Hexagon Metrology Gmbh

Jie Zheng

Gurpreet Singh

John Langlais

Joseph G Spanedda

Paul Racine

A probe head of a coordinate measuring machine ('CMM') includes a sensor to detect impact of the probe head with a foreign object. The probe head is movably coupled to the CMM such that the sensor detects motion of the probe head relative to a portion of the CMM resulting from an impact event. Some embodiments cause the CMM to take action in response to detecting an impact. Probe clips allow adjustment of the position of a CMM probe relative to the portion of the CMM from which the probe is suspended. This allows the position and orientation of the CMM probe to be adapted to a variety of applications.

Optical probe with crash protection and probe clips

A probe clip allows easy and accurate placement of a probe clip onto a coordinate measuring machine ('CMM'). Moreover various probe clips are configured to movably and adjustably secure an optical probe to the CMM. To that end, the probe clip may have a probe seat, for holding the probe, movably coupled to a clamp segment by an adjustable joint. The clamp segment movably couples the probe seat to a probe platform on the CMM.

Probe clips for a coordinate measuring machine

A coordinate measuring machine has a base for supporting an object, a movable assembly having a probe for measuring the object, and a rail movably guiding the movable assembly along its length. The rail includes carbon fiber and has a rail CTE. The coordinate measuring machine also has an air bearing member circumscribing the rail and fixedly coupled with the movable assembly. The air bearing member has a member CTE, which is about equal to the rail engineered CTE.

Coordinate measuring machine with carbon fiber air bearings

A coordinate measuring machine has a measuring member for measuring a workpiece, a counterweight to control movement of the measuring member, and a pulley and cable system coupling the measuring member with the counterweight. The coordinate measuring machine also has a guide track, where the counterweight is movably secured to the guide track. The guide track substantially limits counterweight movement, relative to the measuring member, to one dimension.

Coordinate measuring machine with constrained counterweight

A coordinate measuring machine has 1) an anchor beam with a top end and a bottom end, 2) at least one support beam having a top end and a bottom end, and 3) a cross-beam supported on the top ends of both the anchor beam and the at least one support beam. In addition, the coordinate measuring machine also has 4) a base supporting the bottom ends of the anchor beam and the at least one support beam. At least one of the at least one support beams has a first spring and a second spring. In preferred embodiments, the first spring is adapted to allow movement and is spaced from the second spring in a direction that is generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the cross-beam.

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Mansfield, MA, United States of America

Jie Zheng