The history of QUINDOS: Progress with continuity

The history of QUINDOS began in 1982. Leitz needed a new software for their high accuracy coordinate measuring machines and measuring microscopes. After two years of development, the software was presented for the first time at the Microtechnik exhibition in Zürich.

The first Leitz machine running with QUINDOS was shipped in 1985. QUINDOS was installed on a Microvax computer with a VMS operating system.

In 1987, Wild Heerbrugg AG merged with Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH to create Wild Leitz.

1988 the first theodolite is controlled by QUINDOS (ELCOVISION).

QUINDOS version 3, with a graphical user interface, was released in 1989.

In 1990, the Wild Leitz 3D metrology business unit was outsourced under the name Leitz Messtechnik GmbH. New owner becomes Brown & Sharpe. 1991 QUINDOS version 3.1 was released. This was the first PC QUINDOS version running on an SCO-UNIX platform and controlling Brown & Sharpe coordinate measuring machines.

The last OpenVMS and SCO-UNIX versions of QUINDOS were released in 1995. For the first time measuring devices from other manufacturers like DEA could be run using QUINDOS.

QUINDOS version 5, the first Microsoft Windows NT QUINDOS version, was released in 1999. Messtechnik Wetzlar GmbH was formed on April, 1st, 1999.

The Swedish company Hexagon AB took control of the Brown & Sharpe Group in 2001.

2002, Messtechnik Wetzlar took over the responsibility for the development of QUINDOS. Version 6 is the first QUINDOS version running on Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems.

2005 saw the release of QUINDOS version 7. The user interface was completely reworked for MS Windows including CAD functionality.

2007 a five-axis probing system was implemented for the first time.

In 2008, Messtechnik Wetzlar now also becomes part of Hexagon Metrology.

Messtechnik Wetzlar GmbH was renamed to Hexagon Metrology PTS GmbH in 2010.

From day 1 QUINDOS has been upwards compatible. In other words, programs written in version 1 (1985) can be used in today’s version.