Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-12-02 Origin: Site
Research shows that the development of modern 3-axis machines began in the early 1960s and is a direct descendant of modern 2-axis metrology machines invented in the 50s in various military defense industries.The first 2-axis universal measuring machine is believed to have been developed by the Corporation in the mid to late 1940's.The National Laboratory in Oak Ridge,Tennessee uses the YZ machine to measure the casings of hydrogen bombs.The top-secret nature of the project,though, leaves us with little actual data on the machines.Then in 1957,Moore Tool Company of the United States launched the Moore No. 3 universal three-coordinate measuring machine,also known as M3.Digital Electronic Automation in Italy and Ferranti in Scotland both develop three-axis CMMs.The first three-axis prototypes were invented in the 1960s by the Italian company DEA (now part of Hexagon Metrology).That being said,the first working CMM was developed and marketed by Browne&Sharpe in Melbourne,UK.The DEA machine is a Portal Frame CMM with a hard probe.Whereas Ferranti Metrology's machine is a cantilever CMM with a digital readout and a fixed probe. LK Tool, also from the UK, has long claimed to have produced the first bridge-type CMM that became standard on modern CMMs.Various types of configurations developed since then include cantilever CMMs,bridge CMMs, gantry CMMs,horizontal arm CMMs,portal CMMs,mobile station CMMs,fixed bridge CMMs,and articulating arm CMMs.Now,decades later,the metrology industry is in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis,and the global CMM market is estimated to reach $2.8 billion in 2020.The CMM can be either a manual CMM, where the CMM operator manually guides the CMM around the part to take measurements, or a CMM/DCC CMM, where the CMM is automatically driven by a computer control program.One thing we can be sure of is that innovations in metrology have not stopped since then and are applied in every modern industrialized country.The industry and advanced measuring machine capabilities have helped manufacturers improve and create all the products we have today.CMMs are used to monitor high-speed production and in-depth surveys and reverse engineering of various parts such as turbine blades,body parts, engine parts,gears,antennas,boat parts and medical implants.Automotive,aerospace and defense are key industries in the CMM market,with great potential in medical device development.From a regional point of view, Europe is the world's largest consumption area for three-coordinate measuring machines,and China is the most potential market with the fastest growth rate of 16.19%. 
In modern machines,the gantry-type superstructure has two legs,often called bridges.It moves freely along the granite countertop with one leg (often called the inside leg) along a rail attached to one side of the granite countertop.The other leg (usually the outside leg) simply rests on the granite countertop following the vertical surface contour.Air bearings are the method of choice to ensure frictionless travel.In it,compressed air is forced through a series of very small holes in a flat bearing surface to provide a smooth but controllable air cushion on which the CMM can move in a frictionless manner.The movement of the bridge or gantry along the granite table forms an axis in the XY plane.The bridge of a gantry consists of a carriage that traverses between the inner and outer legs and forms another X or Y horizontal axis.A third axis of motion (Z-axis) is provided by the addition of a vertical sleeve or spindle which can move up and down through the center of the carriage.The contact probe forms the sensing device at the end of the sleeve.The movement of the X,Y and Z axes completely describes the measuring range.An optional turntable is available to enhance the accessibility of the measuring probe to complex workpieces.A rotary table as a fourth drive axis doesn't add to the still 3D measurements,but it does offer a degree of flexibility.Some touch probes are themselves powered swivel units,with the probe tip capable of vertical 90° rotation and a full 360° rotation.In addition to traditional three-axis machines (pictured above),CMMs are now available in a variety of other formats.These include the CMM Arm,which uses angular measurements made at the arm's joints to calculate the position of the stylus tip.This arm-mounted CMM is often used where its portability is superior to traditional fixed-bed CMMs.Because CMM arms mimic the dexterity of a human arm, they are also often able to reach the interior of complex parts that cannot be probed using standard three-axis machines.
Mechanical probes.
Non-Contact probes.
WENZEL America.
