3. Determine optimal use of measurement tools

There are dozens of units of measurement for defining the physical quantities of your product: measurement of size, weight, flow rate, permissible pressure, power, electrical impedance, and so on. The use of a measuring tool depends essentially on the functions of your structure. A support beam has a different use than a plumbing joint, so their characterization must take into account the expected properties. Similarly, depending on the application, more or less precise measurements will be required.

For any type of measurement, there are several types of instrument. The reason for this is simple: to satisfy your need for precision, there's no point in measuring a thickness to the nearest micron if your specifications only call for dimensions to the nearest millimetre; so you'll need to choose the right tool for the job. Similarly, metrology instruments are generally...