Machining center

Claim 1

A machining center comprising: (a) a base; (b) a column fixed to the base; (c) a spindlehead slidably mounted to the column along a first-direction and having a spindle; (d) a table for detachably supporting a workpiece thereon; (e) a first supporting means slidable along a second-direction for supporting the table; (f) a second supporting means slidable along a third-direction for supporting the first supporting means; (g) a probe means for detachably mounting in the spindle; (h) a first moving means for moving the spindlehead so as to cause relative motion between the probe means mounted in the spindle and the workpiece on the table along the first-direction; (i) a second moving means for moving the first supporting means so as to cause relative motion between the probe means mounted in the spindle and the workpiece on the table along the second-direction perpendicular to the first-direction; (j) a third moving means for moving the table so as to cause relative motion between the probe means mounted in the spindle and the workpiece on the table along the third-direction perpendicular to both the first-direction and the second-direction; (k) a laser length measuring machine for measuring distances of the relative motion between the probe means mounted in the spindle and the workpiece on the table along the first, second and third directions, the laser length measuring machine comprising; (1) a laser head having a laser light source and a receiving means, the laser head being fixed relative to the column; (2) a splitter means for splitting laser light from the laser light source into plural laser beams, the splitter means being fixed relative to the base; and (3) reflecting means for travelling the laser beams through the splitter means to the receiving means, respectively, by reflecting the laser beams, the reflecting means being operatively associated with each of the first, second and third-directions and being movable relative to the laser light source in response to the relative motion between the probe means and the workpiece, one of the reflecting means being positioned at the spindlehead, another of the reflecting means being positioned at the first supporting means, and a third of the reflecting means being positioned at the table; (l) a counter means being fixed relative to the base for counting signals from the receiving means, so as to convert the signals into distance information, along the first, second and third-directions; and (m) a data processing means being fixed relative to the base for observing the geometrical shape of the workpiece according to both a contact signal from the probe means and the distance information from the counter means.