Measurement method and device for thread parameters

1. A method of measuring thread parameters for a threaded object, wherein a measurement device is provided incorporating one or more optical sensors adapted to retrieve the shape of the threaded object, having a nose and defining a first spatial reference system comprising first co-ordinate axes, the measurement device defining a second spatial reference system comprising second co-ordinate axes, providing a computer for storing a preset algorithm to calculate a first matrix that describes the quadratic form representing the threaded object in the second spatial reference system, thus providing the relationship between the first and second spatial reference systems, the method comprising the steps of:

predefining at least one trajectory of the one or more optical sensors on the threaded object along which one or more predefined measurement points are selected such that the matrix evaluated on these values has a maximum rank;

performing a first scanning operation by the one or more optical sensors along said at least one trajectory and retrieving data of the one or more predefined measurement points;

feeding the data to the preset algorithm and calculating an axes transformation matrix relating the first spatial reference system to the second spatial reference system for defining the relative position of the threaded object with respect to the second spatial reference system; and

using the axes transformation matrix to convert all data retrieved from the second spatial reference system to the first spatial reference system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first scanning operation by the one or more optical sensors along said at least one trajectory is used to retrieve data for measuring one or more predefined thread parameters.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more second scanning operations are provided to retrieve data for measuring one or more predefined parameters.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one trajectory comprises one or more longitudinal scans parallel to a Z axis of the second spatial reference system.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein one or more second scanning operations are performed along one or more helicoidal trajectories.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein during any of the first or second scanning operations the position of one or more thread flanks is retrieved.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a helicoidal thread lead trajectory passing along middle points of thread crests and/or roots is defined from the position of the one or more thread flanks.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein a scanning operation is performed along the helicoidal thread lead trajectory, the retrieved data being fit to a linear dependence.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a difference between the retrieved data and the linear dependence is obtained and a Fourier analysis is performed on said difference.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a difference between the retrieved data and the linear dependence is obtained and is evaluated at initial and final portions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a difference between the retrieved data and the linear dependence is obtained and is evaluated at one or more intermediate positions between the initial and final portions.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein an alignment of a non machined part of the threaded object with respect to a machined part is evaluated to find one or more relevant process parameters.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein a circular trajectory is defined along a metal-to-metal seal diameter in the first spatial reference system, and then transformed into the second spatial reference system to be executed by the measurement device.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein a helicoidal trajectory is defined along a metal-to-metal seal diameter in the first spatial reference system, and then transformed into the second spatial reference system to be executed by the measurement device.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal trajectory is defined along a run-in measuring point in the first spatial reference system, and then transformed into the second spatial reference system to be executed by the measurement device.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal trajectory is defined along a run-out measuring point in the first spatial reference system, and then transformed into the second spatial reference system to be executed by the measurement device.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one longitudinal trajectory intersecting several thread flanks is determined, the positions of those flanks being retrieved and their longitudinal position being plotted against their angular position, to obtain a linear fit.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one trajectory intersecting thread is determined, positions of intersecting points are retrieved, positions of crests and roots are defined and a first linear fit using data from two consecutive crests is made, a second linear fit using data on the root between said two consecutive crests being made and the distance between a first line and a second line respectively defined by the first and second linear fit coefficients being calculated at a predefined point.

19. A measurement device for measuring thread parameters of a threaded object defining a first spatial reference system comprising first co-ordinate axes, the measurement device comprising:

one or more computer controlled non-contact laser-based sensors;

a computer controlled precision mechanical moving system on which said one or more sensors is mounted, the mechanical moving system configured to guide the one or more sensors during one or more scanning operations according to one or more scanning patterns, the mechanical moving system defining a second spatial reference system comprising second co-ordinate axes;

a synchronizer configured to synchronize output signals of the one or more sensors with one or more spatial positions of the mechanical moving system, the synchronizer being configured to provide a relationship between the first and second spatial reference systems by calculating a first matrix that describes a quadratic form representing the threaded object in the second spatial reference system; and

a computer configured to control the one or more sensors in the one or more scanning operations to produce one or more computer images of a thread shape of a scanned object, to store the one or more images and to analyze the one or more computer images to obtain quantitative information about one or more thread characteristics.

20. The measurement device of claim 19 , wherein the thread characteristics comprise one or more of taper, seal diameter, ovality, run in, run out, thread diameter, pitch along multiple generatrices of a tube, and step height.