Monte Carlo method to machine tool uncertainty evaluation

Currently machine tools are not only a way to make different parts based on material removal processes. These ones can be used as a measurement system too. In this way, overall inspection time is reduced and equipment productivity is increased.Nevertheless, the use of machine tool probes as measurement tool in manufacturing parts required previous works. Firstly, the machine tool accuracy should be improved, in order to reduce the influence of its geometric errors. This way, volumetric verification based on laser tracker measurement has increased strongly in the last few years, especially in long range machine tools. Secondly, calibration uncertainty should be calculated to provide measurement uncertainty.This way, the paper presents a new tool able to analyze the effect of different influence verification parameters in calibration uncertainty based on Monte Carlo method. Using real tests carried out on a milling machine and its geometric errors, the influence or laser tracker measurement noise in calibration uncertainty is studied using Monte Carlo method.