An innovative algorithm for statistic sampling of measured points and simplifying measuring probe orientation for sculpture surfaces

As living standards have improved, the requirements of appearance modeling variables have also increased. Although several CAD systems can design and modeling needed products with complicated geometric, but the questions of measuring methods and workpiece error-detection are also growing. For the contact measuring method, besides measuring collision and probe orientation, the sampling points and their distributed locations are the important factors that influence measuring time as well as precision. In this paper, the sampling statistics technique was used to calculate the minimum number of sampling points, which will tally the contour tolerance requirements of the measured surface. Next, the suitable locations for sampling points will be carried out using the one-half sampling distribution method. Finally, the 2D space picture of measuring characteristic of five-axis CMM (CMM-space) was developed for measuring probe’s orientation in the measuring process. As a result, an algorithm of measuring characteristic matrix of five-axis CMM (CMM-matrix) and the minimum times of the measuring probe’s placement was derived to reduce the measuring time and improve the measuring efficiency.