Measuring room at CSL: Renishaw probe above a part on the surface plate, probe changer and temperature logger showing 20.3 °C

Laboratory

Measuring room, instruments and environment

A measured value is only as good as the conditions it is created under. That is why we measure at reference temperature per ISO 1, stabilise parts before measurement and trace every instrument back to calibrated standards. The measuring room itself is qualified to grade 3 with reference to VDI/VDE 2627.

Why the environment measures too

Materials expand with temperature: a 500 mm steel part grows by around 6 µm per kelvin, aluminium by twice that. With tight tolerances, temperature therefore helps decide between conforming and non-conforming.

ISO 1 specifies 20 °C as the standard reference temperature for geometrical and dimensional properties. We therefore stabilise parts before measurement, measure in the temperature-controlled measuring room and document the measurement conditions in the report.

Estimate thermal expansion — to the calculator (German) →

What stands in the laboratory

Tactile measurement

Mitutoyo Crysta Apex S776

CNC coordinate measuring machine, measuring volume 700 × 700 × 600 mm, up to 800 kg. Length measurement error down to (1.7 + 3L/1000) µm.

Tactile measurement →

Optical measurement

Mitutoyo QUICK VISION Apex Pro 404

Multi-sensor measuring machine with sub-micrometre resolution, tactile complement with Renishaw TP20 in the same inspection plan.

Optical measurement →

3D scanning

Zeiss ATOS

Fringe projection for surfaces and free-forms, nominal-actual comparison as a false-colour map, the basis for reverse engineering.

3D scanning →

Contour and roughness

T&S ConturoMatic

Stylus method for contour profiles and surface parameters, to standard per ISO 21920 and ISO 1302.

Contour → Roughness →

Computed tomography

CT via partner

Data acquisition at the specialised partner. Inspection planning, ISO GPS evaluation and responsibility for the results lie with CSL.

Computed tomography →

Measurement software

Across all manufacturers

Mitutoyo MCOSMOS and MiCAT Planner, QVpak, Zeiss Calypso and Inspect, Hexagon PC-DMIS, Werth WinWerth.

CMM programming →

What is certified — and what is not

Certification

ISO 9001:2015

Certified by PIAQ (certificate DE23_CSL0319, valid until 01.05.2028). Scope: inspection with tactile and optical measuring machines (IAF 34) — inspection process, traceability and report release are externally audited.

Accreditation

Deliberately without ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation

Our reports are accepted across industries. So far there has been no customer requirement for accredited reports. If it comes, we will take that step.

CSL is not accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. Our laboratory operates under an ISO 9001-certified quality management system and uses calibrated, traceable equipment, documented uncertainty evaluations where applicable and regular interlaboratory comparisons (German). If an accredited report is required for your application, we clarify this before accepting the order.

More on qualification and team (German) →

Calibration and traceability

Every measuring machine is regularly checked against traceable standards

Tactile

Mitutoyo Crysta Apex S776

Calibration by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited partner per SN EN ISO 10360-2 and -5, at a risk-based interval: 105 length measurements in seven spatial orientations plus a probing test on the calibrated reference sphere. Most recently, the largest length measurement error was 1.7 µm — 3.5 µm would have been permissible.

How a CMM calibration works (German) →

3D scanning

Zeiss ATOS Core 300

Recurring monitoring with the GOM Acceptance Test with reference to VDI/VDE 2634 part 3 — using a sphere standard, SCS-calibrated by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited partner. The evaluation runs on software certified by PTB and NIST.

Optical

Mitutoyo Quick Vision Apex 404

Calibrated by an SCS-accredited partner (ISO/IEC 17025) directly in the CSL measuring room — with a calibration certificate, traceable to the national standards (SI).

Contour, roughness and environment

Stylus instruments and measuring room

The stylus instruments for contour and roughness are calibrated with traceable standards; a calibrated reference thermometer monitors the room temperature. The chain to the reference temperature per ISO 1 stays closed.

Measuring room and conditions

Why is measurement done at 20 °C?

ISO 1 specifies 20 °C as the standard reference temperature for geometrical and dimensional properties — a 500 mm steel part is around 35 µm longer at 26 °C. We therefore stabilise parts before measurement, measure in the temperature-controlled measuring room and document the measurement conditions.

How long do parts need to stabilise?

That depends on material, mass and delivery temperature: from under an hour for small aluminium parts to several hours for massive parts. We plan the stabilisation into the schedule; for urgent orders we tell you in advance what is realistic.

Is the measuring equipment traceable?

Yes. The measuring machines are calibrated regularly and traceable to national standards. For suitable CMM measurements we evaluate the task-specific measurement uncertainty in accordance with ISO 15530-3 using calibrated workpieces or measurement standards.

What part sizes can you measure?

Tactilely up to a measuring volume of 700 × 700 × 600 mm and 800 kg workpiece weight. Special measurements up to 5000 mm by arrangement. For larger or non-transportable parts, we bring the measurement to your site.

Too large, too heavy, too delicate? Ask us.

Describe your measurement task. Measurements take place in the temperature-controlled measuring room at 20 °C. Quotes are effort-based and transparent.

Christian Schärer

Owner and Managing Director · Standards committee Swissmem NK1

+41 55 511 50 85 info@csl-imt.ch Team →

Prefer to talk first?

A 30-minute technical call about your drawing or measurement task. Free of charge, in English or German.

Pick a time →