Setup for Triggering Force Testing of Touch Probes for CNC Machine Tools and CMMs

Touch-trigger probes are commonly used both in coordinate measuring machines (CMM) and in computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools. In both cases accuracy of measurement of the overall system and probing unit are closely interrelated. Key parameters of the probes are repeatability and pre-travel variation dependent on adjustable stylus force. To enable testing of the triggering force of the probes, the new setup was developed. The principle of the method and set-up is presented and its validity is experimentally confirmed.