Method for calibrating a coordinate measuring machine and the like and system therefor

Patent 4819195 Issued on April 4, 1989. Estimated Expiration Date:

January 20, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Assignee

The Warner & Swasey Company

Application

No. 07/004434 filed on 01/20/1987

US Classes:

702/95, Coordinate positioning318/632, With compensating features33/503, Coordinate movable probe or machine33/505, Having program control or an analogue to digital device33/556, Having a movable contact probe700/193Positional compensation or modification compensation or mod

Examiners

Primary: Lall, Parshotam S.
Assistant: Dixon, Joseph L.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

International Classes

G01B 21/02 (20060101)
G01B 21/04 (20060101)
G01B 7/008 (20060101)

Abstract

Method (FIGS. 4A through 4C) and system (FIG. 3) are disclosed for automatically calibrating a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) (10). The system guides an operator through instrument set-up and data collection procedures. The system automatically converts the collected data into error compensation or axis correction data which represents 21 different geometry errors (i.e. pitch, yaw, roll etc.) of the CMM (10). The error compensation data is then transferred to a CMM measurement processor (36) for subsequent use by the CMM (10) during operation thereof to thereby compensate the CMM (10) for its entire measuring volume (102).