Checking the dimensional accuracy of a workpiece with a switching touch probe
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsPatrick Kunze, Kathrin Kunis, Philipp Lorenz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a method for checking a contour of a workpiece, a tactile switching touch probe with a shaped probe element is clamped in a machine tool and connected to a control facility. The touch probe is guided, preferably multiple times, with a different distance or different deflection of the touch probe, along a nominal contour of the workpiece. It is checked whether the touch probe generates a switching signal or loses a switching signal, indicating to a contour deviation. A machine tool and a simulation tool constructed as a digital twin are also disclosed. This enables a fast, simple and cost-effective check of the dimensional accuracy of workpieces machined or produced in the machine tool.
Claims19
A method for checking a contour of a workpiece, the method comprising:
- clamping into a machine tool a switching touch probe having a shaped probe element at an end facing the workpiece;
- positioning the shaped probe element relative to the workpiece by at least one position-controlled axis of the machine tool;
- storing in a control facility connected to the machine tool data relating to a nominal contour of the workpiece for at least one area of a surface of the workpiece, a first distance value characteristic of a distance between the shaped probe element and the nominal contour, as well as a first deflection value characteristic of a deflection of the touch probe upon contact with the surface of the workpiece;
- the control facility establishing, from the data relating to the nominal contour, the distance value and the deflection value, as a movement path of the shaped probe element a first distance path and a first deflection path;
- selecting the first distance path as the movement path and moving the shaped probe element along the first distance path;
- and
- determining with the control facility a violation of the nominal contour and generating a switching signal when the shaped probe element, upon moving along the first distance path, contacts the workpiece at least at one point along the first distance path;
- and/or
- selecting the first deflection path as the movement path and moving the shaped probe element along the first deflection path;
- and
- determining with the control facility a violation of the nominal contour and not generating the switching signal when the shaped probe element, upon moving along the first deflection path, fails to contact the workpiece.
A machine tool system configured to check a contour of a workpiece, the machine tool system comprising
- a machine tool configured to machine the workpiece;
- a switching touch probe comprising a shaped probe element clamped in a tool receptacle of the machine tool at an end facing the workpiece, with the shaped probe element to be positionable relative to the workpiece by at least one position-controlled axis of the machine tool;
- and
- a control facility connected to the machine tool and configured to
- store data relating to a nominal contour of the workpiece for at least one area of a surface of the workpiece, a first distance value characteristic of a distance between the shaped probe element and the nominal contour, as well as a first deflection value characteristic of a deflection of the touch probe upon contact with the surface of the workpiece;
- establish, from the data relating to the nominal contour, the distance value and the deflection value, as a movement path of the shaped probe element a first distance path and a first deflection path,
- select the first distance path as the movement path and moving the shaped probe element along the first distance path;
- and
- determine a violation of the nominal contour and generating a switching signal when the shaped probe element, upon moving along the first distance path, contacts the workpiece at least at one point along the first distance path;
- and/or
- select the first deflection path as the movement path and moving the shaped probe element along the first deflection path;
- and
- determine a violation of the nominal contour and not generating the switching signal when the shaped probe element, upon moving along the first deflection path, fails to contact the workpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.