Patent ID: 7153073

Claim:
A system for machining a workpiece having a surface topography, the system comprising: a single point cutting head disposed on a spindle, the single point cutting head having a carriage for radial movement of a cutting tip, wherein the spindle includes means for raising and lowering the cutting tip relative to the workpiece; a system controller for providing operational instructions to the single point cutting head; a probe for measurement of the surface topography of the workpiece, the probe comprising: a bracket for releasable attachment to the carriage; a probe finger having a distal end with a contact surface and a proximal end terminating at a lower piezo plate; an upper plate; at least one piezoelectric chip disposed between the lower piezo plate and the upper plate, the at least one piezoelectric chip for generating an electrical signal in response to pressure applied to the at least one chip; an electrical conductor for conducting the electrical signal from the at least one chip to a transmitter, wherein the transmitter transmits information contained in the electrical signal to the system controller; wherein the system controller operates the spindle and the carriage, moving the distal end of the probe finger to incrementally contact the surface of the workpiece to generate a plurality of contact points for create a profile representative of the surface topography of the workpiece, and wherein the system controller further calculates a difference between the surface topography and a desired machine profile to determine the material to be machined from the workpiece.