DMIS

DMIS, or Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard, is an international standard for describing dimensional measurement tasks and exchanging measurement data between coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and metrology software. It provides a neutral language and data model that enables interoperability among equipment and software from different vendors, facilitating the porting of measurement programs and results across systems.

A DMIS program encodes the measurement plan in a structured, text-based form. It identifies the instrument and part, establishes the datum reference frame, lists the features to inspect (such as holes, edges, bores, and form features), specifies probing strategies, and defines acceptance criteria. It can also describe fixtures, calibration constraints, and post-processing rules used to derive measurements such as coordinates, diameters, tolerances, and form errors.

File format and usage: DMIS files typically use the .dmis extension and can be executed by DMIS-capable software to drive CMMs or simulators, or to exchange instructions and results between different vendors. While the core standard is vendor-agnostic, many suppliers provide dialects or extensions to accommodate specific hardware or software capabilities.

History and relation: DMIS was developed to standardize how measurement tasks are described and shared in the metrology community, and has seen widespread adoption in industries such as automotive and aerospace. It complements other metrology standards and workflows, and is often used alongside product data and inspection standards to support quality assurance and data exchange.