Traditional bevel gear cutting blade inspection machines have three linear axes for set-up. One of the three axes is used for advancing the blade towards a mechanically or opto-electronically functioning measurement probe. In many cases, the blade is inclined versus the major measurement plane by the angle of the cutter head slots of the particular blade type and perpendicular to the sides of the blade shank. This results in three linear freedoms of blade movements in connection with one to five probes and one inclination (commonly realized with a tapered block).

The Gleason No. 562, shown in Figure 1 is an example of a manually operated blade inspection device as described above. The blades are inclined at the same angle of the slot inclination in the respective cutter head. The blade geometry is described in the offset plane of the cutter head. The offset plane in face milling cutters is approximately the normal plane to the cutting velocity (offset plane