The superintendent I am teamed with for NAVFAC contracts was a machinist for Westinghouse NCD plant here in Pensacola. The nuclear power industry and some of the new combustion power generator systems routinely make measurements that precise and sometimes more precise for reactor components and such. Lasers come onto play as I understand from talking with him about various project aspects he worked on over his 32 year career with them.
My Sis-I-L worked with him as a nuclear engineer/team engineer for production and finally in R&D, QC and development laboratory work until the plant closed, she has told me about the design and building that they did for measurement devices. Tube guide plates that require extreme precision on their production and installation orientation to allow tubes of Inconel alloy to be inserted without any wrinkling what so ever as they are inserted have to be measured down below the precision RG said his son used. Tubes were inspected after insertion for wrinkling and had to be correct or the assembly would be rejected. that is a large sum of money in time and materials down the drain. Careful work, organization and good QC make it possible to be done in a efficient and effective manner. As a Quality Engineer I can back up what they have been able to tell me within security requirements they worked under.
Bill