The Development of 5-axis Articulated Arm-Coordinate Measuring Machine

Abstract

This research presents the design and development of the Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) which consists of the 5 revolute joints and a spherical contact probe system. Including a signal processing - programming for computing the contact points onto a work piece in the Cartesian coordinate system. This approach used for solving the systematic errors problem of a non-directional-surface contact probe. The development probe system can be increasing the performance and precision to enumerate the contact point positions. The component of this CMM consists of 4 miniature contact switches which arranged onto perpendicularly 4 directions and on the same plane. The CMM operational principle will receive the analog signal 0-5 V. from the 5 potentiometers which each sensor has a relationship with the orientation angle of each joint. In part of the digital signal with the logic of 0, 1 from those contact switches can be detecting the 8 contact directions onto that plane. Then, collection all signal to be computed by Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) parameters approach. These D-H equations have been proven by Mathematica commercial software. Moreover, they also proven by MSC.ADAMS the virtual motion simulation software. After that, using those correctly equations and developing with the appropriated algorithms by LabVIEW programming and processing the acquired signal from CMM. From the experimental results and calibration of this CMM with the steel-box cube of 50x50x50 mm, the average of true percent errors about 5% for every axis of the Cartesian coordinate system.