An apparatus for calibration of a robotic arm having an end effector of a robot includes a magnetic coupler having a body, a receiving face, a mounting member, and a magnetic portion. The mounting member is configured to fixedly connect to the end effector of the robotic arm. A mechanical digitizer probe having a ball and a handle are provided, where the ball is fixedly attached to a distal end of the handle and the ball is removably coupled to the magnetic coupler via the magnetic portion on the receiving face to form a rotatable ball and socket connection, and where a proximal end of the handle is adapted to be attached to a mechanical digitizer associated with the robot. A method for calibration of the robotic arm of a robot is also detailed.

An apparatus for calibration of a robotic arm having an end effector of a robot includes a magnetic coupler having a body, a receiving face, a mounting member, and a magnetic portion. The mounting member is configured to fixedly connect to the end effector of the robotic arm. A mechanical digitizer probe having a ball and a handle are provided, where the ball is fixedly attached to a distal end of the handle and the ball is removably coupled to the magnetic coupler via the magnetic portion on the receiving face to form a rotatable ball and socket connection, and where a proximal end of the handle is adapted to be attached to a mechanical digitizer associated with the robot. A method for calibration of the robotic arm of a robot is also detailed.

A method of calibrating a coordinate positioning machine is described. The machine is controlled into a pivot pose in which a target point associated with a moveable part of the machine and a pivot point associated with a fixed part of the machine are separated from one another by a known separation. An error value for that pose is determined based on the known separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters of the machine. The machine is controlled into a plurality of different target poses, and for each target pose a separation between the target point and the pivot point is measured and an error value for that pose is determined based on the measured separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters.

A method of calibrating a coordinate positioning machine is described. The machine is controlled into a pivot pose in which a target point associated with a moveable part of the machine and a pivot point associated with a fixed part of the machine are separated from one another by a known separation. An error value for that pose is determined based on the known separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters of the machine. The machine is controlled into a plurality of different target poses, and for each target pose a separation between the target point and the pivot point is measured and an error value for that pose is determined based on the measured separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters.

A device for measuring a path under load of a first part that is in motion relative to a second part. The device includes an active telescopic bar and a connector. The telescopic bar includes a scale to measure the length of the bar, a coupler to ball link at each end of the bar, and a force sensor to measure the force applied to the bar along its longitudinal axis. The connector links each end of the bar to the first and second part, respectively. The spatial components of the force applied to one of the connector are measured. A measuring method utilizing the device.

A method of calibrating a coordinate positioning machine is described. The machine is controlled into a pivot pose in which a target point associated with a moveable part of the machine and a pivot point associated with a fixed part of the machine are separated from one another by a known separation. An error value for that pose is determined based on the known separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters of the machine. The machine is controlled into a plurality of different target poses, and for each target pose a separation between the target point and the pivot point is measured and an error value for that pose is determined based on the measured separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters.

A device for measuring a path under load of a first part that is in motion relative to a second part. The device includes an active telescopic bar and a connector. The telescopic bar includes a scale to measure the length of the bar, a coupler to ball link at each end of the bar, and a force sensor to measure the force applied to the bar along its longitudinal axis. The connector links each end of the bar to the first and second part, respectively. The spatial components of the force applied to one of the connector are measured. A measuring method utilizing the device.

A method of calibrating a coordinate positioning machine is described. The machine is controlled into a pivot pose in which a target point associated with a moveable part of the machine and a pivot point associated with a fixed part of the machine are separated from one another by a known separation. An error value for that pose is determined based on the known separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters of the machine. The machine is controlled into a plurality of different target poses, and for each target pose a separation between the target point and the pivot point is measured and an error value for that pose is determined based on the measured separation and a separation expected for that pose from the existing model parameters.