Coordinate measuring machine certification system
First Claim
1. A coordinate measuring machine certification apparatus comprising:
- a certified ballbar having a pair of spherical surfaces connected with a bar, each of said spherical surfaces having a certified diameter and defining a center of that ball and the distance between said center of one said spherical surface to said center of the other said spherical surface being a certified distance; and
a positioning device for positioning said spherical surfaces in multiple known locations within the measurement volume of the coordinate measuring machine being certified including a bar support that supports said ballbar at a midpoint of said bar between said balls wherein said ballbar is supported free of attachments to said balls, said positioning device including a first rotational assembly for rotatably supporting said bar support for rotational motion about a horizontal axis in defined increments and a second rotational assembly for rotatably supporting said bar support for rotation motion about a vertical axis in defined increments.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for certifying a coordinate measuring machine includes a certified ballbar, having a pair of spherical surfaces connected with a bar and having certified diameters separated by a certified distance, that is positioned with a positioning device. The positioning device includes a bar support that supports the ballbar at a midpoint of the bar between the balls, wherein the ballbar is supported free of attachment to the balls. The positioning device includes a first rotational assembly for rotatably supporting the ball support for rotation motion about a horizontal axis and a second rotational assembly for rotatably supporting the bar support about a vertical axis. The first rotational assembly provides rotation of the bar support in a clockwise direction to position the ballbar in a first set of angular orientations and in a counterclockwise direction to position the ballbar in a second set of angular orientations. The second rotational assembly provides rotation of the bar support in substantially a complete revolution.
69 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A coordinate measuring machine certification apparatus comprising:
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a certified ballbar having a pair of spherical surfaces connected with a bar, each of said spherical surfaces having a certified diameter and defining a center of that ball and the distance between said center of one said spherical surface to said center of the other said spherical surface being a certified distance; and a positioning device for positioning said spherical surfaces in multiple known locations within the measurement volume of the coordinate measuring machine being certified including a bar support that supports said ballbar at a midpoint of said bar between said balls wherein said ballbar is supported free of attachments to said balls, said positioning device including a first rotational assembly for rotatably supporting said bar support for rotational motion about a horizontal axis in defined increments and a second rotational assembly for rotatably supporting said bar support for rotation motion about a vertical axis in defined increments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A coordinate measuring machine certification apparatus comprising:
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a certified ballbar having a pair of spherical surfaces connected with a bar; and a positioning device for positioning said spherical surfaces in multiple known locations within the measurement volume of the coordinate measuring machine being certified, said positioning device including a bar support that supports said ballbar at a midpoint of said bar between said balls wherein said ballbar is supported free of attachments to said balls, a horizontal pivot for said bar support that provides rotation of said bar support in a clockwise direction to position said ballbar in a first set of angular orientations and in a counterclockwise direction to position said ballbar in a second set of angular orientations, and a vertical pivot for said bar support that provides rotation of said bar support in substantially a complete revolution. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for certifying a coordinate measuring machine having a three-dimensional coordinate measuring space and a measuring stylus having an articulating probe, including:
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providing a certified ballbar having a pair of spherical surfaces connected with a bar; positioning said certified ballbar in the coordinate measuring space using a positioning device having a bar support that supports said ballbar at a midpoint of said bar between said balls wherein said ballbar is supported free of attachments to said balls; measuring with the coordinate measuring machine coordinates at opposite locations on the surface of each of said balls including changing the orientation of the probe between the measurements; and processing said measured coordinates into measured surface parameters and comparing said measured surface parameters with known values of said surface parameters. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification