Carl-zeiss-stiftung

Carl-zeiss-stiftung, Heidenheim/brenz

Carl Zeiss Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-stuftung, Heidenhheim/brenz

Klaus Herzog

Franz Szenger

Karl-Hermann Breyer

Karl Seitz

Werner Lotze

Walter Werner

Kurt Brenner

Karl Schepperle

Rainer Ohnheiser

Werner Leitenberger

Gabriele Gentner

Peter Hnelt

The invention is directed to a method for manually measuring a workpiece with a manually guided coordinate measuring apparatus. The apparatus includes a carrier for a probe which, in turn, carries a probe ball 12 on a deflectable probe pin 11. The carrier is movably journalled in several spatial directions. The probe ball 12 is brought into contact with the geometric element of the workpiece 30' to be measured and is guided therealong in continuous contact therewith. Signals (.phi., .psi., z) of coordinate measuring devices are generated with the movement of the probe. Signals (u, v, w) of a transducer of the probe are generated with a deflection of the probe pin 11. Control signals (80 to 84) are generated from the first signals and/or the second signals and these control signals characterize the start and the end of the measuring operation on the geometric element and the validity of the coordinate measurement values (X, Y, Z).

Method and manually guide coordinate measuring apparatus for measuring a

The invention is directed to a method for calibrating a coordinate measuring apparatus which has a probe 10. The probe 10 is movably guided in a plane (x, y) via two parallel pivot axes (6, 8) which are arranged one behind the other. For calibrating the primary dimensions (R1, R2, .phi.0, .psi.0, dT) of the coordinate measuring apparatus, contours or geometric elements are contact scanned on a calibration body with the probe. The contours or geometric elements are so selected that the diameter dT of the probe ball 12 attached to the probe enters into the measuring result for the geometric elements or their spacing with different weight or sign. Thereafter, the primary dimensions (R1, R2, .phi.0, .psi.0, dT) are determined from the measured values obtained by contact scanning the contours for the position of the probe 10 in the plane (x, y) and from the known dimensions of the geometric elements.

Method for calibrating a coordinate measuring apparatus having two pivot

A manually guided probe of a coordinate measuring device is mounted by two rotary shafts arranged one behind the other and a spring parallelogram for nearly reaction free movement in several spatial directions. The device has a workpiece table that is rotatable and tiltable about at least two shafts.

Coordinate measuring device

A coordinate-measuring machine has a vertical column which is linearly guided in one horizontal direction (x) and on which a measurement arm is guided for vertical displaceability. The linear movement (x) is produced by a carriage in which the column is mounted for rotational displacement about a vertical axis. A workpiece to be measured is mounted to a turntable. The construction provides a coordinate measuring machine having four axes, two linear and two rotational, and the machine is structurally compact in terms of the measurement volume which is achievable.

Coordinate-measuring machine

The measurement volume A of a given coordinate-measuring machine is increased by a device which consists (i) of a support plate (15) which can be displaced on the surface of the machine table (1) into at least two defined positions and (ii) of a device (16a-c, 17a-c) for measuring the position of the support plate in these different positions. The workpiece to be measured is clamped on said support plate (15) and can then be measured, section by section.

A coordinate measuring apparatus includes guides made of aluminum. Scales which are also made of aluminum are used to measure the position of the measuring slide movable on the guides. In a preferred embodiment, the scales are in the form of a reflection phase grating and are applied directly to the surface of the guide member. In addition, a temperature sensor is provided which measures the temperature of the guide member and of the scale divisions. A method of producing the scale divisions is also disclosed.

Coordinate measuring apparatus

The invention is directed to a coordinate measuring apparatus which includes an elevation measuring device. The elevation measuring device is connected with a stationary granite table via one or several linkage arms for determining the planar coordinates. Transducers for detecting angular values or pull-out lengths are arranged with respect to the joints or pull-out members of the linkage arms from which these planar coordinates can be computed by a computer. A method of determining the coordinates is also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for making coordinate measurements

A probe head for coordinate-measuring instruments has a torsionally rigid, play-free and friction-free probe-suspension system which defines a three-dimensional coordinate system, wherein a probe pin is deflectable in all three directions in space. In order to be able to use the probe pin completely independent of its orientation, a separate taring device provides taring adjustment for each of the three coordinate axes in space. The taring device automatically sets the zero position of the suspension system in any orientation of the probe head, and for any change in orientation. In this connection, it is particularly advantageous to develop each taring device from two springs which are preloaded to act in opposition upon an element which is gravitationally deflected upon any change in probe-head orientation; to reach the zero position detected by an indicator, i.e., to effect the taring adjustment, provision is made for adjustment of the preload force of at least one of these springs.

Probe head for a coordinate-measuring instrument

A probe head for a coordinate-measuring instrument has a torsionally rigid, play-free and friction-free probe-suspension system which defines a three-dimensional coordinate system wherein the work-contact pin of the probe is deflectable in all three directions in space. For each of the three coordinate directions, an incrementally operating displacement-measuring system is provided, and each such system is associated with a zero indicator for recognition of the zero position of the system. Upon initial contact of the probe with the object to be measured, a trigger pulse is produced via a sensor. A subsequent electronic system processes the different signals delivered by the probe head so that optional operation is available either as a switching probe head or as a measuring probe head.

Two methods are disclosed for eliminating the influence of guidance errors on the precision of determining the position of guided machine parts as in a coordinate-measuring machine, whereby the resulting measurement may be provided with a correction which is dependent on the guidance error. In a first method of the invention, the relevant guidance errors of the machine are determined and approximated by correction functions which are stored in the computer of the machine; the stored correction functions are used for automatic correction of errors otherwise inherent in operation of the coordinate-measuring machine. In a second method of the invention, additional measuring devices are mounted to displaceable parts of the machine, and these devices respond to changes in offset distance from reference surfaces arranged parallel to applicable coordinate guides; these measurement devices provide continuous detection of guidance errors, throughout the measurement process.

Method and apparatus for determining and correcting guidance errors

This invention contemplates a rapid method of calibrating probe-pin combinations, such as star probes or rotary-swing probes, which method is applicable when the probe system forms part of or is coupled to the control system of a measuring machine wherein a self-centering probe of workpieces is possible. The calibration procedure employs a calibration standard having a plurality of probe-centering elements distributed over its surface and facing in different directions, the positional geometry of these elements being stored in the computer of the measuring machine. Each of the individual probe balls is successively introduced into a centering element which is accessible. Thereupon, the position of each ball-center point is determined in the computer, from the stored positional data and the pre-established diameter of corresponding probe balls.

Method of calibrating probe pins on multicoordinate measurement machines

The invention contemplates a so-called switching probe head in which the movable element of the probe has a tensed at-rest position on support structure which determines its zero position and from which it is displaced upon work contact. To increase the accuracy by which the zero position of the probe element (2, 4) is reproduced, the probe element is suspended, without friction, from a housing part (1) of the probe head, via at least three filaments (5a, b, c), wires or flexible strips. For torsionally rigid centering of the probe element, friction-free wire or strip arrangements are also usable; and torsional-rigid alternatives include use of a bellows (3) or of balls having rolling contact with opposing walls of centering grooves.

Work-contact probe head for coordinate-measuring instruments

A tailstock for rotatably supporting a workpiece on a machine bed. The tailstock includes a vertical column fixed at the machine bed which has first and second regions. The second region of the column is coaxial with the first region and pivotally mounted to the first region. An offset arm extends laterally from the vertical column and carries a center for engaging the workpiece. The offset arm has an opening for accommodating the regions of the vertical column and is longitudinally displaceable thereon. The offset arm is pivotable when disposed at the second region and non-pivotable when disposed at the first region to dispose same in repeatable precision relation to the machine bed.

Tailstock for rotatably mounting a workpiece in precision machinery

The invention contemplates an anti-friction bearing wherein the inner raceway for a complement of rolling elements is ground directly in the shaft which is to have anti-friction support. The outer raceway is provided in the bore of a relatively thin-wall outer ring which is locally split, as by an axial slit. The outer ring is compliantly widened at the split, to permit introduction of the complement of rolling elements through the widened slit; the outer ring is then relaxed for circumferential engagement of all rolling elements, whereupon the outer ring is clamped tight against the shaft without play by means of a tensed circumferential wrap of spring-steel wires or bands. Thereafter, the wrapped bearing is bedded via jointing agents in the bore of a bearing housing. With such construction, the outer race in the outer ring adapts itself to the precision-ground inner or shaft raceway, via the rolling elements, and therefore the outer ring and its raceway may be manufactured to lesser tolerances, and yet the precision of the finished article will be primarily a function of the precision of the inner raceway.

Play-free anti-friction bearing construction

The invention contemplates a measuring machine wherein a portal (2) is displaceable on a flat base plate (1) of granite. The bridge portion (3) of the portal (2) includes a guide rail (22) which is centrally fixed to the bridge portion (3) and extends in the x-direction of portal displacement. A separate superstructure (23) fixed to and upstanding from the base plate (1) provides support and guidance for the guide rail (22). In a manually operated embodiment, the operating knob for the use is arranged on a carriage which is displaceable along the bridge portion (3), in the y-direction. Since points relevant to displacement force application (e.g., drive, center of gravity, guidance) are at approximately the same elevation, bending forces can introduce essentially only two kinds of error, namely, a lateral offset (.DELTA.Y) of the portal and/or an incremental rotation of the portal about the vertical (z). The invention provides for detection of these errors via a measuring device (30, 35), coacting between a leg (4) of the portal (2) and a reference lateral alignment (34) of portal-leg displacement in the x-direction. And the detected errors are then included by calculation in the measurement result determined by the machine.

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Oberkochen, Germany

Klaus Herzog