Touch-Trigger Probe Error Compensation in a Machining Center

Kinematic contact trigger probes are widely used for feature inspection and measurement on coordinate measurement machines (CMMs) and computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine tools. Recently, the probing accuracy has become one of the most important factors in the improvement of product quality, as the accuracy of such machining centers and measuring machines is increasing. Although high-accuracy probes using strain gauge can achieve this requirement, in this paper we study the universal economic kinematic contact probe to prove its probing mechanism and errors, and to try to make the best use of its performance. Stylus-ball-radius and center-alignment errors are proved, and the probing error mechanism on the 3D measuring coordinate is analyzed using numerical expressions. Macro algorithms are developed for the compensation of these errors, and actual tests and verifications are performed with a kinematic contact trigger probe and reference sphere on a CNC machine tool.