Portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine having integrated software controls

• US 8,615,893 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Faro Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Atwell, Paul C., Briggs, Clark H., Stokes, Burnham
• Primary Examiner(s): GUADALUPE, YARITZA
• Application Number:
  US13/400,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20120144685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 335/03, 33/1.N, 33/1.PT, 335/34
• US Class Current: 33/503
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/007 feeler heads therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/047 Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/012 Contact-making feeler heads therefor
• 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 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24067 Processor stores variables, events and date in eeprom, for external monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37193 Multicoordinate measuring system, machine, cmm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40233 Portable robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40596 Encoder in each joint
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45061 Measuring robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0272 Presentation of monitored results, e.g. selection of status reports to be displayed; Filtering information to the user

Abstract

A method for performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure on a portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM). The AACMM includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing position signals. The AACMM also includes an electronic circuit having a self-contained operating environment that includes a user interface application and a display device in communication with the user interface application. In addition, a measurement device is attached to the first end of the AACMM. The user interface application and display device are configured to facilitate performing and displaying results of a diagnostic or calibration procedure on the AACMM.

Claims

1. A method for performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure on an articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM), the method comprising:

providing the AACMM, the AACMM having a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing position signals;

providing a measurement device attached to the first end of the AACMM;

providing an electronic circuit in the AACMM, the electronic circuit including a processor, the electronic circuit configured to receive the position signals from the transducers and to provide data corresponding to a position of the measurement device, the electronic circuit having a self-contained operating environment for the AACMM, the self-contained operating environment including a user interface application;

providing a display device attached to the AACMM, the display device and the electronic circuit being an integral part of the AACMM, the display device in communication with the user interface application;

displaying on the display device a plurality of choices, at least one of the choices being to perform a diagnostic or calibration procedure for the AACMM;

selecting one of the diagnostic or calibration procedures responsive to input from an operator;

displaying on the display device information for performing the procedure;

performing, responsive to input from the operator, the selected diagnostic or calibration procedure; and

displaying on the display device results of the selected diagnostic or calibration procedure.

2. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 1 wherein the input from the operator includes input from a touch screen of the display device.

3. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 1 wherein the displaying on the display device a plurality of choices includes at least one choice from among a mount stability diagnostic procedure, a single point articulation test (SPAT) diagnostic procedure, a hard probe calibration procedure, a laser line probe (LLP) calibration procedure, a touch probe calibration procedure, a SPAT calibration procedure, and a quick arm compensation procedure.

4. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 3, wherein:

the selecting of one of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes selecting the mount stability diagnostic procedure;

the displaying on the display device information for performing the procedure includes an indication that force is to be applied to a prescribed portion of the AACMM in a prescribed manner or an indication that arm segments are to be moved in a prescribed manner; and

the displaying on the display device results of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes indicating whether the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is considered stable or unstable.

5. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 3, wherein:

the selecting of one of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes selecting the mount stability diagnostic procedure;

the displaying on the display device information for performing the procedure includes an indication that a probe tip is to be placed in a nest and force is to be applied to a prescribed portion of the AACMM in a prescribed manner; and

the displaying results of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes indicating whether the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine is considered stable or unstable.

6. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 3, wherein:

the selecting of one of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes selecting SPAT diagnostic procedure or the SPAT calibration procedure;

the displaying on the display device information for performing the procedure includes indicating whether the arm segments have been moved more than a predetermined amount; and

the displaying results of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes displaying an error value or displaying whether performance of the AACMM is inside or outside a specification.

7. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 3, wherein:

the selecting of one of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes selecting the hard probe calibration procedure;

the displaying on the display device information for performing the procedure includes displaying a figure showing a movement to be made by the operator and providing feedback to indicate when the desired movement has been performed; and

the displaying results of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes indicating an error value or indicating whether the hard probe calibration procedure was successful.

8. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 3, wherein:

the selecting of one of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes selecting the LLP calibration procedure;

the displaying on the display device information for performing the procedure includes displaying a figure showing how a laser line probe is to be moved over an object and providing feedback to indicate when the desired movement has been performed; and

the displaying results of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes indicating an error value or indicating whether the LLP calibration procedure was successful.

9. The method of performing a diagnostic or calibration procedure of claim 3, wherein:

the selecting by an operator one of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes selecting the quick arm compensation procedure;

the displaying on the display device information for performing the procedure includes information on the movement to be performed; and

the displaying results of the diagnostic or calibration procedure includes indicating an error value or indicating that the quick arm compensation results were applied to change at least one compensation parameter of the AACMM.