Manual CMM Speeds Up Quick Part Inspection and Validation at Mountain Base Manufacturing
Time spent waiting on inspections can cause costly production delays. That's a no-brainer for all of us in precision manufacturing. Time = money. Waste = lost profit. At Mountain Base Manufacturing in East Hampton, Massachusetts, Quality Control Inspector Bob Greenleaf has seen firsthand how slow inspections can hold up an entire workflow. That’s why his team turned to the Fulcrum Manual CMM — a solution designed for quick part inspection and validation without sacrificing accuracy.
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“When the shop brings me a first piece, they can’t move forward until I validate it,” says Bob. “If inspection takes too long, production slows to a crawl.”
Why Quick Part Inspection and Validation Matters
Every first-piece inspection is a critical checkpoint. In industries where tolerances are tight, part validation ensures quality and prevents downstream errors. But traditional CMMs — while precise — often require lengthy programming before measurements can even begin.
“We have a CMM, but to use it, you need to program it, run it, and debug it,” Bob explains. “That setup time can be a big chunk of the day, and it creates a bottleneck.”
For shops like Mountain Base, the need for quick part inspection and validation was clear.
Discovering the Fulcrum Manual CMM
Bob came across the Fulcrum Manual CMM for the first time at Eastec 2025 this past May. Right away, he noticed its user-friendly controls and speed for quick inspections. The presentation demonstrated just how easily it could perform accurate measurements without the long setup times associated with traditional systems.
“It looked fast, accurate, and easy to learn,” says Bob. “It seemed perfect for quick data capture and validation.”
From Show Floor to Shop Floor
Once the manual CMM was installed at Mountain Base, the results were immediate. For many parts — especially first pieces — Bob could skip the full CMM programming process, measure directly, and have validated results in minutes. This meant fewer delays, faster approval, and smoother production flow.
“It’s quick, accurate, and keeps production moving,” Bob says.
The Bottom Line
In modern manufacturing, quick part inspection and validation isn’t just a time-saver — it’s a competitive advantage. The Fulcrum Manual CMM gives manufacturers like Mountain Base Manufacturing the ability to reduce bottlenecks, speed up approvals, and maintain quality — all while keeping production on schedule.
