Coordinate measuring machine and method for controlling a coordinate measuring machine

A coordinate measuring machine for determining at least one of dimensional or geometric properties of a measurement object, the coordinate measuring machine comprising:

• a machine controller;
• a measurement object receptacle;
• a measurement element defining a reference point and being movable relative to the measurement object receptacle along a plurality of movement axes, wherein the plurality of movement axes include a plurality of linear axes and at least one axis of rotation;
• and
• an operating terminal,
• wherein the machine controller is configured to move the measurement element as a function of control data along the plurality of movement axes in order to record measurement values at the measurement object,
• wherein the operating terminal comprises
• an interface for receiving a plurality of desired positions of the reference point at the measurement object;
• a memory configured to store a plurality of parameters defining limit values for at least one of permissible velocities or permissible accelerations of the measurement element along the plurality of movement axes;
• and
• a processor, and
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• determine a plurality of axial position series as a function of the desired positions of the reference point and as a function of the plurality of parameters, wherein each axial position series from the plurality of axial position series defines an individual series of target positions of the measurement element along one respective linear axis from the plurality of linear axes;
• determine a plurality of successive rotation angle values as a function of the desired positions of the reference point and as a function of the plurality of parameters, wherein each rotation angle value from the plurality of successive rotation angle values represents a rotation angle of the measurement element about the at least one axis of rotation at the respective target positions of the measurement element along the plurality of linear axes;
• determine a plurality of individual temporal sequences of target positions for each linear axis from the plurality of linear axes, wherein the plurality of individual temporal sequences of target positions each have individual time intervals between successive ones of the individual target positions;
• determine a respective temporal sequence of successive rotation angle values for the at least one axis of rotation, wherein the respective temporal sequence of successive rotation angle values have individual time intervals between successive rotation angle values;
• synchronize the plurality of individual temporal sequences of target positions and the respective temporal sequence of successive rotation angle values onto a common timing cycle by using a respective longest individual time interval among the plurality of individual time intervals for each respective target position and each respective rotation angle value;
• and
• determine the control data as a function of the plurality of individual temporal sequences of target positions and the respective temporal sequence of successive rotation angle values synchronized onto the common timing cycle.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium storing program code that is configured to carry out a method for controlling a coordinate measuring machine including a machine controller, a measurement object receptacle and a measurement element, wherein the measurement element defines a reference point and is movable within a measurement volume relative to the measurement object receptacle along a plurality of movement axes, and wherein the plurality of movement axes include a plurality of linear axes and at least one axis of rotation, the method comprising:

• obtaining a plurality of desired positions of the reference point within the measurement volume;
• obtaining a plurality of parameters defining limit values for at least one of permissible velocities or permissible accelerations of the measurement element along the plurality of movement axes;
• determining a plurality of axial position series as a function of the desired positions of the reference point and as a function of the plurality of parameters, with each axial position series from the plurality of axial position series defining an individual series of target positions of the measurement element along one respective linear axis from the plurality of linear axes;
• determining a plurality of successive rotation angle values as a function of the desired positions of the reference point and as a function of the plurality of parameters, with each rotation angle value from the plurality of successive rotation angle values representing a rotation angle of the measurement element about the at least one axis of rotation at the respective target positions of the measurement element along the plurality of linear axes;
• determining a plurality of individual temporal sequences of target positions for each linear axis from the plurality of linear axes, wherein the plurality of individual temporal sequences of target positions each have individual time intervals between successive ones of the individual target positions;
• determining a respective temporal sequence of successive rotation angle values for the at least one axis of rotation, the respective temporal sequence of successive rotation angle values having individual time intervals between successive rotation angle values;
• synchronizing the plurality of individual temporal sequences of target positions and the respective temporal sequence of successive rotation angle values onto a common timing cycle by using a respective longest individual time interval among the plurality of individual time intervals for each respective target position and each respective rotation angle value;
• and
• moving the measurement element to the respectively successive target positions and rotating the measurement element using the plurality of rotation angle values in accordance with the common timing cycle.