The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Ashok Muralidhar

Stuart T Smith

Jimmie Andrew Miller

Robert J Hocken

Paulo H Pereira

A force characterization device utilizes a flexure having a compliant portion and a solid portion. During operation of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) on the solid portion of the flexure, a first capacitance probe detects displacement of the solid portion of the flexure in a first dimension and a second capacitance probe detects displacement of the solid portion of the flexure in a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension. The detected displacements in the first and second dimensions of the solid portion of the flexure are correlated to forces applied to the flexure in the first and second dimensions based on the detected displacements and the predetermined spring constant of the compliant portion of the flexure. A total applied force is determined based on the forces applied to the flexure in the first and second dimensions. The flexure may be utilized for touch-trigger operations or scanning operations of the CMM. For scanning operations, a normal force applied and a coefficient of friction between the contact probe of the CMM and the solid portion of the flexure may be determined from the total applied force and the forces applied in the first and second dimensions.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Ashok Muralidhar