Method for compensating heat expansion of a workpiece and coordinate measuring machine for performing this method

The method involves measuring a first workpiece (9) at least twice, recording the measurement values and the associated workpiece temperatures, applying the measured values of workpiece temperature dependent characteristics(s) against the associated temperature, determining the constant or function compensating the thermal behavior of the measurement process from the functional dependence of the characteristic change on the workpiece temperature and deriving the determined constant or function to correct the respective characteristic for subsequent measurement of similar workpieces. An independent claim is also included for a coordinate measurement device for implementing the inventive method.