Analogue Probe Temperature Control for CMM Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Temperature changes in the operating environment significantly degrade the accuracy of analogue probes used in coordinate positioning machines due to thermal expansion effects, leading to erroneous measurements.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a temperature actuator and sensor to maintain the analogue probe at a predetermined temperature, compensating for environmental and machine temperature changes, ensuring stability and accuracy by modulating the temperature actuator to keep the probe within a specified tolerance range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the analogue probe is used in varying temperature environments, then the measurement process can continue without interruption, but the measurement accuracy significantly degrades due to thermal expansion effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by actively controlling the temperature of the analogue probe to maintain it at a constant predetermined temperature despite environmental temperature variations. The temperature actuator dynamically adjusts the probe's temperature parameter to compensate for thermal expansion effects, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while allowing continuous operation in varying temperature environments.
2Measurement precision
If a temperature actuator is added to control probe temperature, then measurement accuracy is maintained under temperature variations, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by integrating a temperature actuator and temperature sensor directly into the probe body, enabling the probe to autonomously regulate its own temperature. The temperature sensor monitors the probe's temperature and provides feedback to the temperature actuator, which automatically adjusts heating or cooling to maintain the predetermined temperature, eliminating the need for external temperature control systems.
3Measurement precision
If the probe temperature is actively controlled to a predetermined temperature, then thermal expansion effects are compensated, but additional energy is consumed by the temperature actuator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback control by using a temperature sensor to continuously monitor the probe's temperature and providing this information to the temperature actuator. The actuator adjusts its heating or cooling output based on the temperature feedback to maintain the probe at the predetermined temperature, thereby compensating for thermal expansion effects while optimizing energy consumption by only activating when temperature deviations occur.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces the impact of temperature variations on measurement accuracy, ensuring consistent and reliable results by maintaining the probe's temperature, thus preventing warm-up/cool-down delays and variations in measuring accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
due to thermal expansion effects, changes in the temperature of the operating environment in which the analogue probe is used can significantly degrade the accuracy of the analogue probe
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~5
AI summary
An analogue probe for use with a coordinate positioning machine. The analogue probe comprises a temperature actuator which can be modulated so as maintain the temperature of at least a part of the analogue probe at a substantially constant predetermined temperature.