Proposition of a periodic verification test for Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machines using a small 3D artefact

•The ISO 10360-12 standard tests are time consuming and require bulky artifacts.•Proposition of a rapid verification test for AACMM using a small 3D artifact.•The proposed test takes advantage of the redundancy of AACMMs’ mechanical structure.•Proof of the performance of the proposed test through a comparison to the ISO 1360-12. This paper proposes a periodic verification/acceptance test for Articulated Arm Coordinate Measuring Machine (AACMM). The verification tests recommended by standards dedicated to AACMM are generally time consuming and require bulky artifacts. In fact, the volumetric test of ISO 10360-12 requires measuring five lengths in seven different directions, ensuring that the largest length covers at least 66% of the working range. The proposed test in the paper requires only small artifacts and takes 20–30 min. The test is designed in a way to move all encoders of the AACMM through their entire angular range, with measurements located in a small area of the working range of the AACMM, thanks to the redundancy of the kinematic structure of AACMMs. To validate the proposed test, a comparison with the ISO 10360-12 volumetric test (in terms of encoders’ error, mechanical deformation errors and the maximal error captured) is presented.