Design And Development Of The Flexible Coordinate Measuring Machine

The traditional perpendicular coordinate measuring machines (CMM) enjoy the reputation of "measuring center" for its mature technology and strong versatility. With the development of the technology and especially with the mature technology of the coordinate measuring and the requirement of measuring in the huge project, non-perpendicular coordinate measuring machine has been attracted more and more attention and also has wide application.This paper studies a non-perpendicular coordinate measuring system—a 6 degree of freedom flexible coordinate measuring machine, which has the advantages of the simpleness of structure, little volume, not heavy, large measuring range, high flexibility. It can be used in the local station and also can be used to settle some problems which the traditional perpendicular coordinate measuring machines can't deal with, such as measuring the large or heavy projects, for example: the mold, large machines or the airplanes. The main specifications of the flexible coordinate measuring machine designed in this paper include the measuring range is no less than 2.4 meters, the accuracy of measuring distance in the space is no less than±0.10mm and the whole weight of the measuring system is less than 5kg. Firstly, the scheme of the whole system and all the parts are introduced. Then, D-H method is put forwards based on the self-designed flexible coordinate measuring machine and the measuring model is carried out using the D-H method. Its measuring equation is given.Thirdly, the structure design is explained particularly including the design of the every part, the choosing of the key components. Then, the sources of the errors in the whole system are analysed and the system errors of the encoders in the six joints are gained through experiments. In the end, the self-designed flexible coordinate measuring machine meets the expected specifications after the calibration of the whole system errors is done.