An improved method is described for measuring a dimension (e.g. diameter) of a non-toothed tool, for example a grinding tool such as a diamond coated burr. The method may be implemented on a machine tool, such as a lathe, machining centre or the like. The method comprises passing a beam of light from a transmitter to a receiver. The receiver produces a received intensity signal related to the intensity of received light. Analysis of variations in the received intensity signal is performed when a rotating tool is moved relative to the light beam to enable a dimension of the tool to be measured. In particular, it may be determined when the received intensity signal has crossed a threshold for at least a defined duration, the defined duration being less than the time taken for one complete rotation of the tool.

A method for assessing the profile of a tool using a non-contact tool setting apparatus that includes a transmitter for emitting a light beam and a receiver for receiving the beam. The receiver generates a beam intensity signal describing the intensity of received light. The setting apparatus is mounted to a coordinate positioning apparatus that allows the tool to be moved relative to the setting apparatus. The method includes using the coordinate positioning apparatus to move the tool relative to the setting apparatus along a tool inspection path, the tool inspection path being selected so that the light beam is traced substantially along a periphery of the tool to be inspected. Beam intensity data is collected describing the beam intensity signal that is generated by the receiver as the tool inspection path is traversed and analysis of the collected beam intensity data is used to assess the tool profile.

An apparatus for checking mechanical parts such as tools on machine tools employs optical devices for emitting and receiving a light beam, for example a laser beam, along a checking direction, and sensors for detecting variations in the features of such a light beam. A protection device (15) for at least one of the optical devices comprises a support element (21,22) with an inner seat (20), communication conduits (18,26,34) aligned along the checking direction and a shutter (44) movable, in the internal seat, from a rest position to an operative position of the apparatus. The shutter comprises a transversal through hole (60) which is arranged along the checking direction in the operative position, aligned with the communication conduits to allow the light beam to pass through. A movable closure element (55), for example a small sphere or ball, is arranged in a transversal hollow (54) of the shutter and is pushed by a spring towards the outside of the transversal hollow. In the rest position of the apparatus, the transversal hollow is arranged along the checking direction and the movable closing element partially protrudes and cooperates with a gasket at the inlet of one of the communication conduits, to prevent the entry of foreign material and fluids into the optical device.

An apparatus for supporting a workpiece has a frame and a supporting field consisting of end faces of a plurality of supporting pins which are guided parallel to one another in their main extension directions in the frame and which can each be pushed in against a restoring force with respect to the frame. Further, the apparatus has a detection device including a light barrier in order to detect relative positions of at least some of the supporting pins with respect to the frame. A light source and a light sensor of the light barrier are facing one another across the main extension directions of the supporting pins. The light source is divided into a plurality of sub-sources along one side of the supporting field, and the light sensor is divided into a plurality of sub-sensors along another side situated opposite the aforementioned side of the supporting field.

A sensor (10) for inspecting a tool (28) of a machine tool (24) is provided that has a radio frequency transmitter (12) for generating a radio frequency signal, a radio frequency receiver (14) for generating a received signal from a received radio frequency signal, a coupling unit (16) to couple a radio frequency signal into the tool (28) and to decouple it from the tool (28), and a control and evaluation unit (20) to determine a time of flight of a radio frequency signal transmitted from the radio frequency transmitter (12) and received again by the radio frequency receiver (14) with reference to the received signal of the radio frequency receiver (14).

A method for checking a tool uses a device with a light emitter for beam emission for tool scanning and with a beam receiver for beam reception and for outputting a shadow signal; and an evaluation unit for processing the shadow signal; rotation of the tool; moving the tool until it reaches a starting position in which the blade dips into the beam and shades this such that a threshold of a range of the evaluation unit is reached or undershot; moving the tool, starting from the starting position, out of the beam and registering the shadow signal; ascertaining that the shadow signal for a cutting edge does not fall below the lower switching threshold or exceed the upper switching threshold such that a shadow signal lies above the lower and below the upper switching threshold; wherein the feed is determined in proportion to a measurement range.

The present invention provides a multi-degree-of-freedom error measurement system for rotary axes and the method thereof. By producing a first ray, a second ray, and a third ray, the multi-facet reflector and the axicon disposed on an axis average line can receive the first, the second, and the third rays, respectively, for producing a reflective ray, a refractive ray, a first emitted ray, and a second emitted ray. Thereby, errors of the axicon in a plurality of degrees of freedom caused by shift or vibration of the axis average line, such as the x-axis radial error, the y-axis radial error, the axial error, the x-axis tilt error, the tilt error for the y-axis, and the angular alignment error for rotation can be measured.

A method for tool measurement using a non-contact tool setting apparatus mounted to a machine tool, which includes a transmitter for emitting a light beam having a beam width and a receiver for receiving the light beam. The receiver generates a beam intensity signal describing the intensity of received light. The method is for measuring a tool having a nominal tool diameter less than the beam width so fully inserting the tool feature into the light beam would only partially occlude the beam. The method includes moving the tool through the beam thereby causing a change in the intensity signal and generating a trigger signal when the intensity signal crosses a trigger threshold. The tool size is derived using the trigger signal generated. Also, a step of applying a tool length correction that accounts for the nominal tool diameter of the tool being less than the beam width.

In a quick measurement module provided by the present invention, a first distance sensing unit and a second distance sensing unit are provided individually on a movable seat, so that when the movable seat is displaced along a linear shifting axis, the first distance sensing unit senses the distance from the first reference plane, and meanwhile, the second distance sensing unit senses the distance from the second reference plane, so as to sense the linearity accuracy in movement of the movable seat with respect to the first reference plane and the second reference plane. The first reference plane and the second reference plane are spaced apart by an angle other than a right angle, so that the linearity accuracy in movement in the two different planes, such as the horizontal linearity accuracy and vertical linearity accuracy, of the movable seat can be obtained through sensing.

A machine tool includes a mounting table, a tool, a shade detector, and a tool controller. A workpiece is placed on the mounting table. The tool includes a tip. The shade detector is fixed on the mounting table, provides an optical path of a laser light, and detects a shade state of the laser light. The tool controller is connected to the mounting table via a supporting structure and controls an orientation and a position of the tool. A reference point associated with the tool is provided to the tool controller. The tool controller corrects a position of the tip based on a difference between a position obtained by calculation of the reference point in the case where the tip is matched with a measurement position P of a laser light and a position of the reference point when the tip portion is actually matched with a measurement position while keeping the orientation of a tool.