A calibration apparatus includes a processor, an alignment device, and an arm. The alignment device captures images in a three-dimensional space, and a tool is arranged on a flange of the arm. The processor records a first matrix of transformation between an end-effector coordinate-system and a robot coordinate-system, and performs a tool calibration procedure according to the images captured by the alignment device for obtaining a second matrix of transformation between a tool coordinate-system and the end-effector coordinate-system. The processor calculates relative position of a tool center point of the tool in the robot coordinate-system based on the first and second matrixes, and controls the TCP to move in the three-dimensional space for performing a positioning procedure so as to regard points in an alignment device coordinate-system as points of the TCP, and calculates the relative positions of points in the alignment device coordinate-system and in the robot coordinate-system.

A system for calibrating tool center point of robot is provided, which may include a first image sensor, a second image sensor, and a controller. The first image sensor may have a first image central axis. The second image sensor may have a second image central axis not parallel to the first image central axis, and intersect the first image central axis at an intersection point. The controller may control a robot to repeatedly move a tool center point thereof between the first and the second image central axis. The controller may record a calibration point including the coordinates of the joints of the robot when the tool center point overlaps the intersection point, and then move the tool center point and repeat the above steps to generate several calibration points, whereby the controller may calculate the coordinate of the tool center point according to the calibration points.

A position correction method includes: a step of opposing a hand to a target by moving the hand such that the hand becomes in a predetermined first initial posture; a first position detection step of detecting a position of the target from a rotation angle of a rotation axis when the target blocks a detection light by swinging the hand; a step of opposing the hand to the target by moving the hand such that the hand becomes a predetermined second initial posture different from the first initial posture; a second position detection step of detecting a position of the target from the rotation angle of the rotation axis when the target blocks the detection light by swinging the hand; and a correction amount arithmetic step of obtaining rotation angle correction amounts of the second axis and the third axis based on a difference between the position of the target acquired in the first initial posture and the position of the target acquired in the second initial posture.

A position correction method includes: a step of opposing a hand to a target by moving the hand such that the hand becomes in a predetermined first initial posture; a first position detection step of detecting a position of the target from a rotation angle of a rotation axis when the target blocks a detection light by swinging the hand; a step of opposing the hand to the target by moving the hand such that the hand becomes a predetermined second initial posture different from the first initial posture; a second position detection step of detecting a position of the target from the rotation angle of the rotation axis when the target blocks the detection light by swinging the hand; and a correction amount arithmetic step of obtaining rotation angle correction amounts of the second axis and the third axis based on a difference between the position of the target acquired in the first initial posture and the position of the target acquired in the second initial posture.

A calibration apparatus includes a processor, an alignment device, and an arm. The alignment device captures images in a three-dimensional space, and a tool is arranged on a flange of the arm. The processor records a first matrix of transformation between an end-effector coordinate-system and a robot coordinate-system, and performs a tool calibration procedure according to the images captured by the alignment device for obtaining a second matrix of transformation between a tool coordinate-system and the end-effector coordinate-system. The processor calculates relative position of a tool center point of the tool in the robot coordinate-system based on the first and second matrixes, and controls the TCP to move in the three-dimensional space for performing a positioning procedure so as to regard points in an alignment device coordinate-system as points of the TCP, and calculates the relative positions of points in the alignment device coordinate-system and in the robot coordinate-system.

A system for calibrating tool center point of robot is provided, which may include a first image sensor, a second image sensor, and a controller. The first image sensor may have a first image central axis. The second image sensor may have a second image central axis not parallel to the first image central axis, and intersect the first image central axis at an intersection point. The controller may control a robot to repeatedly move a tool center point thereof between the first and the second image central axis. The controller may record a calibration point including the coordinates of the joints of the robot when the tool center point overlaps the intersection point, and then move the tool center point and repeat the above steps to generate several calibration points, whereby the controller may calculate the coordinate of the tool center point according to the calibration points.

A method of determining a positioning error of a CNC machine is provided and an system thereof. A calibration element is placed within the CNC machine. A first sensor reading is taken of the calibration element. A second sensor reading is taken and the sensor is moved in a manner that the difference between the first and second sensor data decreases until the difference becomes less or equal to a pre-determined threshold value. A positioning error of the tool head is determined based on the movement of the sensor.

A method of calibrating a coordinate positioning machine having a first member that is moveable relative to a second member, wherein the geometry of the machine is characterised by a set of model parameters. The machine is controlled to make point contact between multiple reference surfaces of a tool or artefact mounted on the first member and multiple reference surfaces of an artefact mounted on the second member. At least one of the model parameters is updated knowing or taking into account that the actual separations between the relevant surfaces are zero when making contact, even if the expected separations between the relevant surfaces as derived from the current model parameters are non-zero.