High Precision Calibration of Modern Machine Tools by Inertial MeasurementHochpräzise Bahnkalibrierungen bei Werkzeugmaschinen durch Beschleunigungsmessungen

This paper yields the experimental proof that by strapdown accelerometers precise path calibrations of Cartesian machine tools can be performed with position accuracies in the micrometer scale and better. The acceleration sensors are fixed at the movable machine parts and position is calculated by time integration of the acceleration signals. To get high calibration accuracy one has to compensate carefully all systematic error sources in the inertial measurement channel, for instance dynamic sensor errors as well as disturbing vibrations of machine structure. We conclude that embedded inertial calibrators in machine tools can perform not only very fast and precise calibration procedures but also the inertial equipment is applicable for some additional tasks like in-process structural health monitoring.