Dear Colleagues,

The 3D Metrology Conference (www.3dmc.events) was established as an annual European event in 2016. So far, apart from two online events due to COVID in 2020 and 2021, it has been held in Germany, the UK and Spain. The 2024 event will return to the UK at Loughborough University’s Intelligent Automation Centre. Despite our excellent university links, this conference is not a conventional academic event. Until the return to live events in November 2022, it offered only presentations and posters but no associated papers. The intention was, and remains to be, to encourage industrial end users of 3D metrology (3DM) technologies to present their applications and challenges in a relaxed environment where researchers and developers can also present novel solutions and new technologies relevant to 3D measurement and metrology. However, it was decided in 2022 to offer presenters the option of submitting related articles to our most recent media partner, MDPI’s Metrology. Therefore, this Special Issue showcases selected 3DM developments presented at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 conferences.

The conference intertwines application and development, which should help the industry benefit from developments that focus on real problems. The spectrum of technologies covered by the 3D Metrology Conference is centred on portable coordinate metrology in large-object manufacturing, e.g., with laser tracking and close-range photogrammetry, but it also embraces small-scale and sub-surface measurements at one end, e.g., with 3D microscopy and computed tomography, and construction challenges at the other, e.g., with long-range laser scanning and drone inspection. The conference further welcomes relevant input based on technologies such as motion capture and augmented reality, and new analysis techniques such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This is a vibrant field where ideas can be exchanged across a wide spectrum. The cooperation between the conference and Metrology will provide another opportunity to encourage the further development and application of 3DM technologies.

Dr. Stephen Kyle
Prof. Ben Hughes
Prof. Dr. Stuart Robson
Prof. Dr. Robert Schmitt
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metrology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• portable coordinate metrology (PCM)
• large-volume metrology (LVM)
• close-range photogrammetry
• laser tracking
• 3D surface inspection (from area scanning to detailed roughness)
• CMM technology advances
• computed tomography (CT) for metrology applications
• metrology-assisted manufacturing (e.g., machining, assembly)
• robotic and automated PCM
• point-cloud analysis
• virtual metrology systems
• metrology integration with digital twins
• mixed robotic and human workspaces
• multiple object tracking
• 3D data analysis for quality maintenance