Abstract: An ideal mathematical model of flexible articulated arm coordinate measuring machines (FAACMM) was established based on the local product-of-exponentials (Local POE) formula, and then an actual kinematic model was obtained by amending the ideal mathematical model according to various errors. Various kinematic parameter errors which affect the system's measuring precision were analyzed detailedly. Simulation results show that the errors of length kinematic parameters do not cause the measurement results to zoom in or out, but the errors of angle kinematic parameters should result in serious amplification.