Apparatus including computer means for generating a plan for inspection of a part by an inspector using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), in a feature-based rapid design system (RDS) having a Feature-Based Design Environment (FBDE) means, an Episodal Associative Memory (EAM), a Fabrication Planning (FAB) means, and an Inspection Plan (INSP) means, wherein features include form features (D1) wh