Embedded arm strain sensors

Abstract

A portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) can include a manually positionable articulated arm portion, a measurement device attached to the first end, a structural component of the AACMM, wherein the structural component has an axial direction, at least three strain gage sensors, each having a sensitive axis, coupled to the structural component, wherein the sensitive axis of each strain gage sensor is oriented approximately parallel to the axial direction, each strain gage sensor is approximately intersected by a transverse plane perpendicular to the axial direction, each strain gage sensor produces an analog strain gage signal, and the strain gage sensors are disposed to provide data sufficient to determine a bending strain at any point residing on both the structural component and the transverse plane and an electronic circuit that receives the position signal and provides data corresponding to a position of the measurement device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 61 / 296,555 filed Jan. 20, 2010, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]The present disclosure relates to a coordinate measuring machine, and more particularly to a portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine having strain gage sensors configured to measure strain in structural components of the portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine.[0003]Portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machines (AACMMs) have found widespread use in the manufacturing or production of parts where there is a need to rapidly and accurately verify the dimensions of the part during various stages of the manufacturing or production (e.g., machining) of the part. Portable AACMMs represent a vast improvement over known stationary or fixed, cost-intensive and relatively difficult to use measurement installations, particu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]Further exemplary embodiments include a method for measuring strain in an articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) including providing a manually positionable articulated arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each attached to at least one bearing cartridge, the plurality of connected arm segments including an arm segment adjacent to the first end, each arm segment including at least one position transducer that produces a position signal; a measurement device attached to the first end; a structural component of the articulated arm coordinate measurement machine, wherein the structural component has an axial direction; at least a first strain gage sensor disposed on the structural component, each strain gage sensor producing an analog strain gage signal, converting a combination of the analog strain gage signals into at least one digital strain gage signal, sending the at least one digital strain gage signal through at least one of the at least one bearing cartridges to an electronic circuit that receives the position signal and the at least one digital strain gage signal, providing and storing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device and storing the at least one digital strain gage signal.

Problems solved by technology

Portable AACMMs represent a vast improvement over known stationary or fixed, cost-intensive and relatively difficult to use measurement installations, particularly in the amount of time it takes to perform dimensional measurements of relatively complex parts.

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