Magnetically self-aligned multiball pitch artifact using geometrically simple features

•A magnetically self-aligned multiball pitch artifact is proposed.•Simple-formed elements such as balls are aligned spontaneously by magnetic force.•The high accuracy of the ball can be preserved and utilized effectively.•The assembly of the artifact is easy and can be completed in 5 min.•An experiment verified that the artifact is fundamentally valid for calibration.

The vibration/noise of gears is influenced by micrometer-order tooth pitch deviation, and therefore, advanced quality control is needed in the gear manufacturing process using measuring instrument. The accuracy of the pitch measuring instrument is verified using a master gear or artifact, but its accuracy is not sufficiently high, and its manufacturing is not easy. In our previous report, a novel high-precision pitch artifact composed of simple-shape parts (“multiball pitch artifact”) was proposed for the calibration of pitch measuring instruments. Simple-shape parts such as balls, cylinders, and planes can be manufactured with several-ten-nanometer-order accuracy. Therefore, this artifact can also have high accuracy. In this study, a magnetically self-aligned multiball pitch artifact is proposed in which the simple-shape parts are assembled with high precision using magnetic force without any special assembly technique. The artifact is designed and manufactured. A measurement experiment using a pitch measuring instrument is performed, and it is verified that the proposed pitch artifact is fundamentally valid for calibration.