EP0199962A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Improvements in or relating to the measurement and machining of engineering components
Assignee: AE PLC
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Filing: 1986-03-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-03-18
Abstract
Abstract 0 A method and apparatus are described for the automatic gauging of engineering components. The apparatus includes clamp means for holding a component to be gauged; probe means for scanning a surface of the component; drive means to provide relative motion between the component and the probe means in three mutually perpendicular axes; measuring transducer means associated with the drive means and the probe means to generate signals to measure the degree of movement between the component and the probe means; computer memory means for storing data relating to a reference profile having dimensions which it is desired to achieve; computer means for comparing signals generated by the measuring transducer means with the corresponding singals in the memory means; computer means for calculating the error between the stored data and signals generated by the measuring transducer means to stack the component to maximise desired coincidence between the dimensions of the reference profile and the actual component. The method and apparatus are described with reference to the gauging of components having aerofoils.
Inventors
- 👤 Antony Johns
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:02
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/416; G05B19/4166; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/36; G05B2219/36523; G05B2219/37; G05B2219/37075; G05B2219/37194; G05B2219/37196; G05B2219/37525; G05B2219/37574; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49362; G05B2219/50; G05B2219/50063; G05B2219/50391; G05B2219/50399
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
Apparatus for the automatic gauging and machining of engineering components the apparatus being characterised by comprising gauging means, handling means and machining means, the gauging means having: means for holding a component to be gauged; probe means for scanning a surface of the component; drive means to provide relative motion between the component and the probe means in three mutually perpendicular axes; measuring transducer means associated with the drive means and the probe means to generate signals to measure the degree of movement between the component and the probe; computer memory means for storing data relating to a reference profile having dimensions which it is desired to achieve; means for comparing signals generated by the measuring transducer means with the corresponding signals in the memory means; means for computing the error between the stored data and the signals generated by the measuring transducer means to stack the component to maximise desired coincidence between the reference profile and the actual component; computer means for communicating data relating to any residual error to a handling device or to the machining means, the handling device having means for transferring the component from the gauging means to the machining means and back to the gauging means, and means associated with the machining means or with the handling device for controlling the degree of machining in accordance with the data communicated from the gauging means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
Apparatus for the automatic gauging and machining of engineering components the apparatus being characterised by comprising gauging means, handling means and machining means, the gauging means having: means for holding a component to be gauged; probe means for scanning a surface of the component; drive means to provide relative motion between the component and the probe means in three mutually perpendicular axes; measuring transducer means associated with the drive means and the probe means to generate signals to measure the degree of movement between the component and the probe; computer memory means for storing data relating to a reference profile having dimensions which it is desired to achieve; means for comparing signals generated by the measuring transducer means with the corresponding signals in the memory means; means for computing the error between the stored data and the signals generated by the measuring transducer means to stack the component to maximise desired coincidence between the reference profile and the actual component; computer means for communicating data relating to any residual error to a handling device or to the machining means, the handling device having means for transferring the component from the gauging means to the machining means and back to the gauging means, and means associated with the machining means or with the handling device for controlling the degree of machining in accordance with the data communicated from the gauging means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 and characterised in that the apparatus further comprises an automatic loading and unloading facility for the gauging means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 and characterised in that the handling device comprises a robot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to any one preceding claim and characterised in that the machining means comprises abrasive material removal means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to Claim 4 and characterised in that the abrasive material removal comprises an abrasive belt linishing machine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to Claim 4 and characterised in that the abrasive material removal means comprises abrasive grit blasting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to Claim 4 and characterised in that the abrasive material removal means comprises abrasive resilient grinding wheel means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to any one preceding claim and characterised in that the machining means further includes pressure sensors to aid control of the degree of metal removal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to any one preceding claim from Claim 1 to Claim 7 and characterised in that the handling device further includes pressure sensors to aid control of the degree of metal removal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for the automatic gauging and machining of engineering components, the method being characterised by including the steps of: producing relative movement between the component and probe means in two mutually perpendicular axes; scanning the component surface with the probe means by means of a computer program controlling the relative movement; generating signals relating to component dimensions and geometry by transducer means associated with the relative movement between the component and the probe means; comparing by computer means the generated signals with data stored in computer memory means and which relates to a reference profile which it is desired to achieve; calculating the error by computer means between the generated signals and the stored data; stacking the measured component data by computer means to maximise desired coincidence between the reference profile and the actual component profile; communicating data relating to any residual dimensional error to a handling device or to machining means; moving the component by the handling device to machining means, and machining the component in accordance with the data relating to the residual dimensional error.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for the automatic gauging and machining of engineering components, the method being characterised by including the steps of: producing relative movement between the component and probe means in two mutually perpendicular axes; scanning the component surface with the probe means by means of a computer program controlling the relative movement; generating signals relating to component dimensions and geometry by transducer means associated with the relative movement between the component and the probe means; comparing by computer means the generated signals with data stored in computer memory means and which relates to a reference profile which it is desired to achieve; calculating the error by computer means between the generated signals and the stored data; stacking the measured component data by computer means to maximise desired coincidence between the reference profile and the actual component profile; communicating data relating to any residual dimensional error to a handling device or to machining means; moving the component by the handling device to machining means, and machining the component in accordance with the data relating to the residual dimensional error.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to Claim 10 and characterised in that the component is returned to the gauging means after machining.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to Claim 10 and characterised in that components which are within tolerance or are not capable of being brought within tolerance are off-loaded from the gauging means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to any one preceding claim from Claim 10 to Claim 12 and characterised in that the loading and unloading operation is automated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to any one preceding claim from Claim 10 to Claim 13 and characterised in that one gauging means supplies more than one machining means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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