Unlocking Precision: The Power of Ballbar Testing in Machine Tools Calibration

Machine tools universally stand to gain from ballbar testing to evaluate calibration accuracy. Various factors, including environmental conditions and wear and tear, can cause misalignment in machines. Surprisingly, many shops, like the Autodesk Technology Center in San Francisco, discover misalignments only through testing. Recently, during a Renishaw ballbar test on one of its five-axis machining centers, the center unearthed unexpected misalignment issues.

Transitioning from Digital to Physical Realms

Autodesk Inc., renowned for its software development in design and manufacturing, also operates four Technology Centers across North America and Europe. These centers serve as hubs for research and development, software testing, and validation. Mary Elizabeth Yarbrough, Manager of Autodesk Technology Center in San Francisco, emphasizes their pivotal role in tracking industry trends, offering real-world testing environments, and showcasing innovation possibilities.

Each of the global Technology Centers boasts diverse capabilities but maintains a distinct focus. For instance, the San Francisco location emphasizes advanced manufacturing, housing equipment like five-axis machines, hot-wire deposition hybrid machines, and additive manufacturing processes. In contrast, Toronto specializes in advanced prototyping and validation, while Boston explores advancements in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Similarly, the Birmingham, United Kingdom, center collaborates with various industries to pioneer new manufacturing techniques.

The equipment in these centers primarily serves a global network of innovation leaders known as the Autodesk Technology Centers Outsight Network. Resident teams, comprising industrial, academic, and entrepreneurial sectors, leverage this equipment for accelerating and researching design and manufacturing processes, retaining control over their intellectual property.

Calibration Discovery

Renishaw recently conducted an in-depth presentation on calibration and metrology at the San Francisco location, attended by members from three North American Technology Centers. During the calibration of the machining centers using a QC20-W ballbar, one of the high-end, five-axis VMCs was found to be significantly misaligned.

Orion Beach, a research and design engineer at Autodesk Technology Center in San Francisco, noted a .006″ position error in the XY plane, a revelation particularly significant for a facility situated on an industrial shipping pier in San Francisco’s Embarcadero. Additionally, being in an earthquake-prone area, the machines must be seismically anchored, with proper tensioning crucial to prevent misalignment.

Benefits of Ballbar Testing

Ballbar testing offers numerous advantages for both high-volume manufacturers and low-volume shops like the Technology Centers. Unlike technician visits, ballbar tests are swift, taking approximately 10 minutes, and provide detailed reports on machine positioning errors, aiding in quick machine health assessment and alignment verification.

Moreover, ballbar testing reduces costs and shortens lead times by ensuring usable parts on the first attempt, crucial for R&D facilities like the Technology Centers. Denis Vasilescu, an industrial metrologist at Renishaw, highlights the importance of machine calibration in high-value manufacturing lots, where machine capability uncertainty could be detrimental.

Future Outlook

Following the revelations from ballbar testing, the Technology Centers plan to incorporate regular testing into their maintenance plans. Yarbrough emphasizes the invaluable lesson learned from ballbar testing, stressing the importance of properly calibrated precision machines for maintaining accountability and ensuring peace of mind across all Technology Centers.

Original source MMS

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