A Fiducial-Aided Reconfigurable Artefact for the Estimation of Volumetric Errors of Multi-axis Ultra-Precision Machine Tools

In this paper, a fiducial-aided reconfigurable artefact is presented for estimating volumetric errors of a multi-axis machine tools. The artefact makes use of an adjustable number of standard balls as fiducials to build a 3D artefact which has been calibrated on a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). This 3D artefact shows its reconfigurability in its number of fiducials and their locations according to the characteristics of workpieces and machine tools. The developed kinematics of the machine tool was employed to identify the volumetric errors in the working space by comparing the information acquired by the on-machine metrology with that by the CMM. Experimental studies are conducted on a five-axis ultra-precision machine tools mounted with the 3D artefact composed of five standard spheres. Factors including the gravity effect and measurement repeatability are examined for the optimization of the geometry of the artefact. The results show that the developed 3D artefact is able to provide information of the volume occupied by the workpiece.

Modeling Method of CNC Machine Tools’ Volume Error Considering Abbe Error

Abbe error is an important factor affecting high-precision machine tools, and the traditional modeling method does not consider Abbe error. Aiming at this problem, based on the traditional error model of machine tools and the formation mechanism of Abbe error, this paper establishes a machine tool spatial error model that considers Abbe error. Then combined with a specific machine tool, based on the measurement of 21 geometric errors of the machine tool to obtain relevant error data, through the combination of qualitative and quantitative accuracy evaluation methods, two models of traditional error model and error model considering Abbe error are analyzed. The accuracy of the machine tool is compared, and the comparison of the compensation effects of the two error models after compensation is also analyzed. The example verification shows that the machine tool spatial error model considering Abbe error is effective and feasible, and the compensation effect is better. It provides an important modeling method for improving the machining accuracy of precision machine tools.

On-machine measurement and error analysis for narrow neck thickness based on ultra-precision machine tool

As flexible joint is a typical low-rigidity micro part, which have four narrow neck structures evenly distributed around its central axis, it is necessary to strictly control the dimensional accuracy of the narrow necks to improve the consistency of stiffness. However, the radius of the arc of the narrow necks is less than 2mm , and the thickness of thinnest part of the necks formed by two adjacent arcs is only tens of microns, which also has sub-micron accuracy requirement. These cross-scale dimensional characteristics and accuracy requirements give rise to extremely difficulty on the measuring process. In this paper, an on-machine measurement method for the semicircular narrow necks was presented and a measuring device was developed based on the comparative principle by making full use of the high linearity characteristic in the small measuring range of the sensor probes. Meanwhile, the on-machine measurement process based on ultra-precision machine tools was also introduced in details. The experiments results show that the measurement error of the method proposed is less than 0.2 µm , and the repeatability is less than 0.1 μm , which meet the measuring requirement of flexible joint. Furthermore, the theoretical error and the uncertainty caused by probe position, measurement force, environmental factor and the accuracy of the sensor was analyzed, which could provide further evidences to improve the measuring accuracy of micro-scale hybrid surface texture.

Profile Measurement Using Confocal Chromatic Probe on Ultrahigh Precision Machine Tool

An on-machine measurement (OMM) system is an effective apparatus for achieving an efficient profile compensation and improving machining conditions in ultrahigh precision machining. Herein, we report a new OMM system with a confocal chromatic probe on a five-axis ultrahigh precision machine tool constructed using a real-time position capturing method. The probe and machine tool positions are captured synchronously using a personal computer to generate profile measurement data. Long- and short-term stability, micro step response, and repeatability tests using an optical flat indicates that the system has a precision of approximately ±10 nm. The profile measurement test using a reference sphere indicates that the precision of the OMM system deteriorated at a large slope angle of ±45°. However, the overall accuracy is estimated to be within ±100 nm at a slope angle within ±15°. The linearity test at various slope angles indicates that the decrease in reflected light from a mirror-like surface deteriorates the performance of the probe.

On-machine Measurement and Uncertainty Analysis for Semicircular Narrow Neck Thickness based on Ultra-precision Machine Tool

As flexible joint is a typical low-rigidity micro part, which have four narrow neck structures evenly distributed around its central axis, it is necessary to strictly control the dimensional accuracy of the narrow necks to improve the consistency of stiffness. However, the radius of the arc of the narrow necks is less than 2mm, and the thickness of thinnest part of the necks formed by two adjacent arcs is only tens of microns, which also has sub-micron accuracy requirement. These cross-scale dimensional characteristics and accuracy requirements give rise to extremely difficulty on the measuring process. In this paper, an on-machine measurement method for the semicircular narrow necks was presented and a measuring device was developed based on the comparative principle by making full use of the high linearity characteristic in the small measuring range of the sensor probes. Meanwhile, the on-machine measurement process based on ultra-precision machine tools was also introduced in details. The experiments results show that the uncertainty of the measurement method proposed is less than 0.2µm, and the repeatability is less than 0.1μm, which meet the measuring requirement of flexible joint. Furthermore, the effect of probe position, measurement force, environmental factor and the accuracy of the sensor on total measuring accuracy was analyzed, which could provide further evidences to improve the measuring accuracy. of micro-scale hybrid surface texture.

CFD-Based Investigation on Effects of Orifice Length–Diameter Ratio for the Design of Hydrostatic Thrust Bearings

Orifice-restricted hydrostatic thrust bearings are broadly employed in ultra-precision machine tools, aerospace industries, and so forth. The orifice length–diameter ratio (OLDR) is one of the significant geometrical parameters of the orifice-restricted hydrostatic thrust bearing, which directly affects the performance of the bearing. To accurately guide the design of the hydrostatic thrust bearing, the effect of the OLDR on the performance of the hydrostatic thrust bearing needs to be thoroughly and scientifically investigated, especially for ultra-precision machine tools. In this paper, the influences of various OLDRs are comprehensively studied using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach on the pressure pattern, velocity, turbulent intensity, and vortices, as well as the load capacity, stiffness, volume flow rate, and orifice flow resistance of the hydrostatic thrust bearing under identical operating conditions. The obtained results show that there are differences in performance behaviors of the hydrostatic thrust bearing caused by different OLDRs. Some new findings are obtained, particularly in the second-order small vortices which appear in the annular recesses with all OLDRs except that of 2, and the flow resistance does not always increase with increasing OLDRs. Finally, the proposed CFD approach is experimentally validated.