Method for controlling motion of a coordinate measuring machine
First Claim
1. A method for controlling motion of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the method comprising:
- providing a guide element tracking system which provides a sensing volume, the guide element tracking system comprising at least one guide element tracking sensor located on the CMM and configured to provide position sensing of a guide element in the sensing volume;
defining a guide element active tracking volume within the sensing volume relative to at least one of the guide element tracking sensor or a portion of the CMM;
inserting a guide element into the active tracking volume, wherein the guide element is manually controlled by a user of the CMM;
operating the guide element tracking system to sense and track a position of the guide element in the active tracking volume; and
moving a measurement probe portion of the CMM according to a three-dimensional (3D) tracking motion that is responsive to the tracked position of the guide element,wherein the method further comprises;
operating the CMM to detect a tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition; and
operating the CMM to move the measurement probe portion of the CMM according to the tracking motion after the tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition is detected and according to the condition that the guide element is located in the active tracking volume.
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Abstract
A method for manually controlling the motion of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is disclosed. The method may include providing at least one guide element motion tracking sensor; defining a guide element active tracking volume relative to one of the guide element tracking sensor and a portion of the CMM; placing a guide element in the active motion tracking volume; tracking the position of the guide element; and moving a measurement probe of the CMM in response to the tracked position (e.g., to follow the position changes). The method may further include detecting a tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition, and operating the CMM to move the measurement probe portion of the CMM according to the tracking motion after the tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition is detected and according to the condition that the guide element is located in the active tracking volume.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for controlling motion of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the method comprising:
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providing a guide element tracking system which provides a sensing volume, the guide element tracking system comprising at least one guide element tracking sensor located on the CMM and configured to provide position sensing of a guide element in the sensing volume; defining a guide element active tracking volume within the sensing volume relative to at least one of the guide element tracking sensor or a portion of the CMM; inserting a guide element into the active tracking volume, wherein the guide element is manually controlled by a user of the CMM; operating the guide element tracking system to sense and track a position of the guide element in the active tracking volume; and moving a measurement probe portion of the CMM according to a three-dimensional (3D) tracking motion that is responsive to the tracked position of the guide element, wherein the method further comprises; operating the CMM to detect a tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition; and operating the CMM to move the measurement probe portion of the CMM according to the tracking motion after the tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition is detected and according to the condition that the guide element is located in the active tracking volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A guide element tracking system for use in a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the guide element tracking system usable to generate signals to manually control motion of the a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the guide element tracking system comprising:
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at least one guide element tracking sensor located on the CMM and configured to provide position sensing of a guide element in a sensing volume; and a guide element tracking system processing portion which inputs signals from the at least one guide element tracking sensor and is configured to; define a guide element active tracking volume within the sensing volume relative to at least one of the guide element tracking sensor or a portion of the CMM, to operate the guide element tracking system to sense and track a position of the guide element in the active tracking volume, and provide signals to a motion control portion of a the CMM in order to operate the CMM to move a measurement probe portion of the CMM according to a three-dimensional (3D) tracking motion that is responsive to the tracked position of the guide element, when a guide element that is manually controlled by a user of the CMM is inserted into the active tracking volume; wherein the guide element tracking system processing portion is further configured to; operate the CMM to detect a tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition; and provide the signals to the motion control portion in order to operate the CMM to move the measurement probe portion of the CMM according to the tracking motion after the tracking motion activation trigger indicator or condition is detected and according to the condition that the guide element is located in the active tracking volume. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification