Automated calibration of a production machine

1 . A production machine system, comprising:

a production machine comprising multiple axes and multiple position-controlled drives connecting machine elements, with the drives and the machine elements forming a kinematic chain;

a control facility storing a model of the machine elements, said model comprising a model parameter of the machine elements,

the control facility configured to

before calibration, move the multiple axes to predetermined positions which assures that no collisions between machine elements occur,

set for each of the axes a respective range for a maximum excursion,

move a first machine element connected between a first axis and a second axis within the respective range defined for the first axis and record an actual movement of the second axis of the first machine element with a tracking interferometer, said actual movement of the second axis of the first machine element performing a circular arc around the first axis,

correct the model parameter for the first machine element based on a comparison of the model of the production machine stored in the control facility with the actual movement of the second axis of the first machine element,

move a further machine element connected downstream of the second axis between the second axis and a further axis within the respective range defined for the second axis and record an actual movement of the further axis of the further machine element with the tracking interferometer, said actual movement of the further axis of the further machine element performing a circular arc around the second axis,

correct the model parameter for the further machine element based on a comparison of the model of the production machine stored in the control facility with the actual movement of the further axis of the further machine element,

repeat moving, recording and correcting for each additional further downstream-connected machine element successively along the kinematic chain until all axes involved in a movement of an end effector have been calibrated.

2 . The production machine system of claim 1 , wherein the production machine further comprises a base axis that is a linear axis, and the control facility is further configured to:

prior to moving the first machine element, move a base machine element along the base axis within the respective range defined for the base axis, and record an actual movement of the first axis of the base machine element with the tracking interferometer, said actual movement of the first axis of the base machine element performing a linear movement along the base axis, and

correct the model parameter for the base machine element based on a comparison of the model of the production machine stored in the control facility with the actual movement of the first axis of the base machine element.

3 . The production machine system of claim 1 , wherein the drives are respectively moved over at least a substantial part of a maximum travel range for each respective drive.

4 . The production machine system of claim 1 , wherein an actual movement of a still further axis of a still further machine element is a movement of the and effector or a tool holder of the production machine.

5 . The production machine system of claim 1 , wherein the production machine is configured as a machine tool or robot.

6 . The control facility for the production machine system set forth in claim 1 .

7 . A method for calibrating a production machine with multiple axes and multiple position-controlled drives connecting machine elements, the method executed by a control facility of a production machine system and comprising:

before calibration, moving the multiple axes to predetermined positions which assures that no collisions between machine elements occur,

setting for each of the axes a respective range for a maximum excursion,

moving a first machine element connected between a first axis and a second axis within the respective range defined for the first axis and recording an actual movement of the second axis of the first machine element with a tracking interferometer, said actual movement of the second axis of the first machine element performing a circular arc around the first axis,

correcting a model parameter for the first machine element based on a comparison of a model of the production machine stored in the control facility with the actual movement of the second axis of the first machine element,

moving a further machine element connected downstream of the second axis between the second axis and a further axis within the respective range defined for the second axis and recording an actual movement of the further axis of the further machine element with the tracking interferometer, said actual movement of the further axis of the further machine element performing a circular arc around the second axis,

correcting a model parameter for the further machine element based on a comparison of the model of the production machine stored in the control facility with the actual movement of the further axis of the further machine element,

repeating the moving, recording and correcting for each additional further downstream-connected machine element successively along a kinematic chain until all axes involved in a movement of an end effector have been calibrated.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the model of the production machine describes an ideal circular path of the first machine element and the further machine element around the respective first and second axis.

9 . A calibration software loaded into the control facility for controlling the production machine of the production machine system and stored on a non-transitory storage medium having instructions that, when executed by the control facility perform the method as set forth in claim 7 .