统。今天，Metromec由温泽公司完全控股，是基于CAD系统的测量机软件主流供应商。
Sweden only has one Coordinate Measuring Machine Supplier the C.E. Johansson Company known as CEJ or C.E.J. this company was merged with Ram Optical the Metrology Division of Newport in 2000 and recently was sold the Hexagon and became an integral part of the Hexagon Metrology Group.
瑞士只有一个坐标测量机供应商，C.E. Johansson。该公司2000年被卖给Hexagon，成为Hexagon集团的主要成员
Spain has entered the CMM industry in recent years with the Trimek CMM.
西班牙只是最近几年才进入坐标测量机行业，主要是铁姆肯坐标测量机。
The United States has its own CMM Manufacturing Companies all producing CMM's.
Sheffield was the dominant name in the CMM Market with its Apollo RS CMM, Cordax CMM, Sheffield 1808 in Manual CMM and DCC CMM configurations. The latest Sheffield CMMs are the Discovery CMM and the Endeavor CMM. Sheffield became part of Giddings & Lewis in the late '80's and are now known as Sheffield Measurement. Its CMM-Software called Direct Inspect and Measure Max, are one of the most well known and its CMM Programming Language, is Sheffield FLB. CAD Path Software provides the CMM Programming capabilities using CAD data. Federal Products built CMM's for a few years and in addition marketed the Renault CMM. Today Brown & Sharpe (BNS) are the largest Coordinate Measuring Machine builder; Brown and Sharpe have acquired Leitz, and DEA in recent years in an effort to consolidate the CMM Industry. Brown and Sharp produce CMM-Products including the Xcel CMM, Microval CMM, Reflex CMM, Mistral CMM, Scirocco CMM, Global CMM, Gage 2000 CMM in addition to other Metrology Tools. BrownandSharpe CMM Software includes MM4, Avail, Tutor for Windows and PC DMIS. Wilcox and Associates are the developers of PCDMIS and were acquired recently by Hexagon who is also the new owners of BrownandSharp the exclusive supplier of PC-DMIS.
Other domestic CMM Builders include Helmel, Taurus, Elm Systems, Resource Engineering, Starrett and a few small others. Starret have recently stopped development of its own CMM Software and now market the Metrolog II product under the name Apogee and the QC5000 CMM Software from Metronics.
With the acquisition of Brown & Sharpe by Hexagon a new company was formed called Xygent who was the owner of Xact Measure a next generation CMM Software with full CAD capability with a special metrology focus on GD&T. This product represented a challenger to PC DMIS. XactMeasure has been taken off the market following the acquisition of Xygent by Hexagon Metrology.
美国有自己的测量机生产公司。
谢菲尔德Sheffield在测量机行业市场上有统治地位。1980年代末谢菲尔德成为Giddings & Lewis的一部分。Federal 生产了几年测量机，并市场运作雷诺测量机。如今，Brown & Sharpe是美国最大的坐标测量机厂家。Brown & Sharpe并购了Leitz,DEA努力巩固测量机业，近来Wilcox，谢菲尔德Sheffield也被Brown & Sharpe并购。
其他测量机厂家包括Helmel, Taurus, Elm Systems, Resource Engineering, Starrett
Brown & Sharpe被Hexagon并购后，Xygent公司成立，开发了XactMeasure，下一代基于兼容CAD系统的测量机软件。该产品与PC-DMIS竞争。
Japan has several Coordinate Measuring Machines builders including the world's largest Metrology Equipment manufacturer Mitutoyo also known as MTI who export their products to a global market. The Mitutoyo Bright CMM, Bright Apex CMM are probably the best selling CMM globally. Tokyo Semitsu licensed their original CMM Technology from Ferranti, and Tokyo Boeki is a producer of Arm CMM's. Mitutoyo over the years used nomenclature for their CMM's like FN Series. BHN Series, BN Series with the BHN504, BHN706 and BHN715 being among the most popular. Mitutoyo CMMs and Mitutoyo CMM were built mechanically accurate until the launch of the Bright CMM.
日本有几个测量机生产厂家，包括世界最大的计量设备生产厂家三丰。东京精密最初从Ferranti得到授权，生产测量机，现在，东京精密和蔡司联手，在日本国内与三丰竞争。
Korea has one CMM Manufacturer called Dukin CMM Company. Their machines are not yet exported to the USA.
韩国有一个测量机厂家，德仁。同时，德仁在中国山东济南建厂。该厂家测量机至今未能出口到美国。
HEXAGON计量产业集团由于将测量机专业厂家Brown & Sharpe、Brown & Sharpe前哨、CIMCORE、DEA、LEITZ、SHEFFIELD、CE JOHANSSON以及测量软件PC-DMIS专业开发商WILCOX和瑞士TESA纳入麾下。
世界测量机市场进入 蔡司ZEISS，海克斯康HEXAGON，三丰MITUTOYO 三强鼎立的时代。
当然，对于海克斯康HEXAGON的广大用户和支持者而言，海克斯康HEXAGON如何演变近来一直是个让人不太放心的变数。
以DEA用户为例，先是DEA东方服务中心，后来303所，前哨朗普，现在Hexagon青岛。有点“城头变换大王旗”的味道。
衷心祝愿海克斯康HEXAGON不要再折腾（有传闻说，将各测量机品牌拆包分卖），将各种品牌测量机整合成一个大的海克斯康HEXAGON，真正成为世界级测量机厂商（现在从量上是世界级，但从质上有待改善）
