Enhancement of geometric accuracy of five-axis machining centers based on identification and compensation of geometric deviations

The present paper describes the enhancement of kinematic accuracy of five-axis machining centers with a tilting rotary table. Geometric deviations inherent to the five-axis machine are calibrated through the actual trajectories measured by two different settings of a ball bar in simultaneous three axis motion. Measurement using a cylindrical coordinate system is superior to measurement using a Cartesian coordinate system from the viewpoint of the number of measurements. In order to verify the effectiveness of the calibration method, the inherent geometric deviations measured on the cylindrical coordinate system were corrected through the post processing of NC data for cutting the cone-frustum.The relative displacement between the tool center point and the workpiece was detected by the ball bar. Based on the experimental results, it is confirmed that the radius, center position, and roundness of the three-dimensional circular trajectory are improved when the inherent geometric deviations are corrected.

► Geometric errors inherent to five-axis MCs were measured by a ballbar.
► Measurements were conducted based on Cartesian and cylindrical coordinate frames.
► Location errors of the table side ball affect the results in the Cartesian frame.
► The location errors do not affect the results in the cylindrical frame.
► The accuracy of five-axis movements can be improved by correcting the geometric errors.