CMM uncertainty analysis with factorial design

The purpose of this research is to present a method to estimate the Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) measurement uncertainty. The approach is based on a performance test using a ball bar gauge and a factorial design technique. A factorial design was applied to carry out a performance test and to investigate CMM errors associated to orientation and length in the work volume. The CMM measurement uncertainty was estimated with components of variance obtained after statistical analysis of variance applied to volumetric measurement errors. An application was performed with a Moving Bridge CMM and the results were compared to the volumetric performance test proposed by ANSI/ASME B89.4.1 standard. The results showed that the proposed method is suitable to investigate CMM hardware performance and determine the contribution of machine variables to measurement uncertainty.     

Efficient inspection planning for coordinate measuring machines

The coordinate measuring machine (CMM) has been recognized as a powerful tool for dimensional and geometric tolerance inspection in the manufacturing industry. The power of the CMM depends heavily on an efficient inspection plan that measures a part in minimal time. This paper proposes CMM inspection planning that can minimize the number of part setups and probe orientations and the inspection feature sequence. In our planning, a greedy heuristic method is adopted to obtain the minimal number of part setups and probe changes. Meanwhile, a continuous Hopfield neural network is developed to solve the inspection feature-sequencing problem. The proposed method was successfully implemented and tested using a machine spindle cover part. The results show that the proposed method can achieve excellent performance compared to the other methods.     

Wear Measurement and Assessment of Explanted Cross-Linked PE Acetabular Cups Using a CMM

Wear has been considered the main limiting factor in the longevity of hip replacements. Wear analysis is thus essential for determining wear-related failure mechanisms and prediction of wear, which will consequently enable biomedical engineers to improve the design, material, and service life of the bearing components. This article presents wear measurement and assessment of the explanted conventional cross-linked polyethylene (XPE) and second-generation highly cross-linked polyethylene cups (X3) using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). An expanded uncertainty analysis was performed to assess the performance of wear measurement. Wear measurement using the CMM method was validated with the gravimetric technique. The normalized error between volumetric wear measurement of the CMM method and that of the gravimetric technique was estimated to be always less than 1, suggesting that the CMM method applied to explanted hip wear measurements under the specific conditions was accurate and reliable. The approach to CMM measurement with uncertainty analysis was shown not only to locate 3D wear scar and wear direction but also to accurately quantify linear and volumetric wear with a maximum volumetric uncertainty of ±3.15 mm³ (95% confidence level). It is shown that identifying the key uncertainty components involved in the measurement process including validation, which contributes to an overall expanded uncertainty budget, is crucial to improve the confidence and the reliability of hip wear measurement results using a CMM.     

3自由度并联坐标测量机运动学参数标定与计算机仿真

首先对3自由度并联坐标测量机的组成结构及工作原理进行了介绍,然后针对该坐标测量机的运动特点,提出了一种基于逐次逼近算法的运动学参数标定方法,并利用该方法对所研究的并联坐标测量机的22个主要运动学参数进行了辨识,最后通过计算机仿真,对辨识结果进行了验证,从而为提高该坐标测量机的测量精度奠定了理论基础。     

Software compensation of rapid prototyping machines

This paper addresses accuracy improvement of rapid prototyping (RP) machines by parametric error modeling and software error compensation. This approach is inspired by the techniques developed over the years for the parametric evaluation of coordinate measuring machines (CMM) and machine tool systems. The confounded effects of all errors in a RP machine are mapped into a “virtual” parametric machine error model. A generic artifact is built on the RP machine and measured by a master CMM. Measurement results are then used to develop a machine error function and error compensation is applied to the files which drive the build tool. The method is applied to three test parts and the results show a significant improvement in dimensional accuracy of built parts.     

Ball array calibration on a coordinate measuring machine using a gage block

The distances between the balls of a ball array used in machine geometry calibration have to be very accurate. These distances can be calibrated using a laser measurement system, which requires specially designed optical devices and measuring probes. In this paper, a new and economical alternative method for calibrating the ball array is described. A single gage block is used for measuring the standard distance at the starting position. Then, the exact distances between the balls can be obtained by using the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) probe motion. This method does not depend on the accuracy of the CMM. Also, this method does not require expensive instruments or devices, but a CMM and a gage block. A simple “parallel-plane” bracket, mounted on to the measuring end of a CMM probe, is used to determine the centers of the balls automatically and accurately.     

Measurement of form error of a probe tip ball for coordinate measuring machine (CMM) using a rotating reference sphere

This study presents a method of measurement of the form error of the tip ball in the tactile probing systems of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) by using a rotating reference sphere. The measurement of the form error of the CMM probe tip was conducted without the use of additional external measuring instruments or sensors. The form errors of the probe tip ball and the reference sphere were separated from the probing coordinates of CMM by rotation of the reference sphere. The effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated based on an uncertainty analysis. The uncertainty in measurement of diameter of the probe tip ball was estimated to be less than 0.5 μm.     

Practical way to measure large-scale 2D parts using repositioning on coordinate-measuring machines

In many situations it is required to perform an inspection of large flat parts on a coordinate-measuring machine (CMM) when it is impossible to probe all necessary surfaces from one position of the part. Or it is necessary to measure a large part which dimensions exceed the volume of an available CMM. For this purpose one needs to merge the data measured in two different positions of the workpiece into one coordinate system. Though most of geodesic software has out-of-the-box functionality to do that, a lot of popular CMM software lacks it. In this paper a practical approach is described to bring a repositioning functionality into a CMM software. The Calypso metrology software was studied. The proposed inspection method can be used both for the measurements of linear dimensions and location tolerances as common practice in Calypso.     

Calibration of an articulated CMM using stochastic approximations

A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is meant to digitise the spatial locations of points and feed the resulting measurements to a CAD system for storing and processing. For reliable utilisation of a CMM, a calibration procedure is often undertaken to eliminate the inaccuracies which result from manufacturing, assembly and installation errors. In this paper, an Immersion digitizer coordinate measuring machine has been calibrated using an accurately manufactured master cuboid fixture. This CMM has been designed as an articulated manipulator to enhance its dexterity and versatility. As such, the calibration problem is tackled with the aid of a kinematic model similar to those employed for the analysis of serial robots. In addition, a stochastic-based optimisation technique is used to identify the parameters of the kinematic model in order for the accurate performance to be achieved. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method, whereby the measuring accuracy has been improved considerably.     

Measuring external profiles of porous objects using CMM

Coordinate measuring machine (CMM) has been extensively used in surface measurement and inspection. CMM produces more accurate and reliable results compared with non-contact measurement devices, since CMM measures target surfaces in a tactile way and is not affected by surface reflection quality. However, when there is porosity on the outside surfaces, CMM measurement will have errors because part of the probing stylus will come into the porosity spaces. This paper presents a method of using CMM to measure external profiles of objects with external porosity spaces. The center of a CMM probing stylus will be compensated to avoid porosity spaces and located above external surface areas along surface normal directions. Such a probing strategy can be implemented in both computer-aided design (CAD)-guided mode and non-CAD-guided mode. When the CAD model is available, the probing styli are guided to approach the surface along its normal directions successively to identify and avoid porosity spaces. When the CAD model is unavailable, surface normal directions will be estimated first and then adjusted. The presented method is able to avoid porosity spaces in CMM measurement regardless of the availability of CAD models.     

逆向工程中的集成化智能检测系统的研究

鉴于传统方法实现逆向工程技术所存在的不足，本文提出了基于逆向工程思想的机器视觉与三坐标测量机（ＣＭＭ）集成的智能检测系统，其目的在于利用机器视觉与ＣＭＭ二者各自的优势，保证检测精度，并提高检测效率，达到自动检测的目的。本文对系统的原理、结构和关键技术进行了论述。     

Simple master artefact for CMM dynamic error identification

The proposition in this paper is a new method applying a simple master artefact for testing the dynamic performance of coordinate measuring machines (CMM). The principle of the method is presented and the method is used for identification and evaluation of dynamic error sources. The validity of the method is experimentally confirmed on a Zeiss ACCURA bridge coordinate measuring machine equipped with a Vast Gold active scanning probe, as well as Vast XXT passive scanning probe.     

Pro/E零件模型检测信息的提取方法

针对三坐标测量机(CMM)自动化测量过程中零件检测信息的识别与提取,利用Pro/TOOLKIT提供的库函数,基于Visual C 开发平台,创立了Pro/E零件模型检测信息的提取方法.利用此方法可以将零件模型的检测信息保存到用户自定义的数据文件中,为CMM的自动测量提供检测信息的来源,同时也对后续的开发工作起到指导作用.通过实例验证了所开发的零件模型检测信息提取方法的正确性.     

A design advisor for the optimal inspection of circularity tolerance

In the wake of growing importance for quality and the need to reduce inspection costs simultaneously, the need for a scientific method of selecting an optimum inspection strategy for coordinate measuring machine (CMM) based inspection has become very important. The inspection error resulting from CMM inspection is greatly affected by the profile irregularities and the sampling strategy, which includes sample size, sampling methods, and algorithms used for form evaluation. This paper describes a system that can recommend an optimal inspection plan based on the needs of the user. A design of experiments (DOE) based approach is used to relate the inspection error with sampling strategies. Surface irregularities are included in the form of lobes formed on the profile. A new two-way model is proposed that works in both directions between the sampling strategy and the performance metrics. The results indicate that the number of lobes and the sampling method used have little impact on the inspection error, while the sample size and form evaluation algorithms have a significant influence. An inspection plan advisor is presented, which provides an inspection plan based on the estimated shape and acceptable measurement error.     

未知自由曲面三坐标测量新方法

三坐标测量机(CMM)通常难于实现对未知自由曲面的自动测量,首先需要人工进行测量路径规划,手动控制CMM测量,这种方法不但耗时且测量精度不高。本文提出了一种实时在线灰色预测模型用于控制三坐标测量机的测量。该方法分两个步骤进行:初始化数据测量和实时在线灰色预测自动测量。初始化数据测量主要完成预测用原始数据系列的定义,实时在线灰色预测自动测量则根据原始数据系列预测后续点来控制CMM进行测量。采用这种方法免去了对整个曲面进行测量路径规划,可快速准确地测量自由曲面上的数据而且明显减少测量时间。     

涡轮盘数控仿形抛光中刀具路径生成方法的研究

选用FAROGagePlus便携式三坐标测量机测量涡轮盘实际表面轮廓尺寸,利用CMM对其轮廓数据进行采集,运用程序处理方式实现采样数据点的规则化处理,根据处理后的测点数据生成刀具的路径。     

微细电火花加工中微细电极的制作与检测技术研究

分析了微细电火花加工技术中各种微细电极制作方法的特点,提出了一种加工效率与尺寸精度相兼顾的微细电极在线制作方法.充分利用微细电火花加工机床的数控和接触感知功能,探索并提出了一种微细电极的在线检测方法,并对检测误差进行了分析.实验表明,该方法具有广泛的实用性.     

双螺杆压缩机转子齿形三坐标测量的半径补偿

双螺杆压缩机转子齿形进行三坐标测量机测量时,需要对球形测头半径进行半径补偿.结合转子螺旋曲面的几何特点,对转子型线测量数据点进行半径补偿计算,得到三坐标测量机球形测头真实接触点,再将空间分布的真实接触点旋转到相同横截面上得到转子型线数据点.通过实例验证该方法的有效性,可以应用于双螺杆压缩机转子型线的检测及逆向工程等工作中.     

Mapping and correction of the CMM workspace error with the use of an electronic gyroscope and neural networks—practical application

The article presents the application of neural networks in determining and correction of the deformation of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) workspace. The information about the CMM errors is acquired using an ADXRS401 electronic gyroscope. A test device (PS‐20 module) was built and integrated with a commercial measurement system based on the SP25M passive scanning probe and with a PH10M module (Renishaw). The proposed solution was tested on a Kemco 600 CMM and on a DEA Global Clima CMM. In the former case, correction of the CMM errors was performed using the source code of WinIOS software owned by The Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, Cracow, Poland and in the latter on an external PC. Optimum parameters of full and simplified mapping of a given layer of the CMM workspace were determined for practical applications. The proposed method can be employed for the interim check (ISO 10360–2 procedure) or to detect local CMM deformations, occurring when the CMM works at high scanning speeds (>20 mm/s). SCANNING 35: 222‐231, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

On-line scheduling in metal removal processing using variable routings and control strategies

In this paper, a simulation program for the analysis of operations in a manufacturing system is presented. The simulation program is integrated using a control algorithm and a relational data model implemented on the ORACLE RDBMS into a scheduling control system. The control algorithm considers the on-line use of alternative machines tools and/or alternative control strategies in order to optimize a given criterion, which in the present case corresponds to the total delay of jobs in the shop. A series of variables, such as the average machine utilization, were chosen to be the output. A sequential optimization approach, where the dynamically calculated average delay per job is assumed to represent the system state up to the current decision stage, is used for the control algorithm. An application of the scheduling control system to the manufacturing of a piston pump is also presented. The on-line utilization of variable routings and strategies was investigated, demonstrating the overall performance of the algorithm, namely a reduction of the total processing time up to 30%.