European Centre of Excellence in Metrology
Pays Bas | Eindhoven
Allemagne | Stuttgart
France | Evry
At the cuttting edge of accuracy
IBS Precision Engineering Deutschland GmbH
Leitzstraße 45, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany
Telephone: +49 (0)711 490 66 230
Fax: +49 (0)711 490 66 232
E-mail: info@ibspe.de, Internet: www.ibspe.de
HEADOFFICE | IBS Precision Engineering bv
Esp 201, 5633 AD Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 (0)40 290 12 70
Fax: +31 (0)40 290 12 79 ISARA
E-mail: info@ibspe.com, Internet: www.ibspe.com
Ultra Precision CMM
IBS Precision Engineering sarl
Le Magellan, 7 rue Montespan, 91024 Evry Cedex, France
Telephone: +33 (0)1 69 47 60 53
Fax: +33 (0)1 69 47 60 70
E-mail: info@ibspe.fr, Internet: www.ibspe.fr
 Creativity Special machine for maximum accuracy
Re mb r a ndt
va n R i jn ISARA - Ultra Precision
Coordinate Measuring Machine
Dutch painter
(1606 - 1669)

The products you make must meet your customer’s specifications exactly. But can you
Rembrandt Harmenszoon also measure what you make? And do you dare guarantee the results down to the very
van Rijn is generally
regarded as the greatest
nanometre? Standard measuring equipment usually does not suffice. Especially not where
painter of Holland’s it concerns objects that are difficult to measure or difficult circumstances.
“Golden Age”.
He was an innovative
genius whose stylistic ISARA is the most accurate three-dimensional CMM available on the market. In
mastery and minute the measurement range of 100 x 100 x 40 mm a volumetric accuracy of 30 nm is
refinement have enthralled
generations of artists ever achieved.
since. When we look at one
of Rembrandt’s paintings,
we find a unique personal
The machine can be customised for your measurement application using different probes or
vision and passionate scanning systems. ISARA is a joined development of Philips Centre for Industrial Technology
emotion, together with
(CFT) and IBS Precision Engineering. The excellence of Philips CFT in system design & motion
harmonious contrasts
in the light. Rembrandt’s control, combined with the measurement & application expertise of IBS Precision Engineering.
paintings are represented
in collections throughout
Europe and the United
States.

How do you produce unique results in the area
of measurement – achievements that excel in
precision, efficiency and usefulness and help
make products better?
Creativity is one of the basic requirements for
excellence in the field of advanced precision
technology. After all, your problem is unique and
calls for a unique solution.
ISARA
The Syro-Mesopotamian
goddess of the oath and
queen of judgement.
At IBS Precision Engineering, we don’t just focus on
The Hittites called her
details but also on the overall picture. The approach of
Queen of the mountains.
one of the great Dutch painters is an inspiration to us.
Our ability to solve problems expresses itself
in precision engineering that tackles problems
from a different angle – or from a new
perspective. Perhaps it comes from both, but
it’s surprising in the same way as Rembrandt’s
wonderful use of light and dark.
Typical ISARA design principles
ISARA is an Ultra Precision 3D Coordinate Thermal sensitivity
dT
Measuring Machine, capable of volumetric probe In general, thermal effects are one of the largest
measuring uncertainties up to 30 nm. To achieve x-interferometer axis sources of non-repeatability in measuring machine
this leading performance, ISARA is designed work piece accuracy. ISARA minimizes these effects by making 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Dummy metrology
according to a few very important design zerodur mirror table use of the low-expansion materials Zerodur® and ≈ dT/10 frame without shielding
Dummy metrology
principles. Z-interferometer axis Invar® for the mirror table and the metrology frame. frame with shielding

The measurement area is covered with an enclosure 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 enclosure

Abbe principle Z to minimize heat input from the environment of the
y ≈ dT/100
To avoid parallax errors, a measuring system machine (e.g. operators). A specially coated aluminum
x
must be placed coaxially with the axis along shielding filters out fast temperature changes before 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
which displacements are to be measured. This they can reach the metrology frame. Thanks to this
is known as the Abbe principle. In ISARA, the invar metrology frame optimized design, ISARA is able to reduce its thermal ≈ dT/1000

Abbe principle is fulfilled in all three coordinate y-interferometer axis sensitivity to the nanometer level.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
axes over the entire measuring volume. This Time (hours)
resulted in a system with a stationary probe Positioning accuracy
and a moving product table. The position of The unique measuring principle of ISARA,
metrology frame
this table is measured using three plane-mirror where both the position of the product table
probe
laser interferometers with compensation for and the probe deflections are measured with
work piece
temperature, air pressure and relative humidity. nanometer level accuracy, imposes relatively y
manipulation system Z=
low positioning accuracy requirements on f(x
1, x
2)
Metrology and structural frame Z
base frame
the product table. However, to ensure that a
The requirements for the metrology and y
wide range of probes can be used with the x1

structural functions are completely different. x

system, ISARA still has sub-micron positioning x2
ISARA achieves a substantial performance capabilities. The dynamic behavior of the
increase by applying different frames to perform wedge-shaped stage design (patent pending) Z
these functions. While the metrology frame is superior to that of conventionally stacked y

is optimized for positional stability of the designs, making it possible to achieve high servo x

measurement systems, the base frame handles bandwidths.

the actuator forces. Deformations of the base To protect our delicate probes, the system will always
frame have no influence on the measurement, stop within 10 µm at normal measuring speeds
due to the stress-free coupling between the two (1 mm/s). A special gravity compensator (patent metrology frame
frames. pending) drastically decreases the power dissipation probe
dA(xA, yA)
of the positioning table to less than 0,1 W per axis.
reference body
Calibration
A very important design aspect of ISARA is the mirror rable

ability to calibrate the metrology loop using

the machine itself. Since the Abbe principle laserbeam dz(xz, yz)
is fulfilled for all axes, geometric calibration interferometer
only concerns the shape of the mirror table
(flatness deviation and out-of-squareness). This
is performed with a well-known reference body.
All sensors and other measuring systems used
in ISARA are calibrated and traceable to well-
known international standards.
Probing
For ISARA two different novel touch probe
systems have been developed, both
with nanometre accuracy. To enable the
measurement of small features, the two probes
apply very small stylus balls.
Probe 1 - Measuring system
Three ultra precision capacitance probes
are integrated into the probe body, used for
determining the displacement of the aluminium
discs connected to leafsprings holding the
stylus. By using rigid body kinematics, the
displacement of the stylus ball is computed from
these three sensor readings.
Typical characteristics of this probing system are:
• Simple design
• Low moving mass
• Capacitance sensors
• Isotropic stiffness in X, Y and Z
This probe has been realised in collaboration
with: National Physical Laboratory (NPL),
Teddington, UK.
Probe 2 - Measuring system
The suspension of the probing body is realised
with 3 leafsprings, each containing 4 piezo-
resistive strain gauges arranged in a Wheatstone
bridge configuration. The change in resistance
of these three bridges is a measure for the stylus
ball displacement of the probe.
Plastic deformation
Due to the small size of the stylus ball of this
kind of probing systems, typically 0,5 mm or less,
plastic deformation of the workpiece is likely
to occur when probing at speeds at 1 mm/s or
higher. Therefore, it is important to reduce the
moving mass present in the probe as much as
possible.
Stiffness
At this level of accuracy, the stiffness of the
probing system has to be low to extremely low
in order to limit the contact force between the
probe and the workpiece. Typical stiffness values
vary between 10 to 1000 N/m and preferably
display isotropic behaviour. The latter is mainly
determined by the probe flexure design as
realised for probe 1. If not, the accuracy of the
probing system is not equal for the X,Y and/or Z
direction.
Typical characteristics of this probing system are:
• Small size
• Extreme light weight: 20 mg.
• Long term stability
This probe has been developed with the section
Precision Engineering of Eindhoven University of
Technology, the Netherlands.
Typical ISARA applications
ISARA is available with 3D metrology software
enabling full geometrical measurement at nanometre level.
• Metrology on nanometre-level
• 3-D coordinate measurements
• 3-D calibration
• Surface measurements
• Contouring & scanning
• AFM/STM measurements
• MST/Microsystems
Table: comparison of the two
ISARA Specifications probing systems
Measuring volume 100 x 100 x 40 mm Probe 1
Speed Selectable: 0,01 …10 mm/s Stylus length 15 mm
Maximum product mass 6 kg Stylus ball diameter 300 µm
Machine measuring uncertainty Moving mass 370 mg
X & Y axis U1 = 15 nm Probing stiffness 10 N/m
Z axis U1 = 25 nm isotropic
Volumetric U3 = 30 nm Measuring range XY: +/-20 µm,
Main dimensions Z: -20 µm
Measuring machine Mechanical range (fracture) 80 µm
- enclosure down 1100 x 1100 x 1700 mm Typical measuring force 0,2 mN
- enclosure up 1100 x 1100 x 2200 mm Resolution 3 nm
Control cabinet 550 x 800 x 1250 mm Probe 2
Machine mass 800 kg Stylus length 8 mm
Power supply AC230V ±5%, 10A Stylus ball diameter 500 µm
Pneumatic supply Dry air ≥ 6 Bar, 20 N_/min Moving mass 20 mg
Operating environment Probing stiffness XY: 100 N/m
Allowable temperature range 15 ... 25 °C Z: 450 N/m
Max. temperature variations less than ± 0,5 °C. Measuring range 25 µm
Short term temp. variations less than ± 0,1 °C / h Mechanical range (fracture) 200 µm
Air pressure range 500 … 1100 hPa Typical measuring force < 1 mN
Humidity 20 … 60% Resolution 1 nm
Vibration levels compliant with vibration criterion B1
1Colin G. Gordon, Generic criteria for vibration-sensitive equipment, Proceedings
of International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE), Vol. 1619, San Jose, CA,
November 4-6, 1991, pp. 71-85.