Automated noncontact sensor positioning
A multi-axis system ( 30 ) for positioning a workpiece measuring sensor ( 54 ) on a metrology machine. Preferably, each sensor is positionable via a system comprising movement along and/or about at least linear directions/axes (X, Z, A, B) so as to control linear and/or rotational movement of a sensor automatically to a predetermined position without operator intervention. The multi-axis positioning system allows faster setup times when a workpiece or tooling on a machine is changed.
1. A multi-directional positioning system for positioning a
workpiece measuring and/or inspection non-contact sensor on a machine,
said sensor being positionable via an automatic system comprising movement in at least one linear direction and at least one rotary direction so as to control linear and/or rotational movement of said sensor automatically to a predetermined position without operator intervention,
said positioning system comprising a column having a first slide positioned on said column, said first slide being movable along said column in a first linear direction Z,
said column being attached to a rotary base enabling rotary movement, RA, of said column about an axis A, with said axis A being parallel to said first linear direction Z,
said sensor being attached to said first slide and being rotatable, RB, on said first slide about an axis B which extends perpendicular to and intersects said axis A,
said rotary base being movable in a second linear direction X, said direction X and said direction Z being perpendicular to one another.
2. The multi-directional positioning system of claim 1 wherein the workpiece comprises a toothed article.
3. The multi-directional positioning system of claim 1 further including a workpiece spindle.
4. The multi-directional positioning system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said positioning system is located on a gear manufacturing, measuring and/or inspecting machine.
5. The multi-directional positioning system of claim 4 wherein said at least one of said positioning system is located on a measuring and/or inspecting machine comprising a functional testing platform.
6. The multi-directional positioning system of claim 5 wherein the functional testing platform comprises a master gear and a workpiece positioned thereon wherein the master gear and the workpiece are movable in the X direction.
7. The multi-directional positioning system of claim 5 wherein the functional testing platform is one machine of a plurality of machines defining a gear manufacturing cell.
8. The multi-directional positioning system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said positioning system is located between two functional testing platforms arranged end-to-end.
9. A gear metrology machine comprising the multi-directional positioning system of claim 1 .
10. A method of measuring and/or inspecting a toothed article with at least one non-contact sensor wherein the at least one sensor and the toothed article are positioned relative to one another prior to measuring and/or inspecting wherein the method comprises:
positioning said at least one sensor via an automatic system comprising the multi-directional positioning system of claim 1 ,
measuring and/or inspecting at least one surface of said toothed article.
11. The method of claim 10 further including:
moving said at least one sensor relative to the toothed article during the measuring and/or inspecting comprising moving the at least one sensor in at least one linear direction and at least one rotary direction in order to reposition the sensor, either continually, incrementally and/or intermittently, during the measuring and/or inspecting whereby a greater surface portion of the toothed article in a profile direction and/or in a lead direction may be measured and/or inspected.