Taunton, MA · Used Gages 508-343-1219
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Buying guide · Pricing

Used CMM Price: What Actually Sets the Number

Two used CMMs of the same make and size can be listed far apart, and both can be fair. The asking price on a coordinate measuring machine is mostly a bet on four things: whether the controller still runs and can be serviced, whether the software license comes with it, what probe head is on it, and what it will cost to move and verify. This guide shows how to read a used CMM listing, what pushes the price up or down, and how to work out what the machine really costs you once it is measuring parts.

Why there are no price bands on this page: we haven’t collected enough dated, sold-price data on used CMMs to publish ranges we’d stand behind, and asking prices on listing sites are not what machines sell for. Instead of made-up numbers, this page gives you the method to price the specific machine in front of you.

Ask about a CMM: 508-343-1219 Open the used CMM checklist

1. What moves a used CMM’s price

Pushes the price up

  • DCC (computer-driven) rather than manual.
  • A controller generation the maker or independent shops still support.
  • A software license that transfers in writing, with the key or dongle in hand.
  • A motorized indexing head, and a scanning probe if the machine has one.
  • A recent performance verification report that matches the serial number.
  • Seen running under power, with a stylus kit, reference sphere and PC included.
  • A measuring volume that a lot of job shops want (the common bridge sizes sell more easily than very large or very small machines).

Pulls the price down

  • Manual machine, or a DCC machine whose controller is dead or unsupported.
  • No license, or a software maker that won’t transfer it.
  • A fixed or manual-index head when your parts need many probe angles.
  • Scored guideways, air leaks at the bearings, or axes that grab.
  • Chips or cracks in the working area of the granite.
  • Sold “as is, not running,” or already disconnected and stacked in a corner.
  • Very large machines, which cost more to rig and need a bigger room, so fewer buyers can take them.

2. Controller generation matters more than the brand name

The granite bridge on a CMM can outlast several controllers. That’s why a machine’s age on its own tells you little about price. What buyers really pay for is a controller, a probe system and software that still talk to each other and can still be repaired.

  • Write down the controller model from its own label, not from the listing.
  • Ask the maker or an independent CMM service company whether parts and service are still available for that controller.
  • Ask what software versions that controller can run. An old controller can lock you to old software and an old PC operating system.
  • If the controller has been retrofitted, ask who did it, when, and what software now runs on it. A professional retrofit with current software can be worth more than an original machine with obsolete electronics.

3. Why the cheap CMM can cost the most

A low asking price on a machine with a dead or unsupported controller is the most common used-CMM trap. The granite and bearings may be fine, but to measure parts you may need a controller retrofit, new software, a new license, a probe head, rigging and verification. Add those up and the “cheap” machine can pass the price of a running machine with current electronics.

A running machine priced higher, with a transferable license and a recent verification report, is often the cheaper way to get to measuring parts.

4. How to read a used CMM listing

  • “Working when removed” means nobody has seen it run since. Price it closer to untested.
  • “Software included” isn’t the same as “license transfers.” Ask for the software maker’s transfer policy in writing.
  • “Calibrated” needs a date, a standard (ISO 10360-2 or ASME B89.4.10360.2) and a serial number match. It also ends when the machine is moved.
  • “Probe head included” should name the head and the probe modules. Probe heads and probe modules can be a large share of the value.
  • Auction listings usually come without a demonstration, a warranty or help with rigging. A lower price buys you more risk.
  • Dealer listings may include a check, a demonstration, installation or verification. Ask exactly what the price covers before you compare it with an auction.

5. Total cost worksheet

The number that matters is what the machine costs you once it is installed and verified. Get a written quote or a real number for each line before you agree on a price. Leave a line blank only if you know for certain that it doesn’t apply.

  • Purchase price (or winning bid plus buyer’s premium and sales tax)
  • Software license or transfer fee, and any maintenance needed to update
  • Controller repair or retrofit, if it’s unsupported or not running
  • Probe head, probe modules and a stylus kit, if they’re missing or worn out
  • PC and operating system that the software supports
  • Rigging out, transport and rigging in (shipping locks or brackets in place)
  • Room prep: temperature control, floor, clean dry air supply
  • Leveling, settling time and post-move performance verification
  • Training and the time to rebuild or write part programs

Then compare that total against two other options: a running machine from a dealer that includes installation and verification, and sending the parts out. If you only inspect a few first-article packets or spot checks a month, contract inspection can cost less than owning a CMM.

6. Finding real comparables

  • Use sold prices, not asking prices. Ended auction results and sold listings show what machines actually brought.
  • Compare like with like: the same type (bridge, gantry, horizontal arm), similar volume, DCC versus manual, controller generation, probe head and whether the license transferred.
  • Write down the date and the source of every comparable you use. Used-machine prices change with the market.
  • Ask an independent CMM service company what it would cost to bring a given machine back into service. That repair estimate is often the real difference between two listings.

7. Making an offer

  • Run the used CMM checklist first, including the repeatability test at the center and the corners.
  • Put each problem you find into money from your worksheet: no license, unsupported controller, missing head, a failed corner test.
  • Make the offer conditional on seeing it run, getting the license transfer in writing and having shipping locks in place.
  • Agree in writing who pays for rigging out and when the machine has to leave the seller’s floor.

Rule of thumb: price the machine by what it takes to make it measure parts, not by the brand or the size of the granite.

Used CMM price questions

How much is a used CMM worth?

It depends far more on the condition of the controller, the software license and the probe head than on age or brand. The fair price for a specific machine is what comparable machines actually sold for, minus what it will take to get this one measuring parts in your shop.

Why are some used CMMs so cheap?

Usually because the controller is dead or no longer supported, the software license doesn’t transfer, the probe head is missing, or the machine is sold as-is without a demonstration. Each of those can cost more to fix than the gap in asking price.

Is an older Brown & Sharpe or other legacy CMM still worth buying?

Often the granite and the bearings are sound for years. Whether an older machine is worth buying comes down to whether its controller and software can still be supported, or whether a retrofit is planned and priced into the deal.

Does a used CMM include calibration?

Not in a way that survives the move. Even with a recent verification report, plan to level the machine, let it settle to the room and have it verified in its new location before you use it for acceptance.

Should I buy from an auction or a dealer?

An auction can cost less up front but usually comes as-is, with no demonstration, warranty or rigging help. A dealer price may include a check, installation or verification. Compare the total installed cost, not the sticker.

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