Accurate 3-D shape measurement plays an increasingly important role in the industry’s quest for higher productivity and product quality. Phase measuring profilometry is a method of structured light illumination for three-dimensional reconstructions, nevertheless, are susceptible to error from nonsinusoidal waveform in the associated optical devices. This paper describes a strategy for reducing the measurement error caused by nonsinusoidal waveforms in phase-shifting methods, by response surface methodology. Experiments show that the proposed strategy can be used for effective nonsinusoidal waveform error.