Part 7 of our Countdown to IMTS 2026 Series
The phrase “workhorse” [originally written as two words] can trace its origins back to the 16th century as a descriptive adjective for horses used for heavy manual labor. Massive in size, these draft horses weighed nearly twice as much as breeds used for riding and racing. Over time the phrase evolved into a common metaphor used to describe a person who tirelessly takes on extra duties, a reliable athlete or equipment with the durability to keep going under difficult operating conditions.
In 2015 AIMS Metrology introduced its Revolution HB Series HB coordinate measuring machine fitted with a Renishaw 5-axis PH20 touch-trigger indexing head. It was designed and built to stand up to the harsh, demanding environments found on manufacturing production floors instead of being restricted to temperature-controlled laboratories. Customer feedback and AIMS’ finger on the market’s pulse prompted development of the HB to address production bottlenecks, downtime, the need for in-process mobility and demand for a CMM that could revolve around the operator. Able to move to different manufacturing cells, the HB cuts inspection time for complex parts from hours to minutes.
More than a decade later the HB has earned the reputation as the industry’s workhorse and remains a sought-after asset for job shops and manufacturers. As companies continue to transition from traditional 3-axis machining to complex 5-axis machining, additive manufacturing and automated processes, standard inspection methods can’t keep up. Industries like aerospace, medical, automotive and defense are facing increasing demand for tighter tolerances and digital accountability. Manufacturers and suppliers are also under pressure to produce precise parts quickly without sacrificing throughput.
The HB is equipped with a Renishaw 5-axis PH20 probe head and offers expanded multi-sensor measurement options. As a result, the CMM can complete faster inspections, capture high-density data points quickly and help job shops maintain rapid cycle times on intricate part features. For machinists who are printing a component or modifying tooling, the HB can act as a critical tool for quick validation. An operator can debug errors right away instead of waiting for formal quality control programming lines. The CMM can also be integrated with an automated machining cell.
Built on a roll-around stand with locking casters, the HB is the only fully mobile 5-axis CMM on the market. It operates on standard 110/220-volt electrical outlets. It features a polymer-cast base for built-in thermal stability and vibration resistance, along with mechanical bearings that shield the machine from shop-floor dust and movement. Vibration dampers, lightweight protective bellows and robust covers protect internal component precision. And because the HB uses open-architecture controllers to support intuitive software, operators can import a CAD model and quickly generate an inspection routine while instantly feeding dimensional data back into a quality management system or digital twin.
To give manufacturers even more flexibility the HB comes in two sizes. The HB 8.10.6 offers a larger measuring capacity of 800mm (X) x 1000mm (Y) x 600mm (Z). The HB 5.9.4 has a measuring capacity of 500mm (X) x 900mm (Y) x 400mm (Z). Both configurations feature the same mobile roll-around stand design and support Renishaw 5-axis PH20 probing technology.
What we hear from manufacturing engineers more than anything else, is the need to inspect parts right on the shop floor in real time. We will be demonstrating our HB at IMTS. We hope to see you in September at booth 134242.