SBIR-STTR Award

The purpose of the VMIS is to allow manufacturers theluxury of testing and perfecting manufacturing plans long beforea single machine tool is turned on and resources are committed.The VMIS will allow the user to select an available machine tooland an available inspection device, specify a proposed inspectionplan and a dimensional analysis procedure, and then build andinspect hundreds (or even thousands) of virtual parts. This willbe accomplished in the span of a few minutes rather than waitingseveral months for _he first pre-production run If these virtualparts indicate a high rejection rate, the process can be reinedor additional diagnostic tests can be conducted within VMIS toisolate and correct the problems. All this would go on before thepressure of idle resources forces a compromise in quality. TheVirtual Measuring Device (kinematic model of the CMM structure),Dimensional Analysis (mathematical fitting algorithms), and DataGeneration Measurement strategy) Modules of this project combineto yield a Mutual Coordinate Measuring Machine (VCMM) as definedin the referenced Solicitation Subtopic. To test this VCMM weneed a source of parts with known errors. What better source thana Virtual Machine Tool. The Virtual Machine Tool Module willreceive minimal emphasis under this proposal. It is merely aconvenient and efficient method of producing virtual test partswith known anomalies.Potential commercial application of the research:GeneralMetrology: Determination of optimal inspection strategies and thesuitability of existing CMM's for specific applications. GeneralDesign: Help prevent the specification of unrealistic tolerancespecifications. Specific CMM Design: Help design & build moreaccurate and less expensive machines.

The purpose of the virtual coordinate measurement machine (VCMM) is to allow manufacturers the benefit of testing proposed CMM inspection procedures through computer simulation, before involving costly capital equipment and labor.A Virtual Measuring Device Module (kinematic model of the CMM structure), a Dimensional Analysis (mathematical fitting algorithms) Module, and a Data Generation (measurement strategy) Module, combine to yield a VCMM as defined in the referenced Solicitation Subtopic. The conceptual framework of the VCMM developed under the Phase 1 effort also demonstrated that computer simulation could accurately predict actual measurement uncertainty of an individual CMM. The Phase 2 project will support many more geometrical entities, provide a much more complete description of the Virtual Measuring Device Module, and increase the adaptability to user defined measurement situations. An Industrial Review Board will provide real world field testing of early Phase 2 prototypes.Commercial applications:The VCMM software will assist thousands of industrial metrologists using CMMs to improve measurement accuracy, reduce scrap, and increase product quality. Manufacturers of geometrically complex components, such as those found in the aerospace industry, will have an immediate tool to determine whether an anticipated measurement plan is capable of inspecting a part. Design engineers will benefit by avoiding the specification of unrealistic tolerance requirements. The VCMM will also assist CMM Designers in designing and building more accurate and less expensive machines.