Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Performance assessment of a new variable stiffness probing system for micro-CMMs

Alblahaihid, Khalid; Kinnell, Peter; Lawes, Simon; Desgaches, Dorian; Leach, Richard K.

Performance assessment of a new variable stiffness probing system for micro-CMMs Thumbnail


Authors

Khalid Alblahaihid

Peter Kinnell

Dorian Desgaches

Richard K. Leach



Abstract

When designing micro-scale tactile probes, a design trade-off must be made between the stiffness and flexibility of the probing element. The probe must be flexible enough to ensure sensitive parts are not damaged during contact, but it must be stiff enough to overcome attractive surface forces, ensure it is not excessively fragile, easily damaged or sensitive to inertial loads. To address the need for a probing element that is both flexible and stiff, a novel micro-scale tactile probe has been designed and tested that makes use of an active suspension structure. The suspension structure is used to modulate the probe stiffness as required to ensure optimal stiffness conditions for each phase of the measurement process. In this paper, a novel control system is presented that monitors and controls stiffness, allowing two probe stiffness values (“stiff” and “flexible”) to be defined and switched between. During switching, the stylus tip undergoes a displacement of approximately 18 _m, however, the control system is able ensure a consistent flexible mode tip deflection to within 12 nm in the vertical axis. The overall uncertainty for three-dimensional displacement measurements using the probing system is estimated to be 58 nm, which demonstrates the potential of this innovative variable stiffness micro-scale probe system.

Citation

Alblahaihid, K., Kinnell, P., Lawes, S., Desgaches, D., & Leach, R. K. (2016). Performance assessment of a new variable stiffness probing system for micro-CMMs. Sensors, 16(4), Article 492. https://doi.org/10.3390/s16040492

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 4, 2016
Publication Date Apr 8, 2016
Deposit Date Apr 13, 2016
Publicly Available Date Apr 13, 2016
Journal Sensors
Electronic ISSN 1424-8220
Publisher MDPI
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 16
Issue 4
Article Number 492
DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/s16040492
Keywords Probe sensor, Stiffness modulation, Micro-CMM
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/785827
Publisher URL http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/4/492
Contract Date Apr 13, 2016

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations