Patent ID: 8432119

Claim:
A method of predicting a surface finish characteristic of a machine tool that is functioning under dynamic operating conditions, the machine tool having a first axis slide having a first motion axis and having a second axis slide having a second motion axis that is perpendicular to the first motion axis, comprising: (a) electronically instructing the machine tool to drive the first axis slide along the first motion axis and to drive the second axis slide along the second motion axis using a first pattern of two-axis dynamic excitation commands; (b) deriving a first prediction of the surface finish characteristic from the first pattern of two-axis dynamic excitation commands in conjunction with a model that relates machine tool performance and machining process parameters to surface finish; (c) electronically instructing the machine tool to drive the first axis slide along the first motion axis and to drive the second axis slide along the second motion axis using a second pattern of two-axis dynamic excitation commands, wherein a second set of machining process parameters or machine tool set-up parameters is used to provide input to the surface finish model; (d) deriving a second prediction of the surface finish characteristic using the second set of machining process parameters or machine tool set-up parameters; and (e) preparing a map of the machine tool surface finish capability based upon the first prediction and the second prediction of the surface finish characteristic.