US Patent 10036627 Multi-mode portable coordinate measuring machine

A multi-mode coordinate measuring machine system can be configured to measure coordinates in a variety of ways with a certain set of components. For example, an articulated arm coordinate measuring machine can measure coordinates on an object using a contact probe or a non-contact measuring device mounted on the articulated arm. Then, a user can remove the non-contact measuring device from the articulated arm coordinate measuring machine, and take additional measurements of the object that can be aligned with measurements taken by the articulated arm and devices attached thereto.