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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

立式加工中心空间误差验证及补偿

为提高某立式加工中心整机加工精度,借助旋量理论建立完备立式加工中心空间误差模型,在此基础上实现机床空间误差有效补偿.以旋量理论为基础推导并建立机床刀具运动链与工件运动链运动学正解,分析机床21项几何误差原理,在考虑21项几何误差的基础上建立该立式加工中心完备空间误差模型;利用九线法完成各项几何误差辨识;基于旋量运动学正解求解机床运动学逆解后得出运动轴实际运动路径,并通过体对角线实验对比补偿前后的效果.结果表明:所提补偿方法补偿效果显著,验证了机床空间误差模型的准确性,实现了提高机床加工精度的目的.     

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.     

基于多体系统理论的车铣中心空间误差模型分析

数控机床的误差建模是进行机床运动设计、精度分析和误差补偿的关键技术,也是保证机床加工精度的重要环节.本文利用多体系统理论来构建超精密数控机床的几何误差模型,该模型简便、明确,不受机床结构和运动复杂程度的限制,为计算机床误差、实现误差补偿和修正控制指令提供了理论依据.在机床实际应用中,可以利用由精密机床误差建模所推导出的几何位置误差来修正理想加工指令,控制机床的实际运动,从而实现几何误差补偿,提高机床加工精度.     

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.     

五轴联动立式磨床几何误差灵敏度研究

以一台五轴联动立式磨床为例,提出了一种分析几何误差灵敏度的方法。基于多体系统理论和齐次坐标变换建立了五轴联动立式磨床的33项几何误差模型,利用求导的方式给出了几何误差灵敏度分析的数学模型。并根据该模型找出了关键几何误差,研究了关键几何误差的灵敏度系数随平移轴运动的变化规律,研究结果为精密机床改进设计和误差的实时补偿提供了理论依据。     

五轴数控机床综合空间误差的多体系统运动学建模

基于多体系统运动学理论的基本原理，结合RRTTT型五轴立式数控机床，阐述了多体系统的拓扑结构和低序体阵列，提出了特征矩阵的基本概念和构建方法，分析了多体系统有误差运动的基本规律，研究了根据特征矩阵得到综合空间误差的算法。理论分析和实例建模都显示所述方法能很好地解决误差建模的正确性、速度、通用性和自动化问题，为五轴数控机床精度分析和误差补偿提供了一种理想的误差建模技术。     

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.     

Single setup identification of component errors for rotary axes on five-axis machine tools based on pre-layout of target points and shift of measuring reference

This paper proposes a single setup identification method of 12 component errors of rotary axes on five-axis machine tools by using a touch trigger probe and an artefact. At first, a basic idea of pre-layout of target points combined with the shift of measuring reference is proposed. Influence of setup errors of touch trigger probe and artefact on measuring results is identified quantitatively and included in error models. A single setup measuring method is then designed to identify 12 component errors of rotary axes on five-axis machine tools with a tilting head and a rotary table. The expansion of this basic idea on five-axis machine tools with other configurations is also provided. Validation and uncertainty analysis of the identified values are also provided. The measuring accuracy is guaranteed by the complete error model while the measuring efficiency is improved significantly by the single setup measuring method.     

Analysis of geometric errors associated with five-axis machining centre in improving the quality of cam profile

A five-axis machine is presently one of the most versatile machine tools available and they are becoming increasingly common. To increase the accuracy capabilities of such machines, it is crucial to be able to study the geometric errors of the components and its effect on the quality of machined products. In five-axis machine tools, all linear axes are theoretically perpendicular (dot product, cos 90°=0) to each other and directed along or around the X, Y and Z of the cartesian coordinate system; but in working machines, the axes are nearly perpendicular (cos89.90°≠0) because of manufacturing error and assembly error or quasi-static error. The present paper discusses the development of a generalised error model for the effects of geometric errors of the components of the kinematic chain of a machine in the workspace and the results obtained by this model have been verified experimentally. The effect of geometric error has been studied further for cam profile generation using a five-axis machining centre and an improvement in the profile has been obtained.     

非球面超精密磨削误差建模与补偿研究

为提高课题组自研的超精密磨床加工精度,基于多体系统理论,运用齐次坐标变换原理,分析该超精密磨床37项几何误差来源,对非球面超精密磨削的综合误差建模。超精密磨床的多项几何误差元素已在制造阶段标定、补偿,取砂轮对刀误差和砂轮轮廓半径磨损误差作为主要面形误差来源,分别推导其对综合误差的传递函数,分析误差辨识方法,建立误差修正补偿模型,提出基于直接补偿的点补修正法。试验结果表明：建立的综合误差模型正确,根据误差辨识方法和修正补偿模型,修正误差后面形误差显著降低,有效提高面形精度。     

基于Sobol’法的机床关键几何误差元素辨识方法研究

针对机床几何误差元素多、误差测量与辨识过程繁琐等问题,利用Sobol’全局灵敏度分析方法对空间误差模型中的几何误差元素进行灵敏度分析,筛选出影响较大的几何误差元素,从而降低误差测量与辨识过程的复杂度,简化空间误差模型。以螺旋理论为建模基础,建立机床空间误差模型;对所有几何误差元素进行Sobol序列抽样并通过蒙特卡洛估计法求解灵敏度,计算各误差元素的一阶灵敏度值及全局灵敏度值,从21个误差项中筛选出对机床空间误差影响较大的12项;将简化模型与完备模型进行对比,空间误差元素简化率为48%,其预测精度大于80%,说明了误差元素筛选的有效性,为机床空间误差建模、误差元素辨识以及空间误差补偿工作的简化提供参考。     

Accuracy enhancement of five-axis machine tool based on differential motion matrix: Geometric error modeling,identification and compensation

This paper presents the precision enhancement of five-axis machine tools according to differential motion matrix, including geometric error modeling, identification and compensation. Differential motion matrix describes the relationship between transforming differential changes of coordinate frames. Firstly, differential motion matrix of each axis relative to tool is established based on homogenous transformation matrix of tool relative to each axis. Secondly, the influences of errors of each axis on accuracy of tool are calculated with error vector of each axis. The sum of these influences is integration of error components of machine tool in coordinate system of tool. It endows the error modeling clear physical meaning. Moreover, integrated error components are transformed to coordinate frame of working table for integrated error transformation matrix of machine tools. Thirdly, constructed Jacobian is established using differential motion matrix of each axis without extra calculation to compensate the integrated error components of tool. It makes compensation easy and convenient with reuse of intermediate. Fourthly, six-circle method of ballbar is developed based on differential motion matrix to identify all ten error components of each rotary axis. Finally, the experiments are carried out on SmartCNC500 five-axis machine tool to testify the effectiveness of proposed accuracy enhancement with differential motion matrix.     

基于敏感度分析的机床关键几何误差元素辨识与评定

为了正确识别和判定机床关键几何误差元素对机床精度设计的影响,以PCV-620立式加工中心为研究对象,采用多体系统理论建立机床空间误差模型,从而得到机床几何误差元素与机床精度之间的关联函数。对空间误差模型进行灵敏度分析,获得机床各运动方向的局部灵敏度系数,完成机床关键几何误差元素的初步辨识。以局部灵敏度系数为基础,提出一种与局部灵敏度系数和工作空间中任意位置处的几何误差元素值相关的全局灵敏度系数计算方法,将其作为机床关键几何误差元素的辨识和评定标准,分析得到PCV-620立式加工中心的关键几何误差元素包含3项定位误差、3项垂直度误差和5项直线度误差。     

机床空间精度预测与NC代码补偿研究

以某立式加工中心为研究载体,提出一种空间精度补偿技术。以旋量理论为基础,在充分考虑机床切削点空间位置的基础上,建立包含全部几何误差的立式加工中心空间精度模型,同时输出空间精度显示预测模型。针对传统空间精度补偿不充分的局限性,将空间精度补偿思路转换为NC代码最优化问题,基于遗传算法求解该最优化问题,通过实验验证优化结果的有效性。结果表明：基于旋量理论的机床空间精度建模包含21项几何误差,空间精度预测结果较为准确;基于NC代码最优化的空间精度补偿技术使得机床空间定位精度最大补偿率为90.94%,验证了所提方法的有效性。     

Development of a multi-step measuring method for motion accuracy of NC machine tools based on cross grid encoder

Machining accuracy is directly influenced by the quasi-static errors of a machine tool. Since machine errors have a direct effect on both the surface finish and geometric shape of the finished work piece, it is imperative to measure the machine errors and to compensate for them. A revised geometric synthetic error modeling, measurement and identification method of 3-axis machine tool by using a cross grid encoder is proposed in this paper. Firstly a revised synthetic error model of 21 geometric error components of the 3-axis NC machine tools is developed. Also the mapping relationship between the error component and radial motion error of round work piece manufactured on the NC machine tools are deduced. Aiming to overcome the solution singularity shortcoming of traditional error component identification method, a new multi-step identification method of error component by using the cross grid encoder measurement technology is proposed based on the kinematic error model of NC machine tool. Finally the experimental validation of the above modeling and identification method is carried out in the 3-axis CNC vertical machining center Cincinnati 750 Arrow. The entire 21 error components have been successfully measured by the above method. The whole measuring time of 21 error components is cut down to 1–2 h because of easy installation, adjustment, operation and the characteristics of non-contact measurement. It usually takes days of machine down time and needs an experienced operator when using other measuring methods. Result shows that the modeling and the multi-step identification methods are very suitable for ‘on machine’ measurement.     

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.