Patent ID: 8255075
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. A thermal error compensation method for machine tools, comprising the steps of: disposing at least one thermal sensor at positions neighboring to at least one heat source of a machine tool; driving the machine tool to operate under a specific operation condition for enabling the at least one heat source to generate heat; generating a thermal signal according to a temperature detected by the at least one thermal sensor; using a heat conducting calculation unit to access the thermal signal and information relating to the specific operation condition to be used in a calculation for obtaining and thus outputting at least one node temperature; and using an error compensation unit to access the at least one node temperature to be used in a calculation for obtaining thermal error compensation values for the machine tool: wherein the heat conducting calculation unit has a finite element structural model of the machine tool registered therein; wherein a calculation performed by the heat conducting calculation unit for obtaining the at least one node temperature comprises the steps of: accessing the thermal signal and the specific operation condition of the machine tool; setting positions and temperatures of the at least one heat source based upon the finite element structural model: calculating a temperature distribution relating to heat transfer in a structure of the machine tool; and outputting node temperatures relating to positions on the machine tool which are configured with geometrical features and are heat sinks of the machine tool.