Camera-Guided Coordinate Measuring for Safe High-Speed Probing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coordinate measuring machines face challenges in efficiently guiding a probe head to target points on complex workpieces without risking damage to the probe head or the workpiece, particularly in fully automated systems, due to the need for precise control of movement speed to avoid impact.
Innovation Solution
A coordinate measuring machine equipped with a camera that captures images of the workpiece, allowing for image processing to derive surface data and control the probe head's movement path, enabling precise and automated alignment and measurement without manual intervention, and featuring a modular tool-exchange unit for adaptable sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the probe head moves at high speed to quickly determine coordinate data, then productivity is improved, but the risk of damage to the probe head or workpiece increases due to strong impact
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning at high speed to locate the workpiece and determine its position and orientation before the precise measurement phase. This preliminary action allows the probe head to approach from a known safe distance and trajectory, enabling subsequent high-speed movement without impact risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based positioning with optical scanning using a camera system. The camera captures images of the workpiece and surrounding area, allowing the controller to calculate precise positions and movement trajectories without physical contact, thereby eliminating impact damage while maintaining high speed.
2Measurement precision
If the probe head is guided manually to target points, then measurement precision is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome guidance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-positioning and self-guidance by automatically recognizing the workpiece geometry from camera images and calculating the optimal measurement paths. The controller autonomously guides the probe head to target points based on processed image data, eliminating the need for manual guidance while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system continuously provides visual feedback about the workpiece position and orientation. The controller processes this feedback information to dynamically adjust the probe head's movement trajectory, ensuring accurate positioning at target points without requiring manual intervention.
3Reliability
If the movement speed is reduced to prevent impact, then reliability is improved by preventing damage, but productivity deteriorates due to slow measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary high-speed scanning to map the workpiece location and surrounding environment before precise measurement. This preliminary action establishes safe operation boundaries and trajectories, allowing subsequent measurements to proceed at high speed without risk of impact, thus maintaining both reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical contact sensing with optical field-based camera sensing. This substitution allows the system to detect workpiece position and orientation without physical contact, enabling high-speed probe head movement while maintaining reliability through optical feedback control.
Data Source
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AI summary
A coordinate measuring machine (1,2) for determining at least one spatial coordinate of a measurement point of an object (15) to be measured, comprising a measuring volume representing a particular volume as to a design of the coordinate measuring machine (1,2), inside which at least one spatial coordinate of the measurement point is determinable, characterised by a first camera (50-52), wherein the camera (50-52) is adapted to be directed to the measuring volume for providing at least a first image of at least a first part of the measuring volume, and a controller, adapted to control a drive mechanism on the basis of image data derived from the at least first image and adapted for execution of a measuring mode for precisely determining the at least one spatial coordinate of the object to be measured, on execution of which a probe head (13) is guided relatively to the object (15) on a predefined measurement path and the at least one spatial coordinate of the measurement point of the object is derived from a measurement to the measurement point, and an object-determination functionality, on execution of which surface data related to a surface of a body inside the measuring volume is derived from at least the first image by image processing as the image data and controlling information is derived depending on the surface data for controlling the guidance of the probe head (13), wherein the object-determination functionality is executed in advance of the measuring mode and the controlling information is provided for execution of the measuring mode.