A method for the mechanical correction of geometric motion errors of a positioning machine having at least two machine frame components and at least one axis movement assembly for the relative movement of the machine frame components, the at least one axis movement assembly comprising a plurality of axis guide components, each axis guide component and each machine frame component having a mounting surface. A mounting surface correction profile is determined for the considered axis, whereas the mounting surface correction profile describes the correction amounts in function of the position for the mechanical correction of the considered axis. The determined mounting surface correction profile is imparted to the mounting surface of the axis guide component or to the mounting surface of the machine frame component of the considered axis by machining.

A non-Cartesian coordinate positioning machine is provided that comprises an extendable leg assembly for positioning a component such as a measurement probe within a working volume of the machine, and a constraint member associated with the extendable leg assembly for providing a predetermined part of the extendable leg assembly with substantially a same orientation relative to gravity for a same position of the component within the working volume. In a preferred embodiment, the orientation relative to gravity is maintained substantially constant, so that a plane defined by the predetermined part is substantially aligned with gravity, as the component is moved around the working volume.

A non-Cartesian coordinate positioning machine that includes an extendable leg assembly for positioning a component such as a measurement probe within a working volume of the machine. The extendable leg assembly includes a first member and a second member which move relative to one another when the extendable leg assembly changes length. The first member including an axial arrangement of magnets forming part of a linear motor for extending and retracting the extendable leg assembly, and at least one resilient member for absorbing at least some of any axial thermal expansion or contraction of the magnets in use.

There is provided a measuring device (dial gauge) capable of performing measurement with a desired measuring force regardless of the posture of the measuring device.

A dial gauge in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a measuring force adjustment unit provided to a body case and capable of moving and being positioned and fixed in a direction substantially parallel to a moving direction of a spindle.

A biasing means has one end directly or indirectly engaged with the spindle and the other end directly or indirectly engaged with the measuring force adjustment unit, and biases the spindle toward a tip end.

The measuring force adjustment unit includes an external thread portion and a connection supporting member having one end screwed with the external thread portion and the other end coupled to the biasing means. The connection supporting member is screw-fed by rotationally operating the external thread portion in such a manner that a position of the connection supporting member is changed and fixed.

Bidirectional measuring head (1) comprising: a stationary frame (12), a feeler (2), a kinematic motion assembly (13) which is supported by the stationary frame and carries the feeler to enable the feeler to move along two measuring directions (D1, D2) perpendicular to each other, and at least one position sensor (3a, 3b) that is mounted on the kinematic motion assembly and detects the position of the feeler along at least one measuring direction. The kinematic motion assembly has four columns, each of which runs perpendicular to the two measuring directions: a first column (14) is rigidly linked to the support frame, a second column (15) is adapted to translate along both measuring directions and supports the feeler, a third column (16) and a fourth column (7) each performs a displacement almost exclusively along one of the two measuring directions. The kinematic motion assembly may be a deformable mechanism. The kinematic motion assembly further comprises two balancing elements (60) each of which is hinged to the stationary frame so as to rotate around a rotation axis (33) perpendicular to the measuring directions and comprises one end which is mechanically constrained to the third column or the fourth column.

A coordinate measurement machine (CMM) includes a manually-positionable articulated arm having first and second ends. The articulated arm includes a plurality of arm segments and a plurality of rotary joints. The first end includes a connector configured to connect to a measurement probe. The second end includes a base for mounting the CMM. A housing of at least one rotary joint from the plurality of rotary joints has a cylindrical outer surface that engages a) the base or b) a connecting portion that connects the at least one rotary joint to another rotary joint from the plurality of rotary joints, the housing welded to the base or to the connecting portion.

A device for receiving an object for three-dimensional measurement includes at least one bearing point for bearing the object, the at least one bearing point being configured to limit the object movement in at least one degree of freedom of the object and the entirety of all used bearing points being configured to limit the object movement in exactly all degrees of freedom of the object.

A device for contactlessly determining the straightness of at least one long product, where punctiform or linear measuring radiation is moved by a radiation source module over the long product at least transversely to the longitudinal direction of the long product during a measuring cycle. The intensity of detection radiation coming from an area of incidence of the measuring radiation is recorded by a radiation detection module in a time-resolved manner and is supplied to a control and evaluation unit. The spatial position of the areas of incidence and thus the straightness of a long product can be determined from location information regarding the areas of incidence in the longitudinal direction and from characteristic intensity values of the detection radiation. For a calibration, a reference straightness can be determined by carrying out multiple measuring cycles by rotating a long product of unknown straightness.

A positioning apparatus, having first and second members relatively moveable in a substantially vertical degree of freedom. At least one energy conduit is mounted to at least one of the first and second members, which imparts a load on at least one of the members it is mounted to that varies dependent on the relative position of the first and second members. A compensatory member is configured to apply a load that varies, dependent on the relative position of the first and second members, inversely to the variation in load applied by the at least one energy conduit, so as to at least partially counteract the variation in load applied by the at least one energy conduit on said at least one of the members.

A system for providing state information for at least a part of a tool positioning machine embodied as manipulating machine or as coordinate measuring machine is provided. The system comprises the tool positioning machine defining a machine coordinate system and having a base and a machine structure. The structure comprises a tool head and structural components for linking the tool head to the base, at least one drive mechanism for providing movability of the machine structure relative to the base, a position determining system for deriving at least one coordinate of the machine structure in the machine coordinate system and a controlling unit adapted for controlling movement of the machine structure. The system comprises a calibration setup. A calibration component is mounted on the machine structure and defines a moveable reference point, another calibration component is arranged with defined spatial relation to the base and provides a nominal calibration position.