Abstract: A monitoring system having a stylus mounted to a support that controllably moves the stylus along a travel path as it contacts an object of interest. The object is supported by a rotating turntable and held in place by a retainer that exerts a repeatable downward force on the object. A frame that supports the stylus is moved by a number of motors to provide three mutually orthogonal directions of motion to the stylus. Coordinated translations of the stylus and rotations of the object allow the monitoring system to check the shape of the object and compare the measured shape with specifications for the object.