Developing a novel tri-switch tactile probing structure and its measurement characteristics on micro-CMM

This paper describes a novel tri-switch tactile structure assembling process and its measurement characteristics on micro-CMM. After assembling micro-ruby ball-ended stylus tips on micro-EDM, the spherical stylus was glued onto the CMM's probing head manually. A novel tri-switch contacting structure was proposed to trigger the electro signal while the stylus tip makes contact with a micro-object. The experimental results show that the uncertainty could be as small as 0.08 μm at same the point detected repeatedly in the vertical direction. The depth of micro-hole and the profile of spherical lens are also selectable by use of this tri-switch tactile structure. This novel low-cost tri-switch triggering system may have promising future use on micro-CMM probing heads to measure micro-products' geometric profiles.