roughness measurement with the help of a robot

MiniProfiler am kollaborierenden Roboter

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The measurement of the surface roughness of functional surfaces is traditionally done using conventional measurement stations, featuring a granite base plate, column, drive unit, pick up, electronics. Normally the workpiece is transported to the measurement station, measurements in the production environment are done by automated but still conventional measurement stations. Since their components are not flexible but rigid the workpiece, e.g. an engine block, needs to be translated and rotated uncomfortably in order to reach at least the most important measuring locations. Some of the measurement locations may not be accessible since the workpiece would be required to be spacially manipulated in a not doable manner. If these problems are solved somewhat satisfactorily then the user owns a workpiece-specific measurement station which may be highly vibration sensitive due to it’s size since the measurement loop is more likely than not very large. If the workpiece design is changed the measurement station may be obsolete. This unflexible, costly, awkward procedure stemming from the last century cries for a better solution.

At the first glance the roughness measurement employing a robot seems not trivial; it is difficult to understand how a robot arm to which the pickup is mounted can stand still in space within micrometers. Where to place the drive unit? What about the LVDT signals?

We go the following path: as the roughness pickup we use our MiniProfiler, a matchbox sized instrument having a built-in drive unit and measurement system. It is controlled by a USB or Bluetooth interface. With the help of a changable adapter piece the pickup is attached to the robot arm and rest in the magazine while not in use. For different measurement locations there are pickups with workpiece specific adapters. These fit precisely to the workpiece shape at the measurement position. The robot presses the pickup against the workpiece during the roughness measurement. The measurement loop is small, vibration influences are minimised.

Everything evident? If not, the movie hopefully explains the rest.

The benefits are obvious: unsurpassed flexible measurement system, workpiece alterations can be met immediately by software changes, fast, simple, easy to understand measurement run, simple measurement device consisting of a robot, mini pickup, software. Perfectly suited for the production environment.

 

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