Buying FARO Equipment on a Deadline? An 8-Step Checklist That Works

When I first started coordinating measurement equipment purchases, I assumed the biggest risk was overpaying. Three years and 200+ rush orders later, I know the real risk: buying the wrong thing quickly and paying for it slowly.

This checklist is for engineers, lab managers, and small-shop owners who need inspection equipment on a deadline. Eight steps. Follow them in order, and you'll avoid the mistakes that cost me thousands in rework, rush fees, and regret.

Step 1: Define the measurement task before calling anyone

Write this down before you talk to a single vendor:

• The exact features you need to measure
• Required tolerance and accuracy
• Part size range and material
• Measurement environment (shop floor, cleanroom, or field site)

This determines whether you need a FARO arm CMM, a laser tracker, or something simpler. In March 2024, a client called at 2 PM needing a "full CMM system" quoted by close of business. After 30 minutes of questions, we realized their largest part fit in a 1.2-meter cube and the tolerance was generous. A portable arm handled it at a third of the cost.

Don't let the vendor run the discovery process. Run it yourself.

Step 2: Separate "must have" from "nice to have"

Every measurement system has spec options, and the price ladder is steep. A FARO arm with a 2.4-meter workspace versus the 4-meter reach version can differ by five figures. If your parts are small, that extra reach is wasted money.

I watched a client buy a laser tracker for a job that only required ±0.5 mm accuracy. The tracker was overkill by an order of magnitude. It did the job. It also cost roughly six times what a capable portable CMM would have.

The question isn't "what's the best equipment available?" The question is "what does this measurement actually require?"

Step 3: Check the software workflow before the hardware

Nearly everyone skips this step. Hardware without the right software is a very expensive paperweight.

When evaluating a FARO arm, ask for a walkthrough of the FARO app and the CAM2 software suite early in the process. Confirm it exports the formats your customers and your own metrology software demand. A portable CMM that saves data in a format your team can't read reliably will cost you hours of rework on every project.

(Should mention: some manufacturers gate features behind subscription tiers. Ask about that explicitly. I learned the hard way when a "complete" software package turned out to need an additional module for surface analysis.)

Step 4: Verify calibration turnaround—not just availability

Here's the thing nobody puts in the brochure: the calibration schedule determines whether your equipment is usable when you need it.

Why does this matter? Because an expired or uncertified calibration stops an inspection job just as dead as a broken sensor. We processed 47 rush orders last quarter, and every one that came close to slipping was calibration-related.

Ask every vendor for their calibration turnaround time—and ask for the calibration lab's phone number, not the sales office. If I remember correctly, a typical FARO calibration takes a few business days to a week, but verify against current capacity in your service region. Also ask about loaner equipment. Emergency loaners exist, but not everywhere.

Per ISO 10360-2, CMM acceptance and re-verification tests must be traceable to international standards.

If a calibration provider can't show you that traceability chain, walk away.

Step 5: Plan for the tools around the system

A complete inspection station needs more than a portable CMM. The supporting cast matters:

• Calipers and height gauges
• Reference blocks and artifacts
• A reliable multimeter for electrical checks
• Any sample prep equipment your lab processes

The question comes up often in our line of work: where to buy Fluke multimeter? My answer: authorized distributors, always. Counterfeit multimeters are widespread, and they're not just inaccurate—they're unsafe. The old Fluke 16 multimeter was a workhorse in its day. If you're replacing one, the Fluke authorized dealer network can steer you to a current equivalent. Note: I might be misremembering exact model transitions—verify on the official Fluke site before ordering.

And if your lab does any sample preparation, don't overlook centrifuges. They lack the "high-tech" appeal of a laser tracker, but centrifuge lead times can be just as long. Worse, rotor configurations are application-specific—you can't grab any unit off a shelf and assume it fits your tube size.

Step 6: Get lead times in writing and build a buffer

The vendor said delivery would take a week. Did I believe them? Not entirely. That skepticism paid off in March 2024, when 36 hours before a client's deadline, the shipment tracking went dark.

We found the unit stuck in a warehouse two states away. Resolving it cost $800 in emergency freight and a very stressful weekend. The alternative? A $12,000 project sliding into a $50,000 penalty clause.

My policy now: written lead time commitment from the vendor, a three-day internal buffer for anything mission-critical, and a backup source identified before the order—not after. If a shipment arrives late, you don't have time to start backup sourcing. Identify the backup when you place the order.

Step 7: Calculate total cost of ownership, not sticker price

Total cost of owning a FARO arm CMM includes:

• Base equipment price
• Software licensing and updates
• Calibration cycles (frequency × cost per cycle)
• Annual service contracts
• Training and onboarding

The lowest quoted price is rarely the lowest total cost. This is a lesson I learned expensively.

Saved $2,000 by choosing a non-OEM calibration house for a client's laser tracker. Ended up spending $5,800 on re-calibration with the OEM plus expedited return shipping after the auditor rejected the missing uncertainty data. Not ideal, but it was the only path forward. Net loss: $3,800 and three days of production downtime.

I still kick myself. If I'd asked for a sample calibration report before placing the order, I'd have caught the problem immediately.

Step 8: Don't treat small orders like small potatoes

Less about spreadsheets, more about relationship philosophy. When I was starting out, the vendors who treated my $200 orders seriously are the ones I still use. I've since placed orders a hundred times that size with them.

Small doesn't mean unimportant—it means potential.

If a supplier gives you slow responses, vague lead times, or a dismissive attitude because you're requesting a single probe kit, that's a signal. It's also a preview of what the relationship looks like after the purchase, when you need support. We lost a $22,000 equipment contract in 2024 trying to save $1,200 with a vendor who made us feel like a burden during the quote phase. The "saving" disappeared. The headache didn't.

Common mistakes to avoid

A few last warnings from the trenches:

• Buying used equipment without a traceable calibration certificate. "As-is" deals become the most expensive purchases you'll make. Insist on calibration records from an accredited lab.
• Ignoring warranty and service transfer agreements. Some warranties don't transfer to new owners. Confirm before signing.
• Forgetting consumables. Probe tips, adapter sleeves, reference spheres. Small items. Long lead times.
• Not checking environmental requirements. Temperature, humidity, and vibration all affect precision measurement. A FARO arm is portable—that doesn't make it immune to a sweltering shop floor.

The point of this checklist isn't to make the perfect purchase decision every time. It's to avoid the failures that create emergency purchases in the first place. Follow it, and maybe you'll save yourself the stressful weekends I spent chasing rush orders in my early years.