A machine-tool including a machining module equipped with a tool-holder and a work-holder, and an optical measuring device-for the three-dimensional measurement of the relative position between the tool-holder and the work-holder. The optical measuring device includes an optical system mounted on the work-holder and a target mounted on the tool-holder. The target includes a useful face forming a positioning reference that can be placed in the optical axis of the optical system.

A laser alignment system is affixed to a drilling machine M, the laser alignment system contains: a base, two first fixers, two lamp holders, two second fixers, two first resilient elements, two first adjustable screws, two second resilient elements, and two second adjustable screws. The base includes two symmetrical holding sections, two extensions, and two peripheral orifices. Each first fixer has a first arcuate portion, an accommodation hole, a first threaded hole, a limitation hole, a first protrusion and a second protrusion. Each lamp holder includes a peripheral knob, a first receiving orifice, a first rotation portion, a second rotation portion, and a swing portion. Each second fixer includes a second arcuate portion, a second receiving orifice, a first projection and a second projection.

This disclosure provides a machine tool adjustment method and system thereof. The machine tool adjustment method includes the following steps: enabling a machine tool to perform a circular test; obtaining a measured error value E.sub.m from a measuring instrument, and the measured error value E.sub.m is defined by the difference between the actual circular trajectory and the preset circular trajectory during the circular test; determining an error condition of the tool machine from the measured error value E.sub.m; determining whether the error condition is less than a predetermined criteria; if not, defining a compensation parameter according to the error condition and enabling the machine tool to perform another circular test according to the set compensation parameter until the error condition is less than the predetermined criteria; and if yes, ending the circular test and the machine tool adjustment is finished.

An apparatus to assist a machinist in the setup of a remote computer controlled machine tool table has an X-axis electronic gauge block assembly, a Y-axis electronic gauge block assembly, and a Z-axis electronic gauge block assembly each positioned on the machine tool table, to respectively collect X-axis probe position values, Y-axis probe position values, and Z-axis probe position values. Environmental sensors collect environmental values. An electronics processing system establishes a raw X-axis probe position, a raw Y-axis probe position, and a raw Z-axis probe position. A wireless interface transmits the environmental values, the raw X-axis probe position value, the raw Y-axis probe position value, and the raw Z-axis probe position value to the remote computer and receives from the remote computer refined probe position values to assist the machinist in the setup of the machine tool table.

The invention disclosed herein describes a supervised autonomy system designed to precisely model, inspect and process the surfaces of complex three-dimensional objects. The current application context for this system is laser coating removal of aircraft, but this invention is suitable for use in a wide variety of applications that require close, precise positioning and maneuvering of an inspection or processing tool over the entire surface of a physical object. For example, this system, in addition to laser coating removal, could also apply new coatings, perform fine-grained or gross inspection tasks, deliver and/or use manufacturing process tools or instruments, and/or verify the results of other manufacturing processes such as but not limited to welding, riveting, or the placement of various surface markings or fixtures.

An error identification method includes a tool sensor position acquisition stage, a reference block position acquisition stage, a relative position calculation stage, a reference tool position acquisition stage, a position measurement sensor measurement stage, a length compensation value calculation stage, a diameter compensation value acquisition stage, a position measurement stage, a position compensation stage, and a geometric error identification stage. The diameter compensation value acquisition stage acquires a radial direction compensation value of the position measurement sensor with the measured jig. The position measurement stage indexes the rotation axis to a plurality of any given angles and measures respective positions of the measured jig. The position compensation stage compensates the position measurement value at the position measurement stage using the length direction compensation value and the radial direction compensation value. The geometric error identification stage identifies the geometric error from the plurality of position measurement values.

The present disclosure includes a method for use on a machine tool system having a controller, three linear axes of motion and at least one rotary axis, for determining the orientation of the rotary axis relative to the linear axes, including mounting a sphere to a system component that rotates about the rotary axis, rotating the component to move the sphere to at least three positions about the rotary axis, measuring a center of the sphere at each of the positions by using the controller to move a probe mounted to a spindle of the system into contact with the sphere, computing, using the controller, a plane fitting the center measurements, and computing, using the controller, a vector normal to the plane passing through a center of rotation of an arc lying in the plane and fitting the center measurements, the vector corresponding to the orientation of the rotary axis.

A numerical control apparatus for controlling a tool attached to a column of a machine tool includes a compensation data setting unit that sets, as selection input, a linear drive axis combination of the column, a tilt direction of the column, and a perpendicularity error of the column, and a compensation amount calculation unit that generates a tool vector from a tool length as a distance in an axial direction from a tool attachment position to a tool tip end and a tool diameter as a distance in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction from the tool attachment position to the tool tip end to calculate a position compensation amount of the tool tip end as a machining point in an execution program from the linear drive axis combination of the column, the tilt direction of the column, and the perpendicularity error of the column set by the compensation data setting unit and the tool vector.

A method for the in-situ reconditioning of a heavy workpiece mounted on the floor. The method comprises assembling a jig mounted on the floor so as to be arranged around the workpiece to be reconditioned, that is also mounted on the floor, the jig supporting a gantry at the two ends of same, on which there is mounted a precision robotic arm carrying at least one machining apparatus. The method also comprises the alignment of the workpiece and the jig using a precision laser alignment tool in order to allow the jig, the gantry and the robotic arm to form a precision machining apparatus. The method also comprises the reconditioning of the workpiece using the precision machining apparatus.

Disclosed is a method for determining location of a lens machining tool (24) having an offset location according to a first direction (Y) smaller than a first predetermined threshold, including the steps of manufacturing a calibration piece (10) according to a predetermined theoretical geometry by using the lens machining tool for providing a at least partially annular groove in a main surface of the calibration piece, the at least partially annular groove being configured to form at least one sharp edge defining a slope discontinuity on the main surface; measuring a distance between the at least one sharp edge and a turning center of the calibration piece for providing data of geometrical characteristics of the calibration piece; and deducing from the measured data a location of the lens machining tool according to a second direction (X) distinct from the first direction.