Global Quantitative Sensitivity Analysis and Compensation of Geometric Errors of CNC Machine Tool

A quantitative analysis to identify the key geometric error elements and their coupling is the prerequisite and foundation for improving the precision of machine tools. The purpose of this paper is to identify key geometric error elements and compensate for geometric errors accordingly. The geometric error model of three-axis machine tool is built on the basis of multibody system theory; and the quantitative global sensitivity analysis (GSA) model of geometric error elements is constructed by using extended Fourier amplitude sensitivity test method. The crucial geometric errors are identified; and stochastic characteristics of geometric errors are taken into consideration in the formulation of building up the compensation strategy. The validity of geometric error compensation based on sensitivity analysis is verified on a high-precision three-axis machine tool with open CNC system. The experimental results show that the average compensation rates along the X, Y, and Z directions are 59.8%, 65.5%, and 73.5%, respectively. The methods of sensitivity analysis and geometric errors compensation presented in this paper are suitable for identifying the key geometric errors and improving the precision of CNC machine tools effectively.