Abstract: A stylus is arranged on a coordinate measuring machine. A method for aligning a component in relation to the coordinate measuring machine includes positioning the stylus and the component in relation to one another according to a defined arrangement. The method includes acquiring at least one coordinate of the component. The method includes changing at least one of a position and an orientation of the component in relation to the coordinate measuring machine while maintaining the defined arrangement.

Abstract: A stylus is arranged on a coordinate measuring machine. A method for aligning a component in relation to the coordinate measuring machine includes positioning the stylus and the component in relation to one another according to a defined arrangement. The method includes acquiring at least one coordinate of the component. The method includes changing at least one of a position and an orientation of the component in relation to the coordinate measuring machine while maintaining the defined arrangement.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a surface of a workpiece has a multi-link articulated arm and a roughness sensor carried by the arm, which includes a sensing element linearly displaceable along an advance direction and elastically deflectable along a deflection direction, and which has a coupling link to connect it to a movable carrier of a coordinate measuring apparatus or of a robot. A first arm portion is rotatable relative to the coupling link about a first axis of rotation. A second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion about a second axis of rotation and arranged between the first and third arm portion which is rotatable relative to the second arm portion about a third axis of rotation, and to which the roughness sensor is fastened. The deflection direction is arranged parallel to the third axis while the sensing element is displaced linearly along the advance direction.

Abstract: Rotating/pivoting sensor system for a coordinate measuring apparatus is provided. The rotating/pivoting sensor system includes a coupling mechanism with which the rotating/pivoting sensor system can be coupled to a measurement head of a coordinate measuring apparatus, a sensor-holding part which is connected directly or indirectly to the coupling mechanism, a sensor which is mounted rotatably about a first rotation axis on the sensor-holding part and which is pivotable about the first rotation axis in a continuous angle range, an angle-measuring system with which a pivoting angle of the sensor can be determined, a fixing device with which the sensor can be fixed in a pivoting position, and a method for adjusting a rotating/pivoting sensor system in a coordinate measuring apparatus.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning a tactile or optical roughness sensor, a probe or some other measuring instrument with respect to a workpiece can be secured to a movement device of a coordinate measuring machine. The positioning apparatus has a drive that produces a relative movement between two parts of the positioning apparatus, and an inhibiting device, which inhibits the relative movement between the two parts. For this purpose, the inhibiting device has a first friction element and a second friction element each having unlubricated friction surfaces. The friction surfaces are pressed against one another with a normal force that is not variable during the operation of the positioning apparatus. A coefficient of sliding friction that is less than 0.15 acts between the friction surfaces in the case of dryness and without lubrication. Typically, the inhibiting device is arranged in a flexspline of a strain wave gearing.

Abstract: A method for operating a confocal white light sensor on a coordinate measuring machine including a sensor carrier configured to couple a coordinate measurement sensor that is movable in a straight movement direction relative to a base of the coordinate measuring machine is provided. A confocal white light sensor is coupled to the sensor carrier and oriented in the straight movement direction toward a reference body. The sensor carrier and the reference body are moved relative to one another in the straight movement direction, and a measurement signal representing a distance between the confocal white light sensor and the reference body is generated at different movement positions. Information relating to a relationship between measurement signals of the confocal white light sensor and an actual distance of the white light sensor to a measurement object is obtained and a measurement value of the object distance is generated.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning a tactile or optical roughness sensor, a probe or some other measuring instrument with respect to a workpiece can be secured to a movement device of a coordinate measuring machine. The positioning apparatus has a drive that produces a relative movement between two parts of the positioning apparatus, and an inhibiting device, which inhibits the relative movement between the two parts. For this purpose, the inhibiting device has a first friction element and a second friction element each having unlubricated friction surfaces. The friction surfaces are pressed against one another with a normal force that is not variable during the operation of the positioning apparatus. A coefficient of sliding friction that is less than 0.15 acts between the friction surfaces in the case of dryness and without lubrication. Typically, the inhibiting device is arranged in a flexspline of a strain wave gearing.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a surface of a workpiece has a multi-link articulated arm and a roughness sensor carried by the arm, which includes a sensing element linearly displaceable along an advance direction and elastically deflectable along a deflection direction, and which has a coupling link to connect it to a movable carrier of a coordinate measuring apparatus or of a robot. A first arm portion is rotatable relative to the coupling link about a first axis of rotation. A second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion about a second axis of rotation and arranged between the first and third arm portion which is rotatable relative to the second arm portion about a third axis of rotation, and to which the roughness sensor is fastened. The deflection direction is arranged parallel to the third axis while the sensing element is displaced linearly along the advance direction.

Abstract: A method for operating a confocal white light sensor on a coordinate measuring machine including a sensor carrier configured to couple a coordinate measurement sensor that is movable in a straight movement direction relative to a base of the coordinate measuring machine is provided. A confocal white light sensor is coupled to the sensor carrier and oriented in the straight movement direction toward a reference body. The sensor carrier and the reference body are moved relative to one another in the straight movement direction, and a measurement signal representing a distance between the confocal white light sensor and the reference body is generated at different movement positions. Information relating to a relationship between measurement signals of the confocal white light sensor and an actual distance of the white light sensor to a measurement object is obtained and a measurement value of the object distance is generated.

Abstract: Rotating/pivoting sensor system for a coordinate measuring apparatus is provided. The rotating/pivoting sensor system includes a coupling mechanism with which the rotating/pivoting sensor system can be coupled to a measurement head of a coordinate measuring apparatus, a sensor-holding part which is connected directly or indirectly to the coupling mechanism, a sensor which is mounted rotatably about a first rotation axis on the sensor-holding part and which is pivotable about the first rotation axis in a continuous angle range, an angle-measuring system with which a pivoting angle of the sensor can be determined, a fixing device with which the sensor can be fixed in a pivoting position, and a method for adjusting a rotating/pivoting sensor system in a coordinate measuring apparatus.

Abstract: A probe head for a coordinate measuring machine has a coupling part having a retaining pin, on which a probe tool is detachably arranged. The probe tool has at least one stylus for touching a measurement object, and a rotary plate. The rotary plate is coupled to the coupling part by means of the retaining pin in one of a plurality of defined rotation angle positions. Moreover, the rotary plate has a latching mechanism including at least one adjustable latching element and a detector. The latching element has a latching position in which it fastens the rotary plate on the retaining pin, and it has a release position in which it releases the retaining pin. The detector generates a signal which is representative of at least one from the latching position and the release position.

Abstract: A measuring head for a coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object has a coupling part for detachably receiving a measurement tool. The coupling part has a number of first bearing elements, a magnet and a retaining pin. The measurement tool has a disk with a number of second bearing elements, an anchoring plate and at least one adjustable locking element. The magnet is configured to attract the anchoring plate so as to bring the first and second bearing elements into engagement with one another. The first and second bearing elements, in the engaged state, define a defined position of the measurement tool on the coupling part. The at least one locking element secures the measurement tool to the retaining pin. The anchoring plate is detachably secured to the disk and the at least one locking element retains the anchoring plate on the retaining pin.

Abstract: A method of grooving a work-piece of superalloy uses a grooving cutting insert at least partially covered with a Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) layer and having one or more interior ducts formed therein which open out to the insert's rake face at one or more corresponding openings. One or more coolant fluid streams, conveyed via these interior ducts at a pressure of no less than 200 bars, are directed upwardly and outwardly toward an interaction area between a cutting edge of the cutting insert and the work-piece, to thereby limit lengths of work-piece chips created during the grooving operation. The openings of the cutting insert's interior ducts may be located between 0.5-3.0 mm from the insert's cutting edge.

Abstract: A measuring head for a coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object has a coupling part for detachably receiving a measurement tool. The coupling part has a number of first bearing elements, a magnet and a retaining pin. The measurement tool has a disk with a number of second bearing elements, an anchoring plate and at least one adjustable locking element. The magnet is configured to attract the anchoring plate so as to bring the first and second bearing elements into engagement with one another. The first and second bearing elements, in the engaged state, define a defined position of the measurement tool on the coupling part. The at least one locking element secures the measurement tool to the retaining pin. The anchoring plate is detachably secured to the disk and the at least one locking element retains the anchoring plate on the retaining pin.

Abstract: A method of grooving a work-piece of superalloy uses a grooving cutting insert at least partially covered with a Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) layer and having one or more interior ducts formed therein which open out to the insert's rake face at one or more corresponding openings. One or more coolant fluid streams, conveyed via these interior ducts at a pressure of no less than 200 bars, are directed upwardly and outwardly toward an interaction area between a cutting edge of the cutting insert and the work-piece, to thereby limit lengths of work-piece chips created during the grooving operation. The openings of the cutting insert's interior ducts may be located between 0.5-3.0 mm from the insert's cutting edge.

Abstract: A probe head for a coordinate measuring machine has a stylus resiliently suspended in a housing. A sensor arrangement serves for detecting deflections of the stylus relative to the housing. The sensor arrangement comprises at least one Hall sensor having a magnet and a Hall element arranged in a vicinity to each other. When the stylus is deflected, the magnet is laterally passed by the Hall element in a direction defined from the North Pole to the South Pole of the magnet or vice versa. A Hall voltage of changing polarity can be tapped at the Hall element then. A preferably linear range around the polarity change is processed in order to determine the deflection of the stylus.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for focusing a beam for an interaction with a film deposited on a substrate wherein the focused beam defines a short axis and a long axis. In one aspect, the system may include a detecting system to analyze light reflected from the film on an image plane to determine whether the beam is focused in the short axis at the film. In still another aspect, a system may be provided for positioning a film (having an imperfect, non-planar surface) for interaction with a shaped line beam.