Abstract: A measuring probe includes a stylus having a contact part to be in contact with an object to be measured, an axial motion mechanism having a moving member that allows the contact part to move in an axial direction, and a rotary motion mechanism having a rotating member that allows the contact part to move along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction by means of rotary motion. The measuring probe includes a main body housing that supports the axial motion mechanism, a module housing that supports the rotary motion mechanism, and a displacement detector supported by the main body housing for detecting displacement of the moving member. The measuring probe with this configuration ensures high measurement accuracy while keeping a low cost.

Abstract: A method for writing or calibrating the scale of a scale-based position encoder. The scale is installed where it will be used to provide ongoing position measurements for a host system. The image correlation sensor is temporarily mounted proximate to the mounting position of the scale-based position encoder readhead on the host system, and is moved along the measuring axis relative to the scale, to provide corresponding displacement measurement information. The displacement measurement information is used to govern a scale writing process or a calibration process for the scale-based position encoder, such that the displacement measurement information at least partially governs the values of respective ongoing position measurements provided by the scale-based position encoder at respective positions along the measuring axis. A two-axis image correlation displacement sensor is advantageously used to detect and/or corrected various potential errors during the calibration or writing process.