DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW ANALOG PROBE CONCEPT WITH WIDE MEASURING RANGE

1. INTRODUCTION
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Error of the PSD before correction (outside zone)

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Error of the PSD after correction (outside zone)

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In order to measure the six degrees of freedom two different and independent measuring systems have been inserted inside the probe. Firstly, six LVDTs (Linear Variable Differential Transformers), and secondly, three low-cost 2D position sensitive detectors (PSDs). The information from any of the two sensor systems is processed and turned into X, Y and Z coordinates of the centre of the sphere located in the tip of the probe by means of a geometric model. Before assembling the prototype, the calibration and characterization of the opto-electronical sensors were carried out to analyze their performance. Thereby, a new methodology, which uses a high precision 2-D optic pattern (Cross Grid Encoder or KGM), was developed.

Error in X

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A new design of a six degrees of freedom analog probe is shown here. This probe is suitable for high range Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) and Machine Tools (MT). The aim is to obtain a low-cost probe accurate enough and with a wide measuring range ( 3 mm in each axis ).

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Error of the PSD before correction (central zone)

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Error of the PSD after correction (central zone)

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Figure 5:Error in X and Y of the PSD-2D

3. CALIBRATION SYSTEM
For the right evaluation of the probe and its measuring systems, it has been necessary to develop our own out of machine calibration system and its corresponding calibration procedure. This provides an economic, fast and reliable procedure to evaluate the accuracy of analog probes. The main parts of the system are a standard artefact (calibration cube: generates 36 calibrations points in a range of 3mm in X, Y and Z) and a test set-up structure which allows the positioning of the calibration cube relative to the analog probe with great precision (Fig. 6).

Figure 1: Self-developed analog probe

2. PSD-2D SENSORS CHARACTERIZATION

The LED PSD-2D measuring system has been intended to its application on a scanning probe. Therefore, it was necessary an in deep analysis of its behaviour. A PSD is an opto-electronic device which by generating four currents allow to calculate the position of a light spot on its surface (Fig. 2). In our case, the light source is an infrared LED diode.

Figure 6: Calibration set-up

4. RESULTS: TEST OF THE PROBE WITH CALIBRATION SYSTEM

The test procedure consisted of measuring the 36 positions of the calibration cube and comparing the results from the probe with the real values of the cube coordinates. Nevertheless, it was necessary to optimize the parameters of the geometrical model parameters to minimize the measuring error. Figure 7 shows the results provided by the probe when using the contact measuring sensors (LVDTs). In any case, in the three axis, the probe provides errors approximately inside of the 2 m desired interval. On the other side, we are working to reach similar results with the non-contact measuring system.
Error in X of the self-developed probe after optimization
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Figure 2: Mathematical expressions for the conversion of intensities to distances of a PSD-2D

A Cross Grid Encoder (KGM) from HEIDENHAIN has been used as a reference system to analyze the PSD characteristics, both accuracy and precision. A KGM (Fig. 3) is a non-contact optical measuring instrument with a two dimensional reference grid on a glass plate, and a movable reading head which generates two signals related with its position over the plate.

Error in Y of the self-developed probe after optimization

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Figure 3: Cross Grid Encoder

Firstly, the PSD static repeatability was verified in some characteristic points. All the results were inside a 2 m interval for the X and Y axis. Secondly, the PSD accuracy was studied. The tests carried out implied the simultaneous acquisition and comparison of the signals provided by both the KGM and the PSD. The results have shown the existence of very high errors (aprox. 1 mm) in the outer zones of the PSD, whereas the errors decrease to tens of microns in the inner area (Fig. 4 and Fig. 5). This is due to a lack of linearity in the LED PSD system. The solution to this problem has been the application of a correction model to the PSD outputs. A Toscany model was chosen because of the shape of the distortion surface, although it was necessary the surface segmentation in multiple zones:

Positions of the calibration cube

Positions of the calibration cube

Error in Z of the self-developed probe after optimization

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Figure 7: Error in X, Y and Z of the self-developed probe

Positions of the calibration cube

5. CONCLUSIONS
A new methodology for testing and evaluation of two-dimensional PSDs has been presented. The LED PSD system has the important advantage of its low cost over other measuring systems (eg. LVDTs). This suggest its implementation in the development of new analog probes. On the other side, it has also been studied a new concept of analog probe with six degrees of freedom which has been tested by using a measuring system based on LVDTs although it can also use a LED PSD system. The results obtained are accurate enough to recommend its use in high range CMM or as a verification tool for MT.

Figure 4: PSD squared error.

XKGM = a + b XPSD + c YPSD + d XPSD YPSD YKGM = e + f XPSD + g YPSD + h XPSD YPSD Accuracy greatly improves after using the correction model (Fig. 5).

DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW ANALOG PROBE CONCEPT WITH WIDE MEASURING RANGE Velzquez Sancho, Jess ; Albajez Garca, Jos Antonio; Yage Fabra, Jos Antonio; Aguilar Martn, Juan Jos
Dpto. Ingeniera de Diseo y Fabricacin, Centro Politcnico Superior, Universidad de Zaragoza C/Mara de Luna, 3. 50018. Zaragoza E-mail: jesusve@unizar.es(1)
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