STUDY ON THE COMPENSATION TECHNIQUE OF POSITIONING ERRORS FOR NC MACHINE TOOLS

Through analysis of the basic transformation of a typical body,the error transformations of the position vector and the displacement vector are employed,a general model for positioning errors of NC machine tools by using kinematics of the multi body system is discussed.By means of 8031 single chip system,intelligent error compensation controller has been developed.The results of experiments on XH714 machining center show that the positioning accuracy is enhanced effectively by more than 50%.

Studies of layout of world machine tools industry based on patent analysis

As the foundation of an industrialized country nowadays,machine tools industry is regarded as the engine of industrial development of a country.The developed countries,such as USA,Germany and Japan,have widely deployed the technology of using the patent in order to keep their strength in various fields.This research examins the CNC machine tools industry in the world by using the patent analysis method.It first gives an overview about the world patent application in CNC machine tools industry from 1963 to 2010 and divides the development of the industry into five stages.It also lists the patent application of the world top 20 countries,where the top 5 countries are compared.The patents of the world top 10 companies of machine tools manufacturers are mapped according to the international patent classification(IPC),and the future trends of world machine tools industry are discussed.Finally conclusions and suggestions are presented.

Bayesian Reliability Modeling and Assessment Solution for NC Machine Tools under Small-sample Data

Although Markov chain Monte Carlo（MCMC） algorithms are accurate, many factors may cause instability when they are utilized in reliability analysis; such instability makes these algorithms unsuitable for widespread engineering applications. Thus, a reliability modeling and assessment solution aimed at small-sample data of numerical control（NC） machine tools is proposed on the basis of Bayes theories. An expert-judgment process of fusing multi-source prior information is developed to obtain the Weibull parameters＇ prior distributions and reduce the subjective bias of usual expert-judgment methods. The grid approximation method is applied to two-parameter Weibull distribution to derive the formulas for the parameters＇ posterior distributions and solve the calculation difficulty of high-dimensional integration. The method is then applied to the real data of a type of NC machine tool to implement a reliability assessment and obtain the mean time between failures（MTBF）. The relative error of the proposed method is 5.8020×10-4 compared with the MTBF obtained by the MCMC algorithm. This result indicates that the proposed method is as accurate as MCMC. The newly developed solution for reliability modeling and assessment of NC machine tools under small-sample data is easy, practical, and highly suitable for widespread application in the engineering field; in addition, the solution does not reduce accuracy.

ADAPTABLE DESIGN OF MACHINE TOOLS STRUCTURES

Adaptable design aims to extend the utilities of design and product. The specific methods are developed for practical applications of adaptable design in the design of mechanical structures, including adaptable platform, interface and module designs. Adaptable redesign problems are formulated as adaptable platform design under adaptability bound constraints. Analysis tools are then suggested for the implementation of the redesign of machine tool structures, including variation techniques based sensitivity analysis, similarity-based commonality analysis, performance improvement, and adaptability measures. The specific measure of adaptability for machine tool structures is measured through the quantification of the structural similarity and performance improvement gained from adaptable design. The method provides designers with an approach that brings adaptability into the design process, with considering the cost and benefits of such adaptability. The redesign of CNC spiral bevel gear cutting machine structures has been included to illustrate these concepts and methods.

Robust tracking control for micro machine tools with load uncertainties

The quality of the micro-mechanical machining outcome depends significantly on the tracking performance of the miniaturized linear motor drive precision stage. The tracking behavior of a direct drive design is prone to uncertainties such as model parameter variations and disturbances. Robust optimal tracking controller design for this kind of precision stages with mass and damping ratio uncertainties was researched. The mass and damping ratio uncertainties were modeled as the structured parametric uncertainty model. An identification method for obtaining the parametric uncertainties was developed by using unbiased least square technique. The instantaneous frequency bandwidth of the external disturbance signals was analyzed by using short time Fourier transform technique. A two loop tracking control strategy that combines the p-synthesis and the disturbance observer （DOB） techniques was proposed. The p-synthesis technique was used to design robust optimal controllers based on structured uncertainty models. By complementing the/z controller, the DOB was applied to further improving the disturbance rejection performance. To evaluate the positioning performance of the proposed control strategy, the comparative experiments were conducted on a prototype micro milling machine among four control schemes： the proposed two-loop tracking control, the single loop μ control, the PID control and the PID with DOB control. The disturbance rejection performances, the root mean square （RMS） tracking errors and the performance robustness of different control schemes were studied. The results reveal that the proposed control scheme has the best positioning performance. It reduces the maximal errors caused by disturbance forces such as friction force by 60% and the RMS errors by 63.4% compared with the PID control. Compared to PID with DOB control, it reduces the RMS errors by 29.6%.

Bayesian zero-failure reliability modeling and assessment method for multiple numerical control(NC) machine tools

A new problem that classical statistical methods are incapable of solving is reliability modeling and assessment when multiple numerical control machine tools(NCMTs) reveal zero failures after a reliability test. Thus, the zero-failure data form and corresponding Bayesian model are developed to solve the zero-failure problem of NCMTs, for which no previous suitable statistical model has been developed. An expert-judgment process that incorporates prior information is presented to solve the difficulty in obtaining reliable prior distributions of Weibull parameters. The equations for the posterior distribution of the parameter vector and the Markov chain Monte Carlo(MCMC) algorithm are derived to solve the difficulty of calculating high-dimensional integration and to obtain parameter estimators. The proposed method is applied to a real case; a corresponding programming code and trick are developed to implement an MCMC simulation in Win BUGS, and a mean time between failures(MTBF) of 1057.9 h is obtained. Given its ability to combine expert judgment, prior information, and data, the proposed reliability modeling and assessment method under the zero failure of NCMTs is validated.

STUDY ON NEW METHOD OF IDENTIFYING GEOMETRIC ERROR PARAMETERS FOR NC MACHINE TOOLS

The methods of identifying geometric error parameters for NC machine tools are introduced. According to analyzing and comparing the different methods, a new method-displacement method with 9 lines is developed based on the theories of the movement errors of multibody system (MBS). A lot of experiments are also made to obtain 21 terms geometric error parameters by using the error identification software based on the new method.

Estimation of Three-Dimensional Volumetric Errors of Numerically Controlled Machine Tools by a Tracking Interferometer

This paper presents the estimation of three-dimensional volumetric errors of a machining center by using a tracking interferometer. A tracking interferometer is a laser interferometer with the mechanism to steer the laser direction to follow a target retroreflector. Based on the triangulation principle, the three-dimensional position of the target can be estimated from measured laser displacements. Its capability to measure three-dimensional positioning errors for arbitrary trajectories is important for the indirect measurement of the machine＇s kinematic model. This paper presents experimental investigation of the estimation accuracy of the multilateration-based measurement by a tracking interferometer. A tracking interferometer developed by a part of the authors is used in experiments. In the present experiment, the measured volume of target positions was 100 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm. The estimation accuracy of targets within this volume was not sufficiently high compared to the positioning error of the measured machine tool. The results of the experiment and simulation show that the estimation uncertainty is dependent on tracking interferometer locations relative to target locations. Error sensitivity analysis shows that wider distribution of tracker positions in XY improves the estimation accuracy.

Identification of the key thermal points on machine tools by grouping and optimizing variables

The grouping and optimization approach to identify the key thermal points on machine tools is studied.To solve the difficulty in grouping because of the high correlated variables from distinct groups,the variables grouping technique is improved.Temperature variables are sorted according to their relativities with the thermal errors.The representative temperature variables are determined by analyzing the variable correlation in sort order and removing the other variables in the same group.Considering the diverse effect of importing the different variables on thermal error model,the method of variable combination optimization is improved.Regression models made up of different combination of representative temperature variables are evaluated by the index of both the determined coefficient and the average residual squares to select the combination of the temperature variables.For the machine tools with complicated structures which need more initial temperature measuring points the improvement is demanded.The improved approach is applied to a precision horizontal machining center to identify the key thermal points.Experimental results show that the proposed approach is capable of avoiding the high correlation among the different groups' variables,effectively reducing the number of the key thermal points without depressing the prediction accuracy of the thermal error model for machine tools.

METHOD FOR SUPPRESSING CUTTING CHATTER IN NUMERICAL CONTROL MACHINE TOOLS

A new method for suppressing cutting chatter is studied by adjusting servo parameters of the numerical control （NC） machine tool and controlling the limited cutting width. A model of the cutting system of the NC machine tool is established. It includes the mechanical system, the servo system and the cutting chatter system. Interactions between every two systems are shown in the model. The cutting system stability is simulated and relation curves between the limited cutting width and servo system parameters are described in the experiment. Simulation and experimental results show that there is a mapping relation between the limited cutting width and servo parameters of the NC machine tool, and the method is applicable and credible to suppress chatter.

The Application of the GM(1,1) Metabolism Model to Error Data Processing of NC Machine Tools

This paper applied the gray system theory to error data processing of NCmachine tools according to the characteristic. It presented the gray metabolism model of error dataprocessing. The test method for the model needs less capacity. Practice proved that the method issimple, calculation is easy, and results are exact.

STIFFNESS ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN MODULE FOR PARALLEL MACHINE TOOLS BY FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

With the aid of commercial finite element analysis software package ANSYS,investigations are made on the contributions of main components to stiffness of the main module for parallel machine tools,and it is found that the frame is the main contributor.Then,influences of constraints,strut length and working ways of the main module have also been investigated.It can be concluded that when one of the main planes of the frame without linear drive unit is constrained,the largest whole stiffness can be acquired.And,the stiffness is much better when the main module is used in a vertical machine tool instead of a horizontal one.Finally,the principle of stiffness variation is summarized when the mobile platform reaches various positions within its working space and when various loads are applied.These achievements have provided critical instructions for the design of the main module for parallel machine tools.

Research on virtual dynamic optimization design for NC machine tools

Virtual dynamic optimization design can avoid the repeated process from de-sign to trial-manufacture and test.The designer can analyze and optimize the productstructures in virtual visualization environment.The design cycle is shortened and the costis reduced.The paper analyzed the peculiarity of virtual optimization design,and put for-wards the thought and flow to implement virtual optimization design.The example to opti-mize the internal grinder was studied via establishing precise finite element model,modi-fying the layout of Stiffened Plates and designing parameters of the worktable,and usingthe technology of modal frequency revision and the technology of multiple tuned damper.The result of optimization design compared the new grinder with the original grinder showsthat the entire machine's first orders natural frequency is enhanced by 17%,and the re-sponse displacement of the grinding-head has dropped by 28% under the first order natu-ral frequency and by 41% under second order natural frequency.Finally,the dynamic per-formance of the internal grinder was optimized.

American Factories Continue to Increase Equipment Investment——Competitors in Asia also increased their consumption of machine tools.

去年美国金属加工工厂对新机床产品的需求量较 2004 年和 2003 年都有增加。消沉中的美国资本投资发生了一个转变,排在德国之前成为第三大消费国。然而对于美国机床业来说,不太好的消息是亚洲竞争对手同样增加了他们在机床的设备投资。来自第 41 次世界机床生产和消费的调查显示,中国、日本、韩国、印度以及中国台湾地区的机床消费都有显著增长。在 28 个国家和地区的调查中,四分之三的国家和地区消费都在增长,这同时也诠释了经济“表面消费”的含义。这一切表明美国的机床消费量还会继续保持增加,订购机器的数量会维持向上的势头,最新的数据也证明了这一点。此外,调查数据还罗列了其它国家,尤其是亚洲国家的机床生产情况(本刊2006 年第一期环球瞭望栏目文章图表中显示了世界主要机床生产状况):德国和日本领导着世界机床的生产;中国超过意大利成为第三大机床生产国;中国台湾地区排在第五位;美国机床的生产和出口排在台湾之后,保持小的增长;韩国与瑞士紧追其后;印度也毫不示弱。这28个被调查国家和地区的机床产量都比前一年平均增长了14% 。中国、日本、韩国、印度以及中国台湾地区占据了整个调查地区机床产量的 47.6% ,作为CECIMO 成员的由 15 个国家组成的西欧联盟占据了机床产量的 4 2 . 3 % 。

The Research on Hybrid Intelligent Fault-diagnosisSystem of CNC Machine Tools

After analyzing the structure and characteristics of the hybrid intelligent diagnosis system of CNC machine toolsCNC-HIDS), we describe the intelligent hybrid mechanism of the CNC-HIDS, and present the evaluation and the running instance of the system. Through tryout and validation, we attain satisfactory results.

High Accurate Interpolation of NURBS Tool Path for CNC Machine Tools

Feedrate fluctuation caused by approximation errors of interpolation methods has great effects on machining quality in NURBS interpolation, but few methods can efficiently eliminate or reduce it to a satisfying level without sacrificing the computing efficiency at present. In order to solve this problem, a high accurate interpolation method for NURBS tool path is proposed. The proposed method can efficiently reduce the feedrate fluctuation by forming a quartic equation with respect to the curve parameter increment, which can be efficiently solved by analytic methods in real-time. Theoretically, the proposed method can totally eliminate the feedrate fluctuation for any 2nd degree NURBS curves and can interpolate 3rd degree NURBS curves with minimal feedrate fluctuation. Moreover, a smooth feedrate planning algorithm is also proposed to generate smooth tool motion with considering multiple constraints and scheduling errors by an efficient planning strategy. Experiments are conducted to verify the feasibility and applicability of the proposed method. This research presents a novel NURBS interpolation method with not only high accuracy but also satisfying computing efficiency.

Bayesian networks modeling for thermal error of numerical control machine tools

The interaction between the heat source location, its intensity, thermal expansion coefficient, the machine system configuration and the running environment creates complex thermal behavior of a machine tool, and also makes thermal error prediction difficult. To address this issue, a novel prediction method for machine tool thermal error based on Bayesian networks (BNs) was presented. The method described causal relationships of factors inducing thermal deformation by graph theory and estimated the thermal error by Bayesian statistical techniques. Due to the effective combination of domain knowledge and sampled data, the BN method could adapt to the change of running state of machine, and obtain satisfactory prediction accuracy. Ex- periments on spindle thermal deformation were conducted to evaluate the modeling performance. Experimental results indicate that the BN method performs far better than the least squares (LS) analysis in terms of modeling estimation accuracy.

Dynamic characteristic analysis of whole machine tools based on Kriging model

In order to study the variation of machine tools’dynamic characteristics in the manufacturing space,a Kriging approximate model is proposed.Finite element method(FEM)is employed on the platform of ANSYS to establish finite element(FE)model with the dynamic characteristic of combined interface for a milling machine,which is newly designed for producing aero engine blades by a certain enterprise group in China.The stiffness and damping of combined interfaces are adjusted by using adaptive simulated annealing algorithm with the optimizing software of iSIGHT in the process of FE model update according to experimental modal analysis(EMA)results.The Kriging approximate model is established according to the finite element analysis results utilizing orthogonal design samples by taking into account of the range of configuration parameters.On the basis of the Kriging approximate model,the response surfaces between key response parameter and configuration parameters are obtained.The results indicate that configuration parameters have great effects on dynamic characteristics of machine tools,and the Kriging approximate model is an effective and rapid method for estimating dynamic characteristics of machine tools in the manufacturing space.

Thermal Error Modeling Method with the Jamming of Temperature-Sensitive Points'Volatility on CNC Machine Tools

Aiming at the deficiency of the robustness of thermal error compensation models of CNC machine tools, the mechanism of improving the models＇ robustness is studied by regarding the Leaderway-V450 machining center as the object. Through the analysis of actual spindle air cutting experimental data on Leaderway-V450 machine, it is found that the temperature-sensitive points used for modeling is volatility, and this volatility directly leads to large changes on the collinear degree among modeling independent variables. Thus, the forecasting accuracy of multivariate regression model is severely affected, and the forecasting robustness becomes poor too. To overcome this effect, a modeling method of establishing thermal error models by using single temperature variable under the jamming of temperature-sensitive points＇ volatility is put forward. According to the actual data of thermal error measured in different seasons, it is proved that the single temperature variable model can reduce the loss of fore- casting accuracy resulted from the volatility of tempera- ture-sensitive points, especially for the prediction of cross quarter data, the improvement of forecasting accuracy is about 5 μm or more. The purpose that improving the robustness of the thermal error models is realized, which can provide a reference for selecting the modelingindependent variable in the application of thermal error compensation of CNC machine tools.

ZERO TRANSMISSION AND ITS APPLICATION IN HIGH SPEED CNC MACHINE TOOLS

In order to realize high speed machining,the special requirements for the transmission and sturctrue of CNC machine tool have to be satisfied.A high speed spindle unit driven by a built-in motor is developed.An oil-water heat exchange system is used for cooling the spindle motor.The spindle is supported by Si_4N_3 ceramic ball angular contact bearings. An oil-air lubricator is used to lubricate and cool the spindle bearings.Some special structures are taken for balancing the spindle.