A strategy for identifying static deviations in universal spindle head type multi-axis machining centers

This research was conducted in order to investigate the effectiveness of the checking method specified in ISO 10791-6 and to propose an additional method for identifying the geometric deviations inherent to five-axis machining centers with a universal spindle head. The specified method is not sufficient for assessing the influence of individual geometric deviations. Therefore, additional measurements are needed in order to use this checking method effectively. The spherical motion in the additional measurements is a modified version of the ISO standard. Some of the deviations are presumed based on the result of the additional measurements, and so the method of identifying the remainder of the geometric deviations was designed by analyzing the link geometry of the machine. The identification procedure consists of three steps. In the first and second steps, after performing two measurements, six out of ten deviations are identified by means of an observation equation. In the third step, four of the ten deviations are identified by means of the link geometry. The exactness of the proposed procedure for identifying the deviations inherent to the five-axis machine is confirmed through simulations. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.