How metrology software is transforming quality in modern manufacturing

Why precision matters more than ever

Precision in modern manufacturing operations is critical because quality is a non-negotiable for many industries. It is also a fundamental needle-mover for manufacturers wanting to stand out against every-growing global competition. Achieving the best standards of quality requires implementing the right mix of hardware and software working together to deliver insightful, actionable metrology data to teams.

Metrology provides the bedrock for quality assurance across all sectors of discrete manufacturing. With accurate and consistent measurements, manufacturers can trust the data they get from their quality teams, giving them that assurance. Armed with that reliable data, they are able to verify tolerances, calibrate their equipment and achieve compliance and certification.

While a lot of focus is on to the hardware in this process, the software powering it is equally important.

What is metrology software?

So, what precisely is metrology software? Metrology software empowers manufacturers to measure and analyse the geometry of parts and assemblies. The sensors from the hardware provide the data, but it is the software that turns the raw data into actionable information. This can then be interpreted by quality teams and connected systems.

The term ‘metrology software’ covers a wide range of platforms, from CMM software, to 3D scanning software and CT analysis, to statistical process control. Industries from electronics to aerospace rely on metrology software to provide this critical role in quality control and assurance.

Metrology solutions are essential to manufacturers, and while other software providers can offer packages for one or two of the platforms mentioned, Hexagon’s software delivers capabilities across stationary CMMs, portable shopfloor devices, robotics and data analytics. Each of these disciplines requires software that is able to resolve immediate customer problems while delivering enhanced levels of insight through intelligent analytics and intuitive visualisation.

PC-DMIS: a cornerstone of metrology software

One of the cornerstones of Hexagon’s metrology software portfolio is PC-DMIS. This is a measurement software solution that supports a wide range of metrology hardware and has been relied upon for decades by global metrology professionals and shop-floor operators.

The software empowers users to create sophisticated measurement routines, while a simplified user interface enables machine operators to easily select and execute the appropriate routine.

Reporting from PC-DMIS is easily customisable, with the ability to create cloud-based notifications and mobile alerts to ensure everyone who needs to see the measurement results can receive them quickly.

Key features of modern metrology software

Modern metrology software packages bring a huge amount of capabilities to manufacturing, making sure the captured data is put to work to its full potential. Here are a few features to look out for:

Real-time data acquisition and analysis

Today’s metrology software capabilities play an important role in driving productivity, efficiency, and of course, quality, forward across manufacturing industries. A key feature of this is the real-time data acquisition and analysis. It is this that enables manufacturers to ensure quality issues are caught and rectified as quickly as possible.

Automation and AI-driven insights

And as manufacturers increasingly turn to automation, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to ramp up productivity, metrology processes are also leveraging these same technologies. Together, they will lead the way towards metrology transforming from a reactive process to a predictive one. This is already starting to happen, although we are not there yet, but it will have a huge impact on how quality is managed in manufacturing operations.

Hexagon’s SPC software enables better decision-making through a complete toolset of data management and statistical evaluation methodologies for all types of manufacturers. Hexagon’s Quality Assurance portfolio applies Artificial Intelligence to drive new insight and learning for QA and process control capabilities. The portfolio includes Q-DAS  statistical software and eMMA dimensional data management software solutions.

Cloud-based collaboration and reporting

AI is not the only technology transforming metrology software. One of the major pinch points in traditional manufacturing workflows is the movement of data across the various teams and disciplines (typically with different file types only adding to the hurdles). But with the advent of cloud computing, there are new ways to access and distribute data to eliminate silos and productivity bottlenecks.

For example, Metrology Mentor is a Nexus app accessible through our cloud-based platform, and uses PMI (purchasing managers index) data to automate CMM programming to deliver rapid, reliable, and repeatable CMM programs. Mentor verifies customer GD&T and highlights detected errors. It consolidates metrology parts, plans, and program data in an easy-to-use modern UX. Mentor creates measurement programs from CAD data in line with ISO & ASME standards.

Benefits of implementing metrology software

So, what are the benefits from choosing the right metrology software? You will find that some offer greater customisation and ease of use. This will enable you to tailor interfaces to match your requirements and make training and onboarding far easier.

Most importantly, the measurement capabilities differ greatly. Those focusing on 3D surface analysis will need a software that excels in this area rather one for 2D measurements. If you need absolute precision, the best metrology software will provide accurate edge detection and advanced feature recognition.

For example, edge detection has been accelerated by AI for CT analysis within Hexagon’s VGSTUDIO max. The integration of AI-based solutions enables smart, autonomous data segmentation, ensuring precise and efficient analysis that leads to better-informed decisions and superior product quality

Precision and efficiency with Control X

With the right attributes identified, choosing the right metrology software will help manufacturers to reduce both inspection time and costs, while also accelerating compliance and enabling better decision making. A good example of this is Hexagon’s Control X software.

In 2025, Hexagon expanded its metrology software capabilities by acquiring the Geomagic portfolio—bringing powerful tools like Control X into our ecosystem.

Advanced features

Control X delivers precision, speed, and ease of use. It helps teams catch issues early, reducing costly mistakes, and accelerating time-to-market for manufacturers. Supporting operations of all sizes, the software allows users to compare 3D scan data directly against CAD models. It can quickly identify deviations, and generate detailed inspection reports in minutes —tasks that traditionally took hours.

What makes Control X particularly powerful is its ability to handle complex quality challenges with ease. Whether it’s subtle warping, dimensional drift, or missing features, the software delivers fast, accurate insights into what’s really happening on the shop floor.

The 3D Compare tool embedded within the Control X software brings intuitive heatmaps and clear deviation reports. This makes inspection results far easier to understand and communicate, whether you’re improving a process, ensuring compliance, or documenting for customers.

In today’s competitive, global manufacturing landscape, identifying problems early is critical. Control X’s real-time deviation analysis gives teams the ability to act before minor flaws turn into major quality issues. This agility is especially important for manufacturers working with custom parts, complex geometries, or tight production schedules. For example, in molding or casting operations, the software can detect post-process deformation that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Future trends in metrology software

Hexagon’s metrology software solutions are evolving rapidly. Technological advances enable us to move beyond traditional on-site deployment towards full cloud integration, delivering smarter manufacturing insights. Manufacturers have relied on our established software packages for decades and will continue to support users long into the future.

On the horizon we are realising a future where the DNA of our established software packages exists as components within a cloud-based platform. As processes grow and develop, manufacturers can easily select and implement additional software capabilities as required. Whether you need basic reporting or the complete package, the choice will be yours. Existing licence-holders will be able to benefit from many of the additional features too.

Through this platform it will also be possible to access and share unified data freely, leveraging more powerful insights and driving higher-level analytics. With Hexagon’s broad portfolio of solutions, this will grow into a deep reservoir of contextualised data, the potential of which is often left untapped.

How AI and machine learning enhance capabilities

These qualities are further enhanced by technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These technologies promote a move beyond descriptive capabilities (producing standard reporting data which tells you what has happened). Now we are moving towards predictive outcomes allowing for earlier intervention to prevent many issues from occurring. With a range of devices connected to a platform such as this, it is possible to create a fully autonomous, closed feedback loop. Such a loop would detect errors and send data back to an earlier design or manufacturing stage we can make corrections. The result is a self-correcting manufacturing process, reducing time and material wastage.

Autonomy demands more communication between products and devices to accelerate production. As this happens, customers will develop greater efficiency by building smarter end-to-end workflows that overcome many of today’s metrology challenges.

The role of robotics

Manufacturers have been aware for many years that the skills gap is widening. Metrology software plays a powerful role in shrinking that gap by lowering the level of expertise required. We can achieve this by allowing the software to do the ‘heavy lifting’. This can happen through automation, or by simplifying the interface as much as possible. This consequently enables staff to work smarter and more productively.

Robotics is already a crucial component of autonomous metrology processes. But it will likely snowball as more manufacturers adopt Industry 4.0 strategies. HxGN Robotic Automation was introduced in 2021. It’s an intuitive, flexible and scalable robotic control software solution designed to simplify programming for automated measurement and inspection applications.

In 2025, Hexagon’s new Robotics division announced the launch of AEON. This represents a major step (or wheel roll) forward in the development of humanoid robots operating in industrial environments.

The competitive edge of precision

Manufacturing today is a landscape with many competing pressures, from supply chains, skills shortages, to energy and digitalisation. Hexagon’s metrology software has always focused on delivering intuitive, configurable functionality to maximise manufacturing insights that impact quality and efficiency. Hexagon is the world’s largest developer of metrology software, supplying some of the biggest manufacturers,

New methods of manufacturing are appearing on the horizon. Techniques like additive manufacturing have become a viable industrial solution, producing incredible geometric structures that can be challenging for traditional metrology systems to validate.

Keep up to date with our latest metrology software releases here: Metrology software | Hexagon