Apparatus and method for controlling or programming a measurement routine

• US 8,601,701 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renishaw PLC
• Original Assignee: Renishaw PLC
• Inventors: Wallace, David Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): FULTON, CHRISTOPHER W
• Application Number:
  US12/450,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20110192042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 335/03
• US Class Current: 33/503
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/042 Calibration or calibration artifacts G01B3/30, G01B9/02072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/401 characterised by control arrangements for measuring, e.g. calibration and initialisation, measuring workpiece for machining purposes G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36452 Touch points with handheld probe, camera detects position and orientation probe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36479 Record position on trigger of touch probe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37193 Multicoordinate measuring system, machine, cmm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37444 Program cmm by using a stylus to detect points on a real workpiece

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling or programming a measurement path for a probe mounted on a coordinate positioning apparatus (e.g. an articulating probe head mounted on a CMM) which enables both the position of the probe tip and the orientation of the probe to be varied. In a first mode, the position of the probe tip is adjusted. In a second mode the orientation of the probe is adjusted, while keeping the location of the probe tip unchanged. This may be achieved either online on the coordinate positioning apparatus or offline in software.

Claims

1. A method for controlling or programming a measurement path for a probe mounted on an articulating head, which is mounted on a quill of a coordinate positioning apparatus which enables a position of a probe tip to be varied and an orientation of the probe to be varied angularly about at least one axis, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) a user manipulating a user interface operating in a first mode to adjust the position of the probe tip or a representation of the probe tip so as to place the probe tip at a desired position; and

(b) the user manipulating the user interface operating in a second mode to adjust the orientation of the probe or a representation of the probe, in which during such adjustment of the orientation, the quill of the coordinate positioning apparatus is moved about the probe tip in order to keep a location of the probe tip substantially unchanged at the desired position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out on a coordinate positioning apparatus, the method further comprising:

placing an object to be inspected on the coordinate positioning apparatus, wherein

step (a) comprises positioning the probe tip at the desired position with respect to the object.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is carried out in software, and the position of the probe tip and the orientation of the probe in steps (a) and (b) are adjusted with respect to a 3D model of an object.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining required positions of movable parts of the coordinate positioning apparatus to achieve said positions of the probe tip and probe orientation; and

determining whether a collision will occur between either the coordinate positioning apparatus or the probe and the object.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a signal is generated when it is determined that the collision will occur.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the method is implemented by a computer program when run on a computer.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the position of the probe tip or the representation of the probe tip and the orientation of the probe or the representation of the probe chosen in steps (a) and (b) as an input used to create the measurement path.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the selected position of the probe tip and the probe orientation or the representation of the probe tip and the probe orientation comprises a ‘

measurement point’

at which a measurement will be taken or a ‘

via point’

through which the measurement path will move.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the probe tip can be varied angularly about at least two axes that are orthogonal to one another.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a joystick, a mouse and a trackball.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the orientation of the probe can be varied angularly about at least two axes.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the adjustment of the orientation, an angle between a center of the probe tip and the at least one axis is changed whilst keeping the location of the probe tip substantially unchanged at the desired position.

13. An apparatus for controlling or programming a measurement path for a probe mounted on an articulating head, which is mounted on a quill of a coordinate positioning apparatus which enables a position of a probe tip to be varied and an orientation of the probe to be varied angularly about at least one axis, the apparatus comprising:

a controller configured to send demand signals to the coordinate positioning apparatus;

a user interface configured to send an output to the controller, the user interface having two or more modes, wherein

the controller adjusts the position of the probe tip in response to a user manipulating the user interface operating in a first mode to place the probe tip at a desired position, and

in response to the user manipulating the user interface operating in a second mode, the controller adjusts the orientation of the probe, in which during such adjustment of the orientation, the quill of the coordinate positioning apparatus is moved about the probe tip in order to keep a location of the probe tip substantially unchanged at the desired position.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein an output from the user interface to the controller is used to select the position of the probe tip and the orientation of the probe as a point on the measurement path.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the user interface comprises a joystick.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the position of the probe tip can be varied angularly about at least two axes that are orthogonal to one another.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein during the adjustment of the orientation, an angle between a center of the probe tip and the at least one axis is changed whilst keeping the location of the probe tip substantially unchanged at the desired position.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program for programming a measurement path for a probe mounted on an articulating head, which is mounted on a quill of a coordinate positioning apparatus which enables a position of a probe tip to be varied and an orientation of the probe to be varied angularly about at least one axis, the computer program comprising code adapted to perform the following steps when executed on a computer:

(a) combining a 3D model of a part and a 3D model of the coordinate positioning apparatus in the same coordinate frame;

(b) adjusting a position of the 3D model of the coordinate positioning apparatus in response to a user manipulating a user interface operating in a first control mode in order to adjust the position of the probe tip within the 3D model to place the probe tip at a desired position;

(c) adjusting the position of the 3D model of the coordinate positioning apparatus in response to the user manipulating the user interface operating in a second control mode, to adjust the orientation of the probe, in which during such adjustment of the orientation, the quill of the coordinate positioning apparatus is moved about the probe tip in order to keep a location of the probe tip unchanged within the 3D model at the desired position; and

(d) selecting the position of the probe tip and the orientation of the probe selected in steps (b) and (c) in response to a selection input.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the position of the probe tip can be varied angularly about at least two axes that are orthogonal to one another.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein during the adjustment of the orientation, an angle between a center of the probe tip and the at least one axis is changed whilst keeping the location of the probe tip substantially unchanged at the desired position.