Geometric error measurement and compensation for the rotary table of five-axis machine tool with double ballbar

This paper proposes a novel measuring method for geometric error identification of the rotary table on five-axis machine tools by using double ballbar (DBB) as the measuring instrument. This measuring method greatly simplifies the measurement setup, for only a DBB system and a height-adjustable fixture are needed to evaluate simultaneously five errors including one axial error, two radial errors, and two tilt errors caused by the rotary table. Two DBB-measuring paths are designed in different horizontal planes so as to decouple the linear and angular errors. The theoretical measuring patterns caused by different errors are simulated on the basis of the error model. Finally, the proposed method is applied to a vertical five-axis machining center for error measurement and compensation. The experimental results show that this measuring method is quite convenient and effective to identify geometric errors caused by the rotary table on five-axis machine tools.