On-machine measurement of location errors on five-axis machine tools by machining tests and a laser displacement sensor

This paper proposes an on-machine measurement (OMM) of all location errors on five-axis machine tools. Five machining patterns are successively performed on a cubic workpiece. The basic idea is to use a set of large rotations of rotary axes to prolong the moving distance of linear axes when squareness errors of linear axes are identified. Then, a set of small rotations of rotary axes are used to decouple the squareness errors of linear and rotary axes. Based on this, the long and deep slots in previous machining tests are improved to be a set of short and shallow ones. These miniaturized slots reduce the material removal and minimize the influence of cutting force and thermal deformation on the measuring results. Then the cutting tool is substituted by a laser displacement sensor (LDS) to measure the mismatch between the finished surfaces of the corresponding slots. All the measured surfaces are located on the bottom of the slots to fit the LDS characteristic of one dimensional measurement. Three gestures of the rotary table and tilting head are used to implement the single-setup OMM and the influence of location errors on the measuring results is compensated. Validation of the identified values is also provided by a set of simple tests using different measuring instruments. The efficiency and accuracy of location errors measurement method on five-axis machine tools are improved.     

Identification and compensation of geometric errors of rotary axes on five-axis machine by on-machine measurement

The geometric errors of rotary axes are the fundamental errors of a five-axis machine tool. They directly affect the machining accuracy, and require periodical measurement, identification and compensation. In this paper, a precise calibration and compensation method for the geometric errors of rotary axes on a five-axis machine tool is proposed. The automated measurement is realized by using an on-the-machine touch-trigger technology and an artifact. A calibration algorithm is proposed to calibrate geometric errors of rotary axes based on the relative displacement of the measured reference point. The geometric errors are individually separated and the coupling effect of the geometric errors of two rotary axes can be avoided. The geometry error of the artifact as well as its setup error has little influence on geometric error calibration results. Then a geometric error compensation algorithm is developed by modifying the numeric control (NC) source file. All the geometric errors of the rotary errors are compensated to improve the machining accuracy. The algorithm can be conveniently integrated into the post process. At last, an experiment on a five-axis machine tool with table A-axis and head B-axis structure validates the feasibility of the proposed method.     

Modeling and improvement of dynamic contour errors for five-axis machine tools under synchronous measuring paths

In this paper, a contour error model of the tool center point (TCP) for a five-axis machine tool is proposed to estimate dynamic contour errors on three types of measuring paths. A servo tuning approach to achieve five-axis dynamic matching is utilized to improve contouring performance of the cutting trajectory. The TCP control function is developed to generate measuring trajectories where five axes are controlled simultaneously to keep the TCP at a fixed point. The interpolation method of the rotary axes with S-shape acceleration/deceleration (ACC/DEC) is applied to plan smooth five-axis velocity profiles. The contour error model for five axes is derived by substituting five-axis motion commands into servo dynamics models. The steady state contour error (SSCE) model is demonstrated to illustrate three particular dynamic behaviors: the single-circle with amplitude modulation, double-circle effect and offset behavior. Furthermore, the model is also utilized to investigate the behaviors of dynamic contour errors change in 3D space. The factors that affect dynamic contour errors, including the initial setup position, feedrate and five-axis servo gains, are analyzed. With the developed servo tuning process under the measuring paths (CK1, CK2 and CK4), the contour errors caused by servo mismatch are reduced remarkably. Finally, experiments are conducted on a desktop five-axis engraving machine to verify the proposed methodology can improve dynamic contouring accuracy of the TCP significantly.     

Single setup estimation of a five-axis machine tool eight link errors by programmed end point constraint and on the fly measurement with Capball sensor

Five-axis machine tools can be programmed to keep a constant nominal tool end point position while exercising all five axes simultaneously. This kinematic capability allows the use of a 3D proximity sensing head mounted at the spindle to track the position changes of a precision steel ball mounted on the machine table effectively measuring the 3D Cartesian volumetric errors of the machine. The new sensing head uses capacitive sensors to gather data on the fly during a synchronized five-axis motion which lasts less than 2 min. Because the measured volumetric errors are strongly affected by the link geometric errors, they can be used to estimate the link errors through an iterative procedure based on an identification Jacobian matrix. The paper presents the new sensor, the identification model and the experimental validation. The approach allows all eight link errors i.e. the three squarenesses of linear axes and the four orientations and center lines offset of the rotary axes to be estimated with the proposed single setup test. The estimation approach is performed on a horizontal five-axis machine tool. Then, using the estimated link errors, the volumetric errors are predicted for axes combinations different from those used for the identification process. The estimated machine model correctly predicts 52–84% of the volumetric errors for the tested trajectories.     

Validation of volumetric error compensation for a five-axis machine using surface mismatch producing tests and on-machine touch probing

In order to validate volumetric error compensation methods for five-axis machine tools, the machining of test parts has been proposed. For such tests, a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) or other external measurement, outside of the machine tool, is required to measure the accuracy of the machined part. In this paper, a series of machining tests are proposed to validate a compensation strategy and compare the machining accuracy before and after the compensation using only on-machine measurements. The basis of the tests is to machine slots, each completed using two different rotary axes indexations of the CNC machine tool. Using directional derivatives of the volumetric errors, it is possible to verify that a surface mismatch is produced between the two halves of the same slot in the presence of specific machine geometric errors. The mismatch at the both sides of the slot, which materializes the machine volumetric errors is measured using touch probing by the erroneous machine itself and with high accuracy since the measurement of both slot halves can be conducted using a single set of rotary axes indexation and in a volumetric region of a few millimetres. The effect of a compensation strategy is then validated by comparing the surface mismatch value for compensated and uncompensated slots.     

Error map construction for rotary axes on five-axis machine tools by on-the-machine measurement using a touch-trigger probe

Position-dependent geometric errors, or “error map,” of a rotary axis represent how position and orientation of the axis of rotation change with its rotation. This paper proposes a scheme to calibrate the error map of rotary axes by on-the-machine measurement of test pieces by using a contact-type touch-trigger probe installed on the machine's spindle. The present scheme enables more efficient and automated error calibration, which is crucial to implement periodic check of rotary axes error map or periodic update of its numerical compensation for five-axis machine tools. The uncertainty analysis of the error calibration is also presented with a particular interest in the influence of error motions of linear axes. The experimental demonstration is presented.     

Accuracy enhancement of five-axis CNC machines through real-time error compensation

Although error modeling and compensation have given significant results for three-axis CNC machine tools, a few barriers have prevented this promising technique from being applied in five-axis CNC machine tools. One crucial barrier is the difficulty of measuring or identifying link errors in the rotary block of five-axis CNC machine tools. The error model is thus not fully known. To overcome this, the 3D probe-ball and spherical test method are successfully developed to measure and estimate these unknown link errors. Based on the identified error model, real-time error compensation methods for the five-axis CNC machine tool are investigated. The proposed model-based error compensation method is simple enough to implement in real time. Problems associated with the error compensation in singular position of the five-axis machine tool are also discussed. Experimental results show that the overall position accuracy of the five-axis CNC machine tool can be improved dramatically.     

Accuracy test of five-axis CNC machine tool with 3D probe-ball. Part II: errors estimation

To improve the accuracy of CNC machine tools, error sources and its effects on the overall position and orientation errors must be known. Most motional errors in the error model of five-axis machine tool can be measured with modern laser interferometer devices, but there are still some not measurable geometric errors. These not measurable errors include constant, inaccurate link errors of components such as rotary axes block, main spindle block and tool holder. After setting all measured errors in the error model, a reduced error model is defined, which describes the influence of each unknown and not measurable link error on the overall position errors of the five-axis machine tool. On the other hand, the newly developed probe-ball device can measure the overall position errors of five-axis machine tools directly. Based on the reduced model and the overall position errors, the link errors can be estimated very accurately with the least square estimation method. The error model is then fully known and can be used for advanced purposes such as error prediction and compensation.     

Double ballbar test for the rotary axes of five-axis CNC machine tools

In this paper a new method that uses the double ballbar to inspect motion errors of the rotary axes of five-axis CNC machine tools is presented. The new method uses a particular circular test path that only causes the two rotary axes to move simultaneously and keeps the other three linear axes stationary. Therefore, only motion errors of the two rotary axes will be measured during the ballbar test. The theoretical trace patterns of various error origins, including servo mismatch and backlash, are established. Consequently, the error origins in the rotary block can be diagnosed by examining whether similar patterns appear in the motion error trace. The method developed was verified by practical tests, and the servo mismatch of the rotary axes was successfully detected.     

Accuracy test of five-axis CNC machine tool with 3D probe–ball. Part I: design and modeling

The error model of CNC machine tool describes the relationship between the individual error source and its effects on the overall position errors. A practical problem in applying this technique to five-axis machine tool is that the predicted position errors cannot be justified. This paper, the first in a set of two, presents a new measurement device, the probe–ball, which can be used to measure the overall position errors of five-axis machine tools directly. To perform the accuracy test, a three-degree-of-freedom (3D) measuring probe is installed in the main spindle and a base plate is fixed on the turntable. The kinematic chain of the five-axis machine tool is then closed through connecting the central ball on the base plate with the extension bar of the probe. To generate simultaneous axes motion under the condition of closed kinematic chain, the central ball is defined as origin of the workpiece coordinate frame and the probe is driven along a path on a spherical test surface with the central ball as center. The overall position errors are measured with the 3D measuring probe. A theoretical model is derived to explain the nature of the probe–ball error measurements.     

Construction of an error map of rotary axes on a five-axis machining center by static R-test

This paper proposes an efficient and automated scheme to calibrate error motions of rotary axes on a five-axis machining center by using the R-test. During a five-axis measurement cycle, the R-test probing system measures the three-dimensional displacement of a sphere attached to the spindle in relative to the machine table. Location errors, defined in ISO 230-7, of rotary axes are the most fundamental error factors in the five-axis kinematics. A larger class of error motions can be modeled as geometric errors that vary depending on the angular position of a rotary axis. The objective of this paper is to present an algorithm to identify not only location errors, but also such position-dependent geometric errors, or “error map,” of rotary axes. Its experimental demonstration is presented.     

A machining test to calibrate rotary axis error motions of five-axis machine tools and its application to thermal deformation test

This paper proposes a machining test to parameterize error motions, or position-dependent geometric errors, of rotary axes in a five-axis machine tool. At the given set of angular positions of rotary axes, a square-shaped step is machined by a straight end mill. By measuring geometric errors of the finished test piece, the position and the orientation of rotary axis average lines (location errors), as well as position-dependent geometric errors of rotary axes, can be numerically identified based on the machine׳s kinematic model. Furthermore, by consequently performing the proposed machining test, one can quantitatively observe how error motions of rotary axes change due to thermal deformation induced mainly by spindle rotation. Experimental demonstration is presented.     

A new compensation method for geometry errors of five-axis machine tools

The present study aims to establish a new compensation method for geometry errors of five-axis machine tools. In the kinematic coordinate translation of five-axis machine tools, the tool orientation is determined by the motion position of machine rotation axes, whereas the tool tip position is determined by both machine linear axes and rotation axes together. Furthermore, as a nonlinear relationship exists between the workpiece coordinates and the machine axes coordinates, errors in the workpiece coordinate system are not directly related to those of the machine axes coordinate system. Consequently, the present study develops a new compensation method, the decouple method, for geometry errors of five-axis machine tools. The method proposed is based on a model that considers the tool orientation error only related to motion of machine rotation axes, and it further calculates the error compensations for rotation axes and linear axes separately, in contrast to the conventional method of calculating them simultaneously, i.e. determines the compensation of machine rotation axes first, and then calculates the compensation associated with the machine linear axes. Finally, the compensation mechanism is applied in the postprocessor of a CAM system and the effectiveness of error compensation is evaluated in real machine cutting using compensated NC code. In comparison with previous methods, the present compensation method has attributes of being simple, straightforward and without any singularity point in the model. The results indicate that the accuracy of positioning was improved by a factor of 8–10. Hence, the new compensation mechanism proposed in this study can effectively compensate geometry errors of five-axis machine tools.     

A method of testing position independent geometric errors in rotary axes of a five-axis machine tool using a double ball bar

Ensuring that a five-axis machine tool is operating within tolerance is critical. However, there are few simple and fast methods to identify whether the machine is in a “usable” condition. This paper investigates the use of the double ball bar (DBB) to identify and characterise the position independent geometric errors (PIGEs) in rotary axes of a five-axis machine tool by establishing new testing paths. The proposed method consists of four tests for two rotary axes; the A-axis tests with and without an extension bar and the C-axis tests with and without an extension bar. For the tests without an extension bar, position errors embedded in the A- and C-axes are measured first. Then these position errors can be used in the tests with an extension bar, to obtain the orientation errors in the A- and C-axes based on the given geometric model. All tests are performed with only one axis moving, thus simplifying the error analysis. The proposed method is implemented on a Hermle C600U five-axis machine tool to validate the approach. The results of the DBB tests show that the new method is a good approach to obtaining the geometric errors in rotary axes, thus can be applied to practical use in assembling processes, maintenance and regular checking of multi-axis CNC machine tools.     

Prediction and identification of rotary axes error of non-orthogonal five-axis machine tool

This paper proposes an efficient and automated scheme to predict and identify the position and motion errors of rotary axes on a non-orthogonal five-axis machining centre using the double ball bar (DBB) system. Based on the Denavit-Hartenberg theory, a motion deviations model for the tilting rotary axis B and rotary C of a non-orthogonal five-axis NC machine tool is established, which considers tilting rotary axis B and rotary C static deviations and dynamic deviations that total 24. After analysing the mathematical expression of the motion deviations model, the QC20 double ball bar (DBB) from the Renishaw Company is used to measure and identify the motion errors of rotary axes B and C, and a measurement scheme is designed. With the measured results, the 24 geometric deviations of rotary axes B and C can be identified intuitively and efficiently. This method provides a reference for the error identification of the non-orthogonal five-axis NC machine tool.     

Ballbar dynamic tests for rotary axes of five-axis CNC machine tools

This paper proposes a new ball bar test method for the inspection of dynamic errors of rotary axes in five-axis CNC machine tools. The test circle is defined in a workpiece coordinate system and the ball bar test is performed by simultaneously driving of linear–rotary axis couple. The effects of the center position and the radius on the setting values, rotational range and measurement sensitivity of the rotary axis were investigated. The proposed ball bar test is performed in two steps: the circular positioning and the circular tracking with a continuous feed. Axial dynamic errors are obtained by subtracting the measured tracking errors from the positioning errors. A ball bar test system (BBTS) was developed to plan the tool path and the tool orientation, to communicate with the five-axis CNC controller and to process the measured data. Error patterns were simulated regarding the gain mismatch, backlash and tracking direction to help a fast diagnosis of the error sources. Simulations and experimental results prove the effectiveness of the new test method.     

Modeling and analysis of servo dynamics errors on measuring paths of five-axis machine tools

Dynamic error is one of the major error sources for five-axis machine tools in achieving high-speed machining. It can be estimated and compensated by means of servo dynamics modeling and servo control method. This paper presents a contour error model on five-axis measuring paths where the dynamics and contour errors of the tool center point (TCP) can be estimated accurately during five-axis synchronized motions. The forward and inverse kinematics equations are derived according to the kinematic configuration of a C-type five-axis machine. To generate smooth measuring paths, the S-shape acceleration/deceleration (ACC/DEC) method is applied on planning the motion trajectory. The contour error model of the TCP is derived by substituting the commands of the measuring trajectory into the servo dynamics models. To investigate how the contour charts of the TCP are affected by the dynamic gains of five-axis servo loops, twelve combinations under different gains are studied. It is shown that, for the CK2 path, the steady-state contour error consists of an offset and a double-circular trajectory which is quite different from that of two-axis contour path. By tuning the gains of the servo loops, the dynamics mismatch among five axes can be eliminated and the contour error of the TCP (CETCP) can be reduced. To validate the contour error equations, simulations and experiments are performed to demonstrate that the proposed method improves the contouring performance of the TCP significantly when performing five-axis synchronized motions.     

Optimal setup for five-axis machining

This paper presents a new optimization model designed to minimize kinematics error introduced by the initial setup of a five-axis milling machine. An initial setup consists of the position and orientation of the workpiece with respect to the mounting table and, optionally, the machine's initial configuration. Given a set of cutter contact points and tool orientations, a least-squares optimization procedure finds the optimal setup parameters. Since the set of optimization parameters depends on the machine's characteristics, three basic types of five-axis kinematics are introduced. The classification into types depends on the sequence of positions of the machine's rotary axes in its kinematics chain. For each type, sets of invariant and dependent variables are identified, a corresponding system of nonlinear equations is constructed, and then the system is solved numerically. The method is not only efficient, but also provides tangible accuracy increases in tests on practical machining problems.     

Measurement and verification of position-independent geometric errors of a five-axis machine tool using a double ball-bar

In this study, position-independent geometric errors, including offset errors and squareness errors of rotary axes of a five-axis machine tool are measured using a double ball-bar and are verified through compensation. In addition, standard uncertainties of measurement results are calculated to establish their confidence intervals. This requires two measurement paths for each rotary axis, which are involving control of single rotary axis during measurement. So, the measurement paths simplify the measurement process, and reduce measurement cost including less operator effort and measurement time. Set-up errors, which are inevitable during the installation of the balls, are modeled as constants. Their effects on the measurement results are investigated to improve the accuracy of the measurement result. A novel fixture consisting of flexure hinges and two pairs of bolts is used to minimize set-up error by adjusting the ball's position located at the tool nose. Simulation is performed to check the validation of measurement and to analyze the standard uncertainties of the measurement results. Finally, the position-independent geometric errors of the five-axis machine tool (involving a rotary axis and a trunnion axis) are measured using proposed method.     

A generalized on-line estimation and control of five-axis contouring errors of CNC machine tools

Nonlinear and configuration-dependent five-axis kinematics make contouring errors difficult to estimate and control in real time. This paper proposes a generalized method for the on-line estimation and control of five-axis contouring errors. First, a generalized Jacobian function is derived based on screw theory in order to synchronize the motions of linear and rotary drives. The contouring error components contributed by all active drives are estimated through interpolated position commands and the generalized Jacobian function. The estimated axis components of contouring errors are fed back to the position commands of each closed loop servo drive with a proportional gain. The proposed contouring error estimation and control methods are general, and applicable to arbitrary five-axis tool paths and any kinematically admissible five-axis machine tools. The proposed algorithms are verified experimentally on a five-axis machine controlled by a modular research CNC system built in-house. The contouring errors are shown to be reduced by half with the proposed method, which is simple to implement in existing CNC systems.