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About

Steven Spitz is a leading researcher in automated dimensional inspection planning, with a focus on coordinate measuring machines (CMMs)—high-precision Cartesian robots used for quality control in manufacturing. His work centers on developing algorithms that enable CMMs to autonomously plan and execute inspection tasks, reducing the need for manual programming. Spitz’s most influential contribution is his pioneering work on accessibility analysis, which determines how a touch probe can reach a workpiece’s surfaces without collision. His 1999 paper on this topic, with 81 citations, introduced foundational methods for planning CMM inspection paths, while his 2000 follow-up, with 38 citations, leveraged computer graphics hardware to dramatically accelerate these computations. His doctoral thesis (1999) further advanced the field by creating a fully automated inspection planner, integrating spatial reasoning with constraint satisfaction to optimize probe selection, part orientation, and measurement sequences. Though his later work on hierarchical constraint satisfaction (2003) has fewer citations, it remains a key reference for high-level planning. Spitz’s research has directly improved the efficiency and accuracy of automated inspection systems, making him a pivotal figure in manufacturing robotics and metrology.