Touch Probe Calibration on Gear Tooth Flanks Without Measuring Blocks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Gear cutting machines face imprecision in probe calibration due to external influences like temperature fluctuations, leading to position errors that existing methods struggle to accurately compensate for, especially when using external measuring blocks is impractical or impossible.
Innovation Solution
A method that calibrates the probe directly on a workpiece by moving it relative to the workpiece holder over two axes, rotating the workpiece to maintain contact with the tooth flank, and determining deflection deviations to calculate correction values, eliminating the need for external reference objects and allowing comprehensive calibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a measuring block is used for calibration, then the probe position can be determined, but the process requires manual intervention and additional setup time
Solution Approach 1:
The gear wheel itself serves as the measurement object for calibration, eliminating the need for separate measuring blocks. The system automatically determines probe position by measuring tooth flanks directly on the workpiece, making the calibration process self-contained and eliminating manual setup steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The workpiece serves dual purposes: it is both the object to be manufactured and the reference object for calibration. By using the gear wheel's own tooth flanks as the measurement surface, the system eliminates the need for separate calibration artifacts, making the process universally applicable to any gear wheel production.
2Measurement precision
If a measuring block is used for calibration, then probe position can be checked, but the method cannot be applied when traverse paths are insufficient to reach the measuring block
Solution Approach 1:
The gear wheel serves as its own calibration reference, eliminating the need for external measuring blocks that require sufficient traverse paths. By measuring features that are inherently part of the workpiece (tooth flanks), the system becomes adaptable to machines with limited traverse capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The tooth flanks of the gear wheel act as an intermediary measurement surface that is always accessible within the machine's working envelope. This intermediary reference allows probe position determination without requiring the probe to reach external measuring blocks that may be out of reach.
3Measurement precision
If the probe is moved tangentially to the base circle for calibration, then profile angles can be measured, but the method is complex and requires precise tangential positioning
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the probe tangentially to the base circle as in conventional methods, the patent rotates the gear wheel and moves the probe in non-tangential directions (radially and axially). This inverted approach simplifies the measurement geometry and eliminates the need for precise tangential positioning while still enabling accurate probe calibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces axial movement of the probe in addition to radial movement, adding a third dimension to the calibration process. By measuring tooth flanks at different axial positions and combining this with radial measurements, the system achieves accurate probe positioning without requiring complex tangential motion control.
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 method provides a simpler, fully automatic calibration process that effectively corrects position errors in both directions, ensuring precise probe alignment without external measuring blocks, suitable for various types of tooth profiles and gear cutting machines.
Implementation Method 1
the deflection of the probe tip relative to the probe base and/or the achievement of a deflection of the probe tip relative to the probe base can be determined via at least one sensor of the probe
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The present application discloses a method for calibrating a measuring probe in a gear cutting machine using a workpiece held in a workpiece fixture of the gear cutting machine. The measuring probe has a probe tip that is movably arranged on a probe base. The deflection of the probe tip relative to the probe base can be determined via at least one sensor of the probe, and the measuring probe is movable relative to the workpiece fixture via at least two axes of motion of the gear cutting machine. The method comprises rotating the workpiece about a rotational axis of the workpiece fixture and moving the measuring probe about the at least two axes of motion of the gear cutting machine such that the point of contact of the probe tip on the tooth flank would remain unchanged with perfect calibration.