Patent ID: 6876899
Filing Date: 2005-04-05
Classification: B22D,B24B,G05B

Abstract:
1. A method for removing excess material from a casting body wherein the casting dimensional tolerance is approximately equal to or greater than the required finished product tolerance, said method comprising the steps of: a) establishing a fixed path of coincidence between a material removal station and a casting wherein the closest point of approach of a casting body exceeds the sum of the casting dimensional tolerance and the finished product tolerance; b) iteratively causing the casting body and said removal station to come into coincidence along the fixed path to remove excess material until no further excess material is removed, thereby defining a witness surface on said excess material; c) measuring the dimensional offset from the edge of said witness surface to the adjacent casting body on at least two points on said witness surface; d) calculating an offset from said fixed path for each measured dimensional offset to determine a new path of coincidence between the casting body and said material removal station within said finished product tolerance; and e) traversing said new path until said excess material is reduced to less than the finished product tolerance.