A new technique for directly measuring the position errors of a 3-axis machine. Part 2: application

To expand the measurement range of the method introduced in part 1 of this paper series, a pyramid array artifact is proposed and calibrated on a CMM. In the calibration procedure, the distance between the pyramids is presented by data from three groups. Then in the measurement procedure, the position changes are calculated from both calibration and measurement data. In addition, the error induced by manufacture can be reduced or erased in these two procedures. After calibration by a high-accuracy CMM or machine tools, the developed device can also have the same accuracy as these tools. The developed device has been tested using an actual machine tool. The measurement results of the proposed device were checked by other high-accuracy measuring systems, and the comparison showed good agreement.     

A new method for directly measuring the position errors of a three-axis machine. Part 1: theory

This paper presents a measurement method and instrument to measure position changes in a three-axis machine workspace. The proposed instrument, named 3D step gauge, includes two parts. One is composed of three LVDTs and installed in the main spindle. The other is a plate that is fixed on the worktable. Many triangular pyramids are distributed on the plate. Each pyramid profile plane is the basic measurement plane for the LVDTs. When the spindle moves relative to the plate, the LVDTs’ tip ends slide on the pyramid profile planes. From the datum measured by the LVDTs, the differential position changes of the spindle can be obtained by the pyramid’s constructional parameters. In addition, the error effect analysis is used to investigate the accuracy of the method with respect to the factor of the device constructional parameters. Part 1 of this paper gives the basic theory of measuring the differential position changes in the multi-axis machine workspace. Part 2 gives the application of this theory and so the position error in the multi-axis machine workspace can be directly measured. This proposed method and the instrument have been tested using an actual machine tool. The measurement results show good repeatability and high accuracy.     

Variable speed compensation method of errors of probes for CNC machine tools

Systematic errors of kinematic touch-trigger probes for CNC machine tools may exceed errors of the machine tool itself. As a result, the machining accuracy is strongly dependent on the probe's accuracy. Numerical correction of probes’ systematic errors can be used. However, it requires executing calculations by the CNC machine tool controller. To avoid this troublesome requirement, a new method of errors compensation is proposed. In this approach, a modification of the probe's pre-travel in a given direction is achieved by modification of measurement speed in this direction. Because all measurement speeds can be calculated offline, the controller does not have to do any calculations. The proposed method has been tested for sample kinematic probes and the error reduction was at least 10-fold.     

Experimental investigation on various tool path strategies influencing surface quality and form accuracy of CNC milled complex freeform surface

Four tool path strategies such as equal-interval tool paths, parallel tool paths, parallel–tangency tool paths, and freeform tool paths are proposed in computer numerical control milling of a complex freeform surface. The objective is to understand how 3D tool paths influence their machining efficiency, surface quality, and form accuracy. In this study, their scallop heights were less than or equal to 15 μm. First, their scallop heights distributions and 3D tool path distances were theoretically analyzed; then, four tool path strategies were investigated with reference to machining efficiency, surface texture height, surface roughness, and form errors. It is shown that scallop heights distribution can be used to display the surface texture state and predict tool path distance. Experimental results indicate that the surface texture height, the surface roughness, and the form errors were nearly identical on the machined flat location and surface for various tool path strategies, whereas their surface quality and form accuracy are easily destroyed on the abrupt ones except for the parallel tool paths. Although the freeform tool paths produce the shortest tool path distance through 3-axes driving mode, the parallel tool paths offer the best surface quality and form accuracy through 2-axes driving mode. This is because the 3-axes driving and its vector changes on abrupt location easily lead to large machine vibration and movement errors. It is confirmed that the parallel tool path strategy with 2-axes driving mode can improve the surface quality and form accuracy in actual milling of a complex freeform surface.     

Simultaneous geometric error identification of rotary axis and tool setting in an ultra-precision 5-axis machine tool using on-machine measurement

This paper presents a method to identify the position independent geometric errors of rotary axis and tool setting simultaneously using on-machine measurement. Reducing geometric errors of an ultra-precision five-axis machine tool is a key to improve machining accuracy. Five-axis machines are more complicated and less rigid than three axis machine tools, which leads to inevitable geometric errors of the rotary axis. Position deviation in the process of installing a tool on the rotary axis magnifies the machining error. Moreover, an ultra-precision machine tool, which is capable of machining part within sub-micrometer accuracy, is relatively more sensitive to the errors than a conventional machine tool. To improve machining performance, the error components must be identified and compensated. While previous approaches have only measured and identified the geometric errors on the rotary axis without considering errors induced in tool setting, this study identifies the geometric errors of the rotary axis and tool setting. The error components are calculated from a geometric error model. The model presents the error components in a function of tool position and angle of the rotary axis. An approach using on-machine measurement is proposed to measure the tool position in the range of 10 s nm. Simulation is conducted to check the sensitivity of the method to noise. The model is validated through experiments. Uncertainty analysis is also presented to validate the confidence of the error identification.     

用于加工中心的在线工件自动测量系统

介绍一种可用于加工中心的在线工件自动测量系统的构成及功能。该系统采用新型触发式传感器 ,可使刀具刀尖自身作为测头测试工件加工尺寸。该系统可用于工件的装夹找正 ,也可对工件进行自动在线测量 ,并能根据测量结果对加工误差进行补偿以提高加工精度     

Machine tool probes testing using a moving inner hemispherical master artefact

The growing popularity of usage of touch probes for CNC machine tools has created an increasing requirement to test their accuracy. Indirect methods used until now, based on the measurement of a material gauge with a machine tool equipped with a probe, made the separation of machine tool errors from probe errors impossible. In this article, a new method of testing the probe accuracy, which does not employ a machine tool, is presented. This method employs a moving master artefact in the form of an inner hemisphere. The standard uncertainty of the determination of triggering radius variation is 0.35 μm.     

Kinematic calibration of gantry hybrid machine tool based on estimation error and local measurement information

This paper presents the kinematic calibration of a four degrees-of-freedom (DOF) hybrid machine tool based on a novel planar 3-DOFs parallel mechanism and a long movement of the worktable. Closed-form solutions are developed for both the inverse and direct kinematics about the parallel mechanism. The error model is built and the mechanism accuracy is investigated. Two types of kinematic calibration method are proposed by a simple measurement device. The first type of calibration method is based on estimation error, and can easy improve the machine tool accuracy quickly by estimating the error trends. The second type of kinematic calibration method is based on local measurement information, which includes the position errors and does not include the pose errors of the machine tool. The calibration tests showed the effectiveness of the calibration methods, which can be useful for the similar types of parallel machine tool.     

转台-摆头式五轴机床几何误差测量及辨识

为降低转动轴几何误差对转台-摆头式五轴机床精度的影响,提出了基于球杆仪的位置无关几何误差测量和辨识方法。基于多体系统理论及齐次坐标变换方法建立了转台-摆头式五轴机床位置无关几何误差模型,依据旋转轴不同运动状态下的几何误差影响因素建立基于圆轨迹的四种测量模式,并实现10项位置无关几何误差的辨识。利用所建立的几何误差模型进行数值模拟,确定转动轴的10项位置无关几何误差对测量轨迹的影响。最后,采用误差补偿的形式实验验证所提出的测量及辨识方法的有效性,将位置无关几何误差补偿前后的测量轨迹进行比较。误差补偿后10项位置无关几何误差的平均补偿率为70.4%,最大补偿率达到88.4%,实验结果表明所提出的建模和辨识方法可用于转台-摆头式五轴机床转动轴精度检测,同时可为机床精度评价及几何精度提升提供依据。     

The detection of rotary axis of NC machine tool based on multi-station and time-sharing measurement

At present, the detection of rotary axis is a difficult problem in the errors measurement of NC machine tool. In the paper, a method with laser tracker on the basis of multi-station and time-sharing measurement principle is proposed, and this method can rapidly and accurately detect the rotary axis. Taking the turntable measurement for example, the motion of turntable is measured by laser tracker at different base stations. The redundant equations can be established based on the large amount of measured data concerning the distance or distance variation between measuring point and base station. The coordinates of each measuring point during turntable rotation can be accurately determined by solving the equations with least square method. Then according to the error model of rotary axis, the motion error equations of each measuring point can be established, and each error of turntable can be identified. The algorithm of multi-station and time-sharing measurement is derived, and the error separation algorithm is also deduced and proved feasible by simulations. Results of experiment show that a laser tracker completes the accuracy detection of the turntable of gear grinding machine within 3 h, and each error of the turntable are identified. The simulations and experiments have verified the feasibility and accuracy of this method, and the method can satisfy the rapid and accurate detecting requirements for rotary axis of multi-axis NC machine tool.     

Multiple degrees-of-freedom arm with passive joints for on-the-machine measurement system by calibrating with geometric solids

To fabricate three-dimensional profiles with high accuracy, on-the-machine measurement is useful. Methods for the on-the-machine measurement by calibration with geometric solids used for references have been developed. In this paper, an arm with passive joints for on-the-machine measurement is proposed. As a prototype, the arm has 4 degrees of freedom (DOF) including two passive joints. The probing system has 7 DOF, including the DOF of the machine tool, in total. Angles of the passive joints are changed by driving the numerically controlled (NC) table and the main spindle of the machine tool, where the arm is mounted. To calculate the optimal posture of the arm for the shape to be measured, a numerical method of the inverse kinematics is also proposed. The arm has enough positioning accuracy to calibrate its posture. Shapes can be automatically measured with the accuracy of micrometer order by the on-the-machine measurement method as well as a commercial three-dimensional (3-D) coordinate measuring machine and a profilometer.     

Measurement and analysis of typical motion error traces from a circular test

The circular test provides a rapid and efficient way of measuring the contouring accuracy of a machine tool. To get the actual point coordinate in the work plane, an improved measurement instrument - a new ball bar test system - is presented in this paper to identify both the radial error and the rotation angle error when the machine is manipulated to move in circular traces. Based on the measured circular error, a combination of Fourier components is chosen to represent the systematic form error that fluctuates in the radial direction. The typical motion errors represented by the corresponding Fourier components can thus be identified. The values for machine compensation can be calculated and adjusted until the desired results are achieved.     

A methodology for systematic geometric error compensation in five-axis machine tools

To enhance the accuracy, an efficient methodology was developed and described for systematic geometric error correction and their compensation in five-axis machine tools. The methodology is capable of compensating the overall effect of all position-dependent and position-independent errors which contribute to volumetric workspace. It was implemented on a five-axis grinding machine for error compensation and for the check of its effectiveness. Error compensation algorithm was designed, and a routine was written in Matlab software. The developed technique and software are based on an error table which interprets the function of axis through cubic spline technique and synthesis modeling of a machine tool. Recursive compensation methodology was used to remove the machine errors from the actual tool path and inverse technique was implemented to find the corrected positions of prismatic and rotary joints. Moreover, it can convert the corrected tool paths into practical compensated NC codes. The generated, corrected and modified NC codes directly fed to the controller of a five-axis machine tool. Validation of the technique was preceded by repeated experimentation of measurement and through machining of typical standard workpieces with some additional specific features. Experimental results exhibit effective compensation and remarkable improvement in the parametric and volumetric-workspace accuracy of the five-axis machine tool.     

Measurement and analysis of typical motion error traces from a circular test

The circular test provides a rapid and efficient way of measuring the contouring accuracy of a machine tool. To get the actual point coordinate in the work plane, an improved measurement instrument - a new ball bar test system - is presented in this paper to identify both the radial error and the rotation angle error when the machine is manipulated to move in circular traces. Based on the measured circular error, a combination of Fourier components is chosen to represent the systematic form error that fluctuates in the radial direction. The typical motion errors represented by the corresponding Fourier components can thus be identified. The values for machine compensation can be calculated and adjusted until the desired results are achieved.     

A three-dimensional triangular vision-based contouring error detection system and method for machine tools

Contouring error detection for machine tools can be used to effectively evaluate their dynamic performances. A triangular vision-based contouring error detection system and method is proposed in this paper, realizing the three-dimensional error measurement of an arbitrary trajectory in conditions of a high feed rate and wide motion range. First, a high-precision measurement fixture, which consists of high-precision circular coded markers and a highly uniform light source, is designed to accurately characterize the motion trajectory of a machine tool and realize the high-quality collection of an image sequence. Then, to improve the contouring error detection accuracy, a coded marker decoding and center location method for the automatic recognition and high-precision center positioning of the circular coded markers are applied. Using image preprocessing and matching, the markers’ three-dimensional coordinates in the camera coordinate system can be constructed. Moreover a data transformation method induced by the orthogonal motion of machine tools is proposed to obtain the three-dimensional trajectory in the machine tool coordinate frame and the contouring error can be calculated. Finally, a three-dimensional contouring error detection study of an equiangular spiral interpolation at different feed rates is performed in the laboratory. It is shown that the average contouring error for a feed rate of 1000 mm/min is about 3 µm, which verifies the vision measurement accuracy and feasibility.     

Measurement and compensation for volumetric positioning errors of CNC machine tools considering thermal effect

The measurement and compensation of volumetric positioning errors can be used to significantly improve the accuracy of machine tools. In this paper, a sequential step diagonal measurement is introduced to measure nine volumetric positioning errors in a short time. Measurements under various thermal conditions are preformed to understand the relationship between the volumetric positioning errors and the machine temperature field and variations. A radial basis function neural network is used to predict the volumetric positioning errors at all positions based on the temperature distribution of the machine. Compensation experiment is carried out to validate the performance of the measurement and the prediction method. The experimental results show that the volumetric accuracy of the machine tool is significantly improved by the error compensation.     

数控机床热变形模型中测温点的优化选择研究

在数控机床热误差控制补偿技术中,合理选择温度变量,是建立补偿模型的关键所在。先采用模糊聚类对温度变量进行分组,然后根据温度变量与热变形的相关性在每组中选择典型的温度变量,最后根据回归分析中经过修正的相关系数选择测温点。以XH718数控机床为实验对象,结果表明,此方法既能减少测温点,又能保证模型精度。     

一种五轴并联机床的机构参数分步辨识方法

以五轴并联机床为研究对象,基于量子粒子群优化算法,对少自由度并联机床的机构参数辨识问题进行了研究。根据五轴并联机床的结构特点,对运动末端的测量位姿进行优化选取。将并联机构参数辨识问题转化为非线性系统的最优化问题,利用量子粒子群优化算法的全局搜索能力设计一种分步辨识方法对机构参数进行优化、辨识。仿真结果显示,基于量子粒子群优化算法的分步辨识方法能够比较准确地辨识机构参数的真实值。该分步辨识方法同样适用于其他少自由度并联机器人的机构参数辨识。     

数控机床误差的激光干涉仪自动瞄准测量及补偿技术研究

开发了用于数控机床空间误差测量的激光干涉仪自动瞄准系统。该系统实现了机床多轴联动、而激光束的方向发生连续改变时空间曲线轨迹定位误差的测量。提出了通过一次对光实现数控机床整个空间定位误差的直接测量方法。采用网格方法储存测量误差,用有限元法实现补偿误差的预报。在立式数控加工中心上进行了误差的测量和补偿试验,结果表明所提出的误差测量方法精度高、速度快,误差补偿效果明显。     

On the workpiece setup optimization for five-axis machining with RTCP function

Nonlinear errors in five-axis machining process are caused due to the nonlinear motions of the rotational axes, which are inevitable. For the RT-type machine tool, the workpiece setup location on the working table has a direct effect on the nonlinear errors, thus there must be an optimal setup position which can reduce the nonlinear errors. Today’s five-axis machine tools are mostly equipped the with the RTCP (rotational tool center point) function, with which the NC program becomes independent from the workpiece setup. In this paper, we have focused on finding the optimal workpiece setup for the RT-type machine tool with RTCP function, more specifically, the Mikron UCP 600 five-axis machine tool in our lab. The kinematics of the machine tool is briefly analyzed. Based on that, the nonlinear error evaluation method with RTCP interpolation is derived. With this method, nonlinear errors can actually be considered as a function of the workpiece setup position. Then, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) is applied to find the optimal workpiece setup, in which a mutation operation is used since PSO traps into local optimum easily. The proposed optimal workpiece setup method is implemented and tested. Example results show that the optimal setup with least nonlinear errors can be found. Some interesting results also show that the nonlinear errors are not sensitive with the z component of the workpiece setup vector. The proposed optimization is nearly zero-cost and easy to both understand and implement, yet has a potential to reduce the nonlinear errors and thus to improve the accuracy of five-axis machining.