Software Configuration Management and Automated Secure Data Storage for Metrology Processes

Abstract

With a mission to compensate and 6 degree of freedom (6 DOF) locate several hundred 2 or 3 axis machines with an evolving software process and changing inputs, several significant data handling problems arose. How are all input data, scripts and other software versions kept under revision control with weekly or daily changes, and several metrology teams running multiple shifts? How is it possible to process the avalanche of incoming data without being overwhelmed by it? What can be done to prevent data loss due to operator error? How can all data be archived reliably and reports protected from accidental change? This case study describes an effort to grapple with these questions and a gradual evolution from primitive to more sophisticated solutions that raised the bar a little on our own best practices for repeated metrology operations.