Position-independent geometric error identification and global sensitivity analysis for the rotary axes of five-axis machine tools

Position-independent geometric errors (PIGEs) are the fundamental errors of a five-axis machine tool. In this paper, to identify ten PIGEs peculiar to the rotary axes of five-axis machine tools with a tilting head, the mathematic model of the ten PIGEs is deduced and four measuring patterns are proposed. The measuring patterns and identifying method are validated on a five-axis machine tool with a tilting head, and the ten PIGEs of the machine tool are obtained. The sensitivities of the four adjustable PIGEs of the machine tool in different measuring patterns are analyzed by the Morris global sensitivity analysis method and the modifying method, and the procedure of the four adjustable PIGEs of the machine tool is given accordingly. Experimental results show that after and before modifying the four adjustable PIGEs, the average compensate rate reached 52.7%. It is proved that the proposed measuring, identifying, analyzing and modifying method are effective for error measurement and precision improvement of the five-axis machine tool.