Vision-based measurement has good application prospects and far-reaching development significance for advanced manufacturing fields such as aerospace, the military industry and electronic chips. Among them, on-machine 3D vision detection technology based on structured light is one of the hotspots and challenges in the field of precision machining. Based on the on-machine 3D measurement process of structured light, we discuss and summarize the key technologies, including its technical requirements, methods and principles involved, related research status and existing problems in the measurement calibration, phase optimization solution, on-machine 3D point cloud processing and reconstruction of different feature surfaces. Finally, according to the actual needs of relevant technologies in the future, prospects are made with regard to processing field calibration, dynamic real-time 3D reconstruction, sub-micron and nano measurement, and measurement processing integrated data transmission technology, with the corresponding research ideas put forward.