Which type of CMM retrofit to choose? Half retrofit or complete Retrofit?

Half CMM retrofit solution:

Known also as “finger pointing solution” which includes only replacing the old software with new one that interface to existing old and obsolete controller.

This solution looks attractive at the beginning because it has lower initial cost but in short period it will result in a very high cost and headache for the following reasons:

Blaming tactics: because the retrofitter has changed the software only so he will not take responsibility of the controller and he will blame it for any problem that arise, at the same time the original OEM of the controller will decline any responsibility, support and will blame the new software.
Interfacing new software to an existing controller will never be the best interface it can be because there is no cooperation between the software company and the hardware company since they are competitors.
The old and obsolete motion control systems is proprietary and therefore it’s spare parts and service are at least 3 times more expensive that the latest generation universal digital controller.
Most of the time the spare parts for the old proprietary controller are not readily available which will result in long down time for the CMM when it needs service.
The old and obsolete controller cannot support the latest probing technology like SP25 scanning Probe, SP80 high speed scanning probe and PH20 infinite positioning probe…etc

Complete CMM Retrofit Solution:

known also as “peace of mind solution” which includes full CMM retrofit by replacing all the old and obsolete parts of the machine.

This retrofit will include:

VDMIS Metrology Software which is the latest and most advanced metrology software. VDMIS is using the DMIS native programming language which is the standard language for CMM created by ANSI/CAMI.
Brand new digital universal controller and joystick box.
Replacing the old obsolete scales and reader heads with new Renishaw digital scales and reader heads.
Latest generation PC and High definition Monitor with choice of Windows 7 or Windows 8, 64 bit.

VDMIS CMM retrofit solution will transform an existing CMM to a state of the art Measuring system.