Patent Publication Number: US-2021180935-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for checking dimensions of a mechanical part

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for checking the dimensions of a mechanical part, in particular for checking the distance of an edge from a surface. The invention is used in checking mechanical parts comprising chamfers, for example the tapered surface at the mouth of a cylindrical hole, for checking or measuring the length of these chamfers. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A number of solutions is known for the manual measurement of chamfers, where it is possible to get in contact with the surface of the chamfers by means of mechanical measuring devices allowing to calculate the length of the chamfer based on the value of angles of the chamfer known a priori. 
     An apparatus for checking the length of a chamfer is described for example in German patent application n. DE4015576A1. This apparatus comprises a support for the part to be checked and two stops, arranged side by side in known transversal positions, which engage along a longitudinal direction with an end surface of the part and with the surface of the chamfer, one of the stops being movable and connected to a sensor. Being known the value of the angle of the chamfer, the length of the chamfer is obtained from the sensor signal by means of suitable trigonometric calculations. 
     The apparatus according to the patent application DE4015576A1 is manually used, has not negligible dimensions and cannot be easily adapted for checking the length of inner chamfers, that is of tapered surfaces at the mouth of cylindrical holes. 
     Moreover, a task which cannot be performed by this apparatus or other known devices and instruments is that of checking the length of inner chamfers that are present in holes opening on inner surfaces of mechanical parts, surfaces that are not accessible from outside without compromising the integrity of the mechanical parts. 
     The sketch of  FIG. 1  shows a mechanical part W with an outer surface  3 , an inner surface, or first surface,  5 , a hole  1 , in particular a through hole that defines a second surface, for example a substantially cylindrical surface,  6  and a tapered connecting surface, or chamfer,  7  between said first and second surfaces. A substantially circular edge S separates—within the hole  1 —the connecting surface  7  from the cylindrical surface  6 . Because of the shape of the mechanical part, the inner surface  5  is not accessible and, to check the length H of the chamfer  7 , that is the distance H, along the axis of the hole  1 , of the edge S from the inner surface  5 , the only possibility is to enter from the outer side, that is the side of the outer surface  3 , through the hole  1 . 
     Typical sizes of the length or chamfers as that shown in  FIG. 1  range from a few tenths of millimeter to a few millimeters. The typical diameter of the hole has values ranging from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. 
     The difficulty of this type of measurement is in the limited room for accessing the chamfers on the inner side and in the need to carry out the check in a short period of time and in a completely automatic manner on a machine tool or other automatic machine. 
     There are not known solutions which allow to carry out measurements without acting on the mechanical part by cutting one or more portions which prevent access to the inner chamfer. This happens both when using contact measuring systems (plug gauges for checking internal dimensions, or tridimensional measuring machines), and when using machines equipped with optical scanning probes for non-contact checking. 
     Moreover, it is not known to carry out in a very short time (a few seconds) the measurement on the machine tool where the same mechanical part is worked. 
     Indirect measurements are possible and known by using tridimensional coordinate machines, but in this case special systems including a multiplicity of feelers are used for the acquisition of quotes in correspondence of a considerable quantity of points, in such a way to reconstruct the entire profile of the part, including the inner surface of the hole, the chamfer and the position of the inner surface of the part. These measurements require a complex processing and considerable times. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for the dimensional checking of a mechanical part, that allow to check the distance between surfaces of this mechanical part, in particular the length of tapered portions or chamfers, and overcome the limitations of the known apparatuses, ensuring reliable results, sturdiness, compactness and flexibility of use also in a workshop environment. A further object of the invention is to obtain an apparatus that is able to carry out the dimensional and form deviation checking of chamfers that are present at the mouth of holes in correspondence of, that is opening on, inner surfaces of mechanical parts. 
     These and other objects are reached by a method and an apparatus according to the accompanying claims. 
     An apparatus according to the present invention comprises a support frame movable with respect to the mechanical part to be checked at least along a first direction and a first and a second feelers connected to the support frame so as to be spaced apart from each other along the first direction by a fixed space. The feelers can displace, with respect to the supporting frame, along directions perpendicular to each other, and a first and a second transducers synchronously provide a processing unit with signals related to the feeler displacements. A method according to the present invention for the use of this apparatus includes for the steps of arranging the support frame in a starting position, causing a mutual movement between the support frame and the mechanical part to be checked along the first direction and performing a calculation of the distance of the edge from the inner surface of the mechanical part in the first direction. During the above-mentioned mutual movement one of the feelers, movable along a direction perpendicular to the first one, carries out an at least partial scanning of the connecting surface and the corresponding transducer provides a relative scanning signal, while the other feeler which can move along the first direction, cooperates with the inner surface of the mechanical part and the corresponding transducer provides a relative reference signal, the scanning signal and the reference signal being mutually synchronized. The calculation of the distance of the edge from the inner surface takes place on the basis of the synchronized reference and scanning signals and the fixed space, and takes into account for example of a transition instant in which the feeler carrying out the scanning is in contact with the edge. 
     Objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a mechanical part W to be checked; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a checking apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial and enlarged perspective view of the checking apparatus of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 4A-4D  show, in an extremely schematic way, different steps of a checking cycle performed by means of an apparatus according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a graph that shows the trend of signals provided by transducers present in the checking apparatus according to the present Invention; 
         FIG. 6  graphically shows—in a schematic way—some of the positions taken by the feelers of the checking apparatus according to the invention during the scanning of the part to be checked, and 
         FIG. 7  schematically shows some components of an apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show a checking apparatus or device according to the invention which comprises two gauging heads. A first gauging head  11  comprises a first arm  13  that is shaped and can pivot with respect to a steady part  17  thanks to fulcrum means (known per se and not shown in the figures) about a first axis A 1  aligned along a direction perpendicular to the plane X-Y of  FIG. 2 . A first feeler  15  is connected to a free end of the first arm  13  and can perform limited movements substantially along a first direction Y. A second gauging head  21  comprises a second arm  23  that can pivot with respect to a steady part  27  thanks to fulcrum means (known per se and not shown in the figures) about a second axis A 2  parallel to the first axis A 1 . A second feeler  25  is connected to a free end of the second arm  23  and can perform limited movements substantially along a second direction X. The heads  11  and  21 , in particular the respective steady parts  17  and  27 , are fixed to a supporting frame  20 . The heads  11  and  21  comprise respective first and second transducers—of a known type, schematically shown in  FIG. 2  and indicated by reference numbers  16  and  26  respectively—that provide an acquisition and transmission unit with electrical signals responsive to displacements of the feelers  15  and  25  with respect to the respective steady parts  17  and  27 , that is with respect to the supporting frame  20 . The acquisition and transmission unit, more specifically a radio transmitter, and the relative casing, which rigidly holds the supporting frame  20 , are schematically represented in  FIG. 2  and indicated by the reference numeral  30 . The radio transmitter  30  comprises acquisition means capable of acquiring the signals of the two heads  11  and  21  in a synchronous way and transmitting the relative measurement values, while maintaining the synchronism, to a remote processing unit schematically shown in  FIG. 2  and indicated by the reference number  40 . A cone  33  suitable to be installed in the spindle of a machine tool carries the radio transmitter  30 . 
     The arrangement of the heads  11  and  21  and the connection to the supporting frame  20  is such that the first feeler  15  and the second feeler  25  are spaced from each other by a fixed space D along the first direction Y and that the transducers  16  and  26  indicate displacements of the respective feelers  15  and  25  in directions that are substantially perpendicular to each other. The fixed space D, defined for example by the distance between the center of the second feeler  25  and the point of contact along the first direction Y of the first feeler  15 , is measured in a calibration phase, for instance by means of an optical measuring instrument. 
     According to the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the checking apparatus is connected—by means of the cone  33 —to the spindle of a machine tool and moves with the axes of the machine performing known movements at a known constant speed. 
     To carry out the measurement of the length H of the chamfer  7 , that is the distance along the first direction Y, of the edge S from the first surface, or inner surface,  5 , the mechanical part W is suitably located in a per se known manner that is not shown in the figures. In a preliminary step a controlled movement in the first direction Y of the spindle, and a consequent movement of the supporting frame  20  which carries the checking device, is commanded to cause the arms  13  and  23  and hence the feelers  15  and  25  to pass through the hole  1 , entering from the side of the outer surface  3  so as to be arranged in proximity of the inner surface  5  and of the connecting surface  7 . The spindle and, as a consequence, the supporting frame  20  are then displaced with an initialization movement in the plane perpendicular to the first direction Y, along the second direction X to a starting position, that is a position from which a scan can be started.  FIG. 4A  schematically shows the starting position, in which the first feeler  15  faces the inner surface  5 , while the second feeler  25  faces the chamfer  7 . 
     Alternatively and according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the starting position of the supporting frame  20  is defined by the contact between the second feeler  25  and the surface of the chamfer  7  in the aforesaid initialization movement along the second direction X. 
     Starting from the starting position, a scanning movement along the first direction Y is controlled by the machine tool controls, so causing a mutual movement between the supporting frame  20  and the mechanical part W along the first direction Y. In the graph in  FIG. 5 , the upper curve T 2  indicates the trend of a scanning signal provided by the second transducer  26 , such signal being responsive to displacements of the second feeler  25  along the second direction X. In the same graph of  FIG. 5 , the lower curve T 1  indicates the trend of a reference signal provided by the first transducer  16  which is responsive to displacements of the first feeler  15  along the first direction Y. In the course of the scanning movement the signals T 1  and T 2  are acquired in a synchronous way by acquisition means—of a known type and not shown in the figures—of the radio transmitter  30 , and they are transmitted in a synchronous way to the remote processing unit  40 .  FIG. 5  shows the trend of both signals T 1  and T 2  which, as said above, relate to displacements of the feelers  15  and  25 , respectively, in mutually perpendicular directions Y and X—to underline that these signals T 1  and T 2  are synchronized on the time scale. 
     If the starting position corresponds to that of  FIG. 4A  and the second feeler  25  is not in contact with the surface of the chamfer  7 , a first step of the scanning along the first direction Y starts at an instant t 0 A. The second feeler  25 , at an instant t 1 , comes into contact with the surface of the chamfer  7  ( FIG. 4B ) and follows its profile while the first feeler  15  moves toward the inner surface  5  of the mechanical part. The instant t 1  can always be identified by evaluating the moment at which the signal of the transducer  26  starts changing. 
     If, on the other hand, in the starting position the second feeler  25  is already in contact with the surface of the chamfer  7  in a configuration corresponding to that of  FIG. 4B , the scanning along the first direction Y starts at an instant t 0 B corresponding for example to t 1 . The portions of the curves T 1  and T 2  that precede the instant t 0 B=t 1  are indicated in  FIG. 5  with broken lines since these portions are not present where the starting position is that shown in  FIG. 4B . Also in this case the second feeler  25  follows the profile of the surface of the chamfer  7  while the first feeler  15  moves toward the inner surface  5  of the mechanical part. 
     In the course of the scanning of the surface of the chamfer  7  the second feeler  25  moves in the second direction X and the second head  21  provides accordingly, through the acquisition means of the radio transmitter  30 , a signal which, starting from an initial value T 20 , increases up to a value T 2 S at a transition instant t 2  at which the second feeler  25  is in contact with the edge S which separates the chamfer  7  from the surface  6 , for example cylindrical, of the hole  1  ( FIG. 4C ). The scanning motion in the first direction Y continues until the first feeler  15  at an instant t 3  it comes into contact with the inner surface  5  of the mechanical part W and moves relative to the steady part  17  in the first direction Y ( FIG. 4D ). The first transducer  16  provides, through the acquisition means of the radio transmitter  30 , the reference signal T 1  responsive to the movement of the first feeler  15  ( FIG. 5 ) which starts from an initial value T 10 . The movement of the supporting frame  20  is stopped in an end position at a stop instant t 4  in correspondence of a predetermined value T 1 F of the reference signal T 1 , that is after a predetermined movement of the first feeler  15  (for example of 250 microns). It should be noted that the actual stop of the supporting frame  20  can occur at an instant subsequent to the instant t 4 . 
     In other words, a single movement in the first direction Y of the supporting frame  20  which carries the checking device is controlled by the machine tool controls, starting from the starting position to the end position. During the scanning, the second feeler  25  follows the profile of the chamfer  7 , reaches and overruns the edge S until the first feeler  15  comes into contact with the inner surface  5  and provides the value of the increasing interference between feeler  15  and part W. 
     The length H of the chamfer  7 , that is the distance H of the edge S from the first or inner surface  5  along the first direction Y, is determined by the processing unit  40  from an analysis of the curves, namely of the synchronized reference signal T 1  and scanning signal T 2  of  FIG. 5  taking into account
         the scanning speed that is known and constant and determined by the machine tool, and   the single additional information of calibration about the amount of the fixed space D, that is the value indicative of the distance in the first direction Y between feelers  15  and  25 .       

     For example, the length H of the chamfer  7 , can be determined by following the steps of one of the two methods that are described hereinbelow making reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     In both cases it is considered that the starting position of the supporting frame  20  corresponds to that of  FIG. 4B , that is in such a position at the instant t 1 =t 0 B the second feeler  25  is in contact with the connecting surface  7 . 
     First Method 
     In summary: the transition instant t 2  at which the signal T 2  of the second transducer  26  assumes the value T 2 S, that is to say when the second feeler  25  is in contact with the edge S, is detected. The value of the length H of the chamfer  7  is obtained on the basis of the transition instant t 2 , of the stop instant t 4  corresponding to the predetermined end position, and of the fixed space D, the latter being acquired as calibration data. In particular, in a calibration phase the fixed space D is acquired with appropriate instrumentation, for example an optical gauge, as the distance between the center of the second feeler  25  and the point of contact along the first direction Y of the first feeler  15  when the reference signal T 1  of the first transducer  16  assumes the value T 1 F. 
     In more detail:
         a reference system X-Y is identified having as origin O (X0, Y0) the center of the second feeler  25  and where the X and Y axes are aligned with the above-mentioned second direction X and first direction Y, respectively. The spindle of the machine tool carrying the supporting frame  20  moves in the first direction Y at a known, constant speed v. Thanks to the fact that the speed v is constant and known, the values of Y are obtained on the basis of the detected instants and time intervals. The instant of origin t 0 B is the one at which the second feeler  25  begins to move and to perform the scanning along the direction Y;   a value Xfin of the X coordinate of the center of the second feeler  25  at the end of the scanning of the chamfer  7 , in correspondence of the edge S, is calculated. The value Xfin, corresponding to the value T 2 S of the scanning signal T 2 , is calculated by means of the zero derivative of the scanning signal T 2 ;   the transition instant t 2 , at which the coordinate Xfin is reached, is detected;   a first value YB of the Y coordinate corresponding to Xfin is calculated. Such value YB is indicative of the position of the edge S along the first direction Y and is calculated as follows:       

         YB=v ( t 2− t 0 B );
         the stop instant t 4  at which the first feeler  15  has moved by a predetermined amount, for example by 250 microns, and the reference signal T 1  of the first transducer  16  assumes the value T 1 F, is detected;   a value YFS of the Y coordinate in the reference system of the machine tool at the stop instant t 4  is calculated as follows:       

         YFS=v ( t 4− t 0 B );
         a second value YA of the Y coordinate indicative of the position of the first, inner surface  5  along the first direction Y is calculated by subtracting the fixed space D acquired as a calibration data from the value YFS;   the value of the length H of the chamfer  7  is calculated as follows:       

     
       
      
       H=YB−YA.  
      
     
     Second Method 
     In summary: this method makes use of the values of the angle formed by the chamfer  7  with the horizontal wall corresponding to the inner surface  5 , and of the radius of the second feeler  25 . The value of the length H of the chamfer  7  is obtained by using the signals of the second transducer  26  and of the first transducer  16  after contact has taken place between the first feeler  15  and the inner surface  5 , and using the fixed space D obtainable in calibration for example as illustrated in relation to the first method. 
     While the radius of the second feeler  25  can be previously measured, the value of the angle between the connecting surface  7  and the inner surface  5  can be a known datum (for example indicated in the drawing of the part W) or can be calculated as the arc tangent of the ratio between the displacement along the Y axis (obtained by means of a translation of the spindle of the machine tool at a constant speed v) and the displacement along the X axis (given by the signal of the second transducer  26 ). 
     In more detail:
         a reference system X-Y is identified and values Xfin, YFS and YA are calculated as explained above with reference to the first method;   a value alpha of the angle formed between the chamfer  7  and the horizontal wall corresponding to the inner surface  5  is calculated as the arc tangent of the ratio between the displacement along the Y axis (machine tool axis, obtained, as said with reference to the first method, on the basis of the known, constant speed v and the detected instants and time intervals) and the displacement along the X axis (signal of the second transducer  26 ). The displacements are for example detected by means of ten consecutive and synchronized acquisitions of values X and Y;   there are calculated:   the total displacement Delta X=(Xfin−X0) of the second feeler  25  along the X axis,   a value Yinters=(tan (alpha)*Delta X) representing a first portion of displacement of the center of the feeler  25  along the first direction Y,   an angle gamma=(π/2−alpha)/2,   a distance G=(tan (gamma)*R)—where R is the radius of the second feeler  25  (for example 1 mm) which is a known constructive parameter—which represents a second portion of displacement of the center of the feeler  25  along the first direction Y, which corresponds to the zone where the point of contact of the second feeler  25  reaches the edge S, and   a value YB=Yinters+G, corresponding to the position along the Y axis of the edge S;   the value of the length H of the chamfer  7  is given also in this case by:       

     
       
      
       H=YB−YA  
      
     
     The scanning speed v, defined by the controls, e.g. by actuating means, of the machine tool, can be selected in a wide range and must not necessarily be determined in advance, it is sufficient that it is not too high in relation to the acquisition frequency of the signals of the transducers  16  and  26 . Typical values range from 10 to 100 mm/min. The higher scanning speed—for example about 100 mm/min—can for example be used with acquisition frequencies of a pair of synchronous values of the signals of the transducers  16  and  26  every 20 ms or higher. The possibility of performing scans at relatively high speed, allows to carry out checks in a particularly rapid time. 
     It is particularly advantageous—though not essential for the purposes of the present invention—that the checking apparatus be connected to the processing unit  40  by means of a wireless connection, in particular the already mentioned radio transmission system ( 30 ), to allow the automatic loading and the use in the spindle of the machine tool. The automatic loading from the store also enables to minimize centering errors, more specifically angular arrangement errors of the checking apparatus. 
     Different embodiments of the invention are possible, where the checking device is not connected to the spindle or to other movable parts of a machine tool, it is connected via cables to a processing unit and is used for offline checks. 
     In a different embodiment of the present invention the first gauging head  11  is a contact detecting probe, or “touch trigger” probe, that is a probe that can detect the contact with the inner surface  5  but does not include the transducer  16  and cannot provide a signal indicating the position or displacement along the first direction Y of the first feeler  15 . In this case, in order to obtain the value of the length H of the chamfer  7 , also signals provided by the machine tool are used, such signals being indicative of the position along the Y axis of the checking device (for example of the supporting frame  20 ) at the instant t 3  when the contact takes place between the first feeler  15  and the inner surface  5 , the contact being detected by the touch trigger probe. 
     The checking device according to the present invention allows to determine the length of an inner chamfer of a hole, that is to say a chamfer located on the side opposite to the direction of approach of the device, in a noninvasive manner, that is without any need to make any structural changes to the part to be checked. 
     The particularly compact structure of the checking apparatus allows a considerable flexibility of use, and the capability of accessing to internal chamfers in holes of small dimensions. 
     The use of a checking apparatus according to the invention is not limited to the check of inner chamfers. In fact, a device similar to the above-described apparatus and schematically represented in  FIG. 7  can be used to check the length of external chamfers. In this case the supporting frame  20  which carries the heads  11  and  21  moves to scan in the direction indicated by the arrow F. 
     Alternative embodiments of the invention are possible, for example as regards the detection of the displacement values along the first direction Y in the course of scanning movements. 
     More specifically, the value of position in the first direction Y can be directly detected from the controls of the machine tool, and can be processed together with the scanning signal T 2  of the second transducer  26  instead of being obtained as described above in the preferred embodiment on the basis of the constant speed and the detected instants of time. 
     According to an alternative embodiment, the first gauging head  11  features a wide measuring range, such as to cover the entire movement of the supporting frame  20  from the starting position to the end position. In this case the arrangement of the two heads  11  and  21  is such that in the starting position the first feeler  15  is in contact with the inner surface  5 , or in any case that this contact takes place before the passage of the second feeler  25  in correspondence of the edge S. In this alternative embodiment, displacements of the checking device along the direction Y are detected by the gauging head  11  and there is not the need to get information from the machine tool control or, as described with reference to the preferred embodiment, to obtain this information on the basis of the detected time instants and the known, constant speed.