Machine tools abstract
In a method for calibrating machine units in machine tools and
robotic devices that perform a parallel-kinematic motion in a motion
space, the position of the machine unit relative to a reference
system is determined from the totality of the positions of all drives
operating in parallel of the machine units, whereby each drive moves
relative to the reference system a single drivetrain that is associated
exclusively with the drive. The machine units can be calibrated
using a robust and efficient iterative process that generates a
kinematic transformation.
Machine tools claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for calibrating machine units disposed in machine tools
and robotic devices and moved by a parallel kinematic in a motion
space, the machine units including between two and six drives that
can be controlled independently of each other, directly or via force
transmitting and guide means or articulated joints that operate
on a moved machine unit, a controller for setting desired positions
and/or desired trajectories in a Cartesian coordinate system and
for converting the Cartesian desired positions and desired trajectories
into desired positions and/or desired trajectories of the two to
six drives through a kinematic transformation g, depending of a
finite set of invariant machine parameters, measurement and control
devices for controlling the two to six drives to their desired positions
and/or desired trajectories, with a device for measuring a deviation
of an actual position from the position set by the controller, the
method comprising the steps of a) determining on a number of K positions
in the motion space of the moved machine unit the deviation of the
actual position from the position set by the controller, b) linearizing
for each position k of the K positions the nonlinear relationship
between parameters errors and positioning errors by way of a Jacobi
matrix J.sub.k, c) forming a system of linear equations between
parameters errors and positioning errors from the K linearized relationships,
d) computing the parameter error by at least approximately solving
the system of linear equations, e) computing new machine parameters
from the machine parameters used in the transformation g with the
computed parameter errors, and f) updating the kinematic transformation
g stored in the controller with the updated machine parameters.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the number K of measurements
is selected so that the system of linear equations has a unique
solution.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the number K of measurements
is greater than necessary to produce a system of linear equations
with a unique solution and wherein the system of linear equations
is solved approximately using a least-squares method.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the parameter errors are computed
by including historic statistical data of measurement values and
estimated parameter errors with a minimal variance.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein new machine parameters are computed
by associating a weight with the parameter errors.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the linearization is performed
about the machine parameters that form the basis of the kinematic
transformation g and are stored in the controller.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the Jacobi matrix J.sub.k is
calculated numerically using a difference quotient, making use of
the kinematic transformation g stored in the controller as well
as the Cartesian desired positions of the machine unit, or of the
indirect kinematic transformation f with the actual positions of
the drive.
8. The method of claim 1 and further repeating the steps a) through
f) until the positioning error is smaller than a predetermined value,
wherein during the subsequent repetition of steps a) through f)
the positioning error is either newly measured or computed with
a predictive method based on a modified transformation.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined value is defined
such that a subsequent error compensation using the method can be
performed with a lesser number of support points than an error compensation
performed without using the method.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the errors are compensated in
a Cartesian coordinate system.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the errors are compensated in
a coordinate system of the axes drives.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein for measuring the positioning
error, a master workpiece with machining features is scanned.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the master workpiece is a plate
and the machining features are implemented as bores having a known
position, a known diameter and a known depth.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning error is measured
with a measuring device selected from the group consisting of stylus,
laser interferometer and laser tracker.
Machine tools description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the priority of German Patent Application,
Serial No. 102 09 141.2 filed Mar. 1 2002 pursuant to 35 U.S.C.
119(a)-(d), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for calibrating and operating
machine units in machine tools and robotic devices that perform
a parallel-kinematic motion in a motion space.
The term "parallel-kinematic" is used to describe machines
with drives, wherein the position of a machine unit relative to
a reference system can be derived from the totality of the positions
of all drives operating in parallel on the machine unit, wherein
each drive exclusively moves a single drive train relative to the
reference system which is associated with this drive.
Machine units that are moved by a parallel kinematics can have
a different number of degrees of freedom, depending on the design
and number of drives and additional constraints, such as bearings
and guides. As with classical (i.e., serial machine kinematics)
a kinematic degree of freedom of a moved machine unit is defined
by each drive which is typically uniaxial. However, unlike the serial
machine kinematics, individual drives cannot be associated with
individual degrees of freedom of the machine unit.
Parallel-kinematics are employed with machine tools, but can also
have other applications, for example in robotic devices, which are
described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6328510 B1 which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The simplest calibration method according to the state-of-the-art
includes a very precise measurement of all individual components
as well as the entire assembly. This method has a disadvantage that
it is very complex and not very precise, since the individual errors
typically add up to a larger total error.
Other conventional methods determine corrected parameter values
based on measured positioning errors in the Cartesian coordinate
system by starting from a raw transformation based on measured parameters
or based on fabrication dimensions. Such methods are described,
for example, in WO 99/28097 and DE 19 80 6085 A1. Because the kinematic
transformation typically involves rather complex transcendent functions,
the corrected parameter values are computed mostly with numeric
equation solvers and/or with numeric optimization methods. These
methods include the so-called descent methods, with the Newton-method
being the most widely known method.
It is evident that a parallel-kinematic machine can only be as
accurate as the information about the underlying transformation
and the transformation parameters, unless an error compensation
method, for example in the Cartesian coordinate system, is employed.
All calibration methods, with the exception of the error compensation
methods, aim to exactly determine the transformation parameters.
Conversely, in the error compensation method, a table with the compensation
values associated with the different corresponding positions is
stored and taken into account when computing the desired positions
values. For positions between the support points in the table, the
compensation values are interpolated.
Disadvantageously, these error compensation methods can only be
calibrated in the region of the workspace where measurement values
are available. Because of the non-linear nature of the transformation,
these measurement support points have to be located on the fine
grid (e.g., every 10 mm), which causes long measuring times. However,
if all transformation parameters are determined with sufficient
accuracy, then the operating precision of the machine improves also
outside of the regions where measurement values are available. This
method for determining the transformation parameters is therefore
typically preferred over error compensation methods.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an
improved method for calibrating and operating machine units in machine
tools and robotic devices that perform a parallel-kinematic motion
in a motion space, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is
able to specifically provide less computation-intensive convergent
solutions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a method for calibrating parallel-kinematic
machine units, and more particular to a method that uses an iterative
process for generating a kinematic transformation. The method is
robust and uses an iterative solution trial based on a simple and
robust algorithm, wherein the measurement of the machine is integrated
in the integration cycle and therefore executed multiple times.
Advantageously, the number of integration cycles is small so that
the method can be automated.
According to an aspect of the invention, a method is disclosed
for calibrating machine units disposed in machine tools and robotic
devices and moved by a parallel kinematic in a motion space. The
machine units including between two and six drives that can be controlled
independently of each other, either directly or via force transmitting
and guide means or articulated joints that operate on a moved machine
unit. A controller can set desired positions and/or desired trajectories
in a Cartesian coordinate system and/or convert the Cartesian desired
positions and desired trajectories into desired positions and/or
desired trajectories of the two to six drives through a kinematic
transformation g, depending of a finite set of invariant machine
parameters. The machine units can also include measurement and control
devices for controlling the two to six drives to their desired positions
and/or desired trajectories, and a device for measuring a deviation
of an actual position from the position set by the controller.
The method according to the present invention includes the steps
of: a) determining on a number of K positions in the motion space
of the moved machine unit the deviation of the actual position from
the position set by the controller, b) linearizing for each position
k of the K positions the nonlinear relationship between parameters
errors and positioning errors by way of a Jacobi matrix J.sub.k,
c) forming a system of linear equations between parameters errors
and positioning errors from the K linearized relationships, d) computing
the parameter error by at least approximately solving the system
of linear equations, e) computing new machine parameters from the
machine parameters used in the transformation g with the computed
parameter errors, and f) updating the kinematic transformation g
stored in the controller with the updated machine parameters.
Advantageous embodiments of the method may include one or more
of the following features. The number K of measurements can be selected
so that the system of linear equations has a unique solution. However,
the number K of measurements can also be greater than necessary
to produce a system of linear equations with a unique solution,
in which case the system of linear equations can be solved approximately
using a least-squares method.
Advantageously, the parameter errors can be computed by including
historic statistical data of measurement values and estimated parameter
errors with a minimal variance. Also, new machine parameters can
be computed by associating a weight with the parameter errors. A
linearization can be performed about the machine parameters that
form the basis of the kinematic transformation g and are stored
in the controller.
To reduce the mathematical complexity, the Jacobi matrix J.sub.k
can be calculated numerically by using a difference quotient, either
by using the kinematic transformation g stored in the controller
as well as the Cartesian desired positions of the machine unit,
or by using the indirect kinematic transformation f with the actual
positions of the drive.
The method steps a) through f), as set forth above, can be repeated
until the positioning error is smaller than a predetermined value,
wherein during the subsequent repetition of steps a) through f)
the positioning error can either be newly measured or computed with
a predictive method based on a modified transformation. Alternatively
or in addition, the steps a) through f) above may be repeated only
until a positioning accuracy is achieved which requires a lesser
number of support points than an error compensation without a prior
application of the disclosed method. The error compensation is then
performed with the reduced number of support points by repeating
steps a) through f) and either newly measuring the positioning error
or computing the positioning error with a predictive method based
on a modified transformation.
The errors can be compensated in a Cartesian coordinate system
or in a coordinate system of the axes drives.
For measuring the positioning error, a master workpiece with machining
features can be scanned. The master workpiece can be, for example,
a plate, and the machining features can be implemented as bores
having a known position, a known diameter and a known depth. The
positioning error can be measured with a measuring device, such
as a stylus, laser interferometer and/or laser tracker.
Because the algorithm is simple, it can also be executed autonomously
on the computer of the machine controller, which is advantageous
in manufacturing applications by obviating the need for external
computers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be
more readily apparent upon reading the following description of
currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 shows exemplary parameters that describe a kinematic transformation,
such as geometric values and/or fabrication dimensions;
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a master workpiece in the form of
a perforated plate with bores representing machining features to
be scanned; and
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary device for scanning of the perforated
plate of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
Throughout all the Figures, same or corresponding elements are
generally indicated by same reference numerals. These depicted embodiments
are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as
limiting in any way.
The basis for the method of the invention is a transformation that
is linearized at the actual operating point (i.e., at the point
of a position measurement) about the actual parameter values. From
a plurality of position measurements, including associated drive
coordinates as well as linearized transformations, a system of linear
equations is generated at each iteration step. The parameters subject
to correction can be accurately determined (if the system of equations
can be inverted), depending on the number of the position measurements
and the number of the parameters, or averaged (if the number of
measured values is greater than the number of parameters to be corrected)
using a least-squares calculation (using the pseudo-inverse of Moore-Penrose).
New positioning errors are measured based on the corrected transformation
and the optimization cycle is repeated. The multiple measurements
do not pose a problem when an automated measurement cycle is used,
since the method was found to converge after only a small number
of measurements when a parallel kinematics as described in U.S.
Pat. No. 6328510 B1 is employed.
A measurement setup for scanning an exemplary master workpiece
with machining features of known dimensions and position is shown
in FIG. 3. The exemplary master workpiece can be in the form of
a perforated plate 1 as shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The
bores 2 have a known position, a known diameter and a known depth.
The measuring tool can be a sensor 3 in the form of a stylus, cooperating
for example with a ruler, a laser interferometer, a laser tracker
and the like.
The relationship, which allows the position of a machine unit that
is moved by a parallel kinematics relative to a reference system
to be computed from the totality of positions of all drives operating
in parallel on this machine unit, is referred to as kinematic transformation,
or more precisely as an indirect kinematic problem. The relationship
can be expressed as a vector function f according to
wherein x:=[x y . . . ].sup.T is a vector in the Cartesian coordinates
of the parallel-kinematically moved machine unit, A:=[.alpha..sub.1
.alpha..sub.2 . . . ].sup.T is the vector of the drive coordinates
and P:=[P.sub.1 P.sub.2 . . . ].sup.T is the vector of the invariant
transformation parameter.
The vectors in Cartesian coordinates are referenced to a stationery
reference system MBS (machine reference system), with the position
of the Tool Center Point (TCP) shown in FIG. 1. The vectors describe
the operation of the parallel-kinematic disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6328510 B1. The vector of the drive coordinates in this machine
corresponds to the 2-tupel [q.sub.1 q.sub.2 ].sup.T of FIG. 1 i.e.,
the coordinates of the left skid A.sub.0 and right skid B.sub.0.
The transformation parameters P:=[P.sub.1 P.sub.2 . . . ].sup.T
include all geometric values (fabrication dimensions) described
in the context of Eq. (1) and depicted in FIG. 1 with the following
quantities:
b.sub.1 b.sub.2 indicates the starting points of the motion curves
of the skids A.sub.0 and B.sub.0 in the machine reference system
"MBS", n.sub.1 n.sub.2 indicates the direction vectors
of the guides, I.sub.1 indicates the distance between the joint
centers of the links, p.sub.1 p.sub.2 indicates the coordinates
of the centers of the joints or skids A.sub.0 and B.sub.0 in the
platform coordinate system "PKS", W.sub.1 indicates the
coordinates of the point of intersection of both lin- ear axes in
the gear case in the gear case coordinate system "SKS",
W.sub.2 indicates the coordinates of the center of the joints of
the gear box link in the SKS coordinate system, and 0.sub.PKS indicates
the fixed point on the gear box; origin of the "PKS",
(=TCP) "TCP" is offset in the z-direction.
If a desired position value ##EQU1##
in a parallel-kinematic NC-machine is to be set along a defined
trajectory, then the values for the drive coordinates have to be
computed section-by-section and processed in the drive controllers
using the inverse function g of the vector function f: ##EQU2##
Eq. (2) is also referred to as direct kinematic problem.
Starting with a parameter vector P.sub.i (stored in the controller)
that operates in the control transformation, and an unknown parameter
vector P.sub.mech that operates in the actual machine, wherein i
is the index of the iteration (starting with i=0 for the initial
state, for example based on fabrication dimensions), several measurement
values x.sub.ist,k are obtained at different positions, as implied
in FIG. 3 with ##EQU3##
with positioning errors
being computed from these measurement values. k=1 . . . K is the
index of the measurements. The parameter error to be determined
is
The indirect kinematic problem of Eq. (1) can be linearized for
the best-known parameter vector P.sub.i, with the index i referring
to the last iteration: ##EQU4##
The actual parameter vector P.sub.mech is hereby associated with
the actual or measured position vector x.sub.ist,k, whereas the
best-known parameter vector P.sub.i is associated with the theoretically
achievable position vector x.sub.soll,k. The relationship between
the actual (i.e., i-th) parameter error and the k-th measurement
is provided by the Jacobi matrix J.sub.i,k at the location of the
best-known parameter in iteration step i as well as at the location
of the drive coordinates associated with the k-th measurement. Eq.
(6) can only be applied to the indirect kinematic problem of Eq.
(1). However, the Jacobi matrix J.sub.i,k can also be derived from
the direct kinematic problem according to Eq. (2), as discussed
in more detail below.
Since all conventional machines have more parameters than degrees
of freedom, the Jacobi matrix J.sub.i,k in Eq. (6) cannot be inverted,
i.e., the system of linear equations (6) which evaluates exactly
one measurement, cannot be solved. Accordingly, several measurements
have to be included for determining the parameter errors from Eq.
(6). A system of linear equations is then formed from exactly as
many measurements K, so that the system can be inverted: ##EQU5##
If the system can be inverted, then the following parameter error
is obtained ##EQU6##
If more measurements are to be evaluated than are required to satisfy
the criteria for inversion, then J.sub.i.sup.-1 can be replaced
by the corresponding Moore-Penrose pseudo-inverse (see, for example,
Zurmuhl, Falk: "Matrix Theory", Chapter 8.6 and 12.1;
Springer 1992). One obtains instead of (8): ##EQU7##
The computed parameter error vector is optimized by the method
of least-squares, since not all measurements are compatible. Practical
tests have shown that measurement errors can be compensated and
that the computational accuracy can be improved by including a larger
number of measurement points, within certain limits. Important for
the selection of the measurement points is not only their overall
number, but also their distribution in the workspace. If the distribution
is poor, for example, if the measurement locations are spaced too
closely, then the potential inversion of the matrix J.sub.i and/or
J.sub.i.sup.T.multidot.J.sub.i is degraded, which can cause numerical
errors.
If in the least-squares minimization according to Eq. (9) certain
parameters are preferred and other parameters are only changed in
small steps, then the method can be improved by incorporating statistical
historical data about individual parameters and about the measurements.
Both the parameter errors and the measurements can here be regarded
as stochastic variables with a zero mean. The following covariance
matrices can be associated therewith ##EQU8##
wherein the operator E indicates the generation of an expected
value. Both covariance matrices can be populated with historical
values about the expected accuracies. Since parameter errors as
well as measurement errors are generally uncorrelated, the covariance
matrices will typically consists only of diagonal elements (i.e.
variances that are identical to the squares of the standard deviation).
The accuracy of measurement errors is typically determined by the
measurement procedures, so that the covariance matrix of the measurement
errors will also be independent of the individual measurements and
the iteration step. This yields the scalar variance .sigma..sup.2
(x) of the measurement and the K-dimensional unit matrix I.sub.K
Regarding the covariance matrix of the parameter errors, different
accuracies can be introduced for determining the parameters from
the fabrication dimensions. For example, in the machine described
in U.S. Pat. No. 6328510 B1 the direction vectors of the guides
are parallel within better than 0.01 mm, whereas the origins of
the linear measurement systems of the two Y-carriages and therefore
the Y-components of the parameters b.sub.1 b.sub.2 can range from
0.1 mm to several mm. Significantly different accuracies are also
present if a previously calibrated machine is repaired, whereby
certain parameters are changed and other parameters retain their
original values. If good approximate values for the diagonal elements
of the covariance matrices are available, for example as empirically
determined variances, then the accuracy of the computed parameters
can be enhanced by using the following formula for the expected
linear, true estimated value with minimal covariance in the case
that the number of measurements exceeds the number of parameters:
##EQU9##
(Source: K. Brammer/G. Siffling: Kalman-Bucy-Filter, S. 71; Oldenbourg,
1989). Eq. (12) is different from Eq. (9) only by the additive term
in parentheses, as defined in Eq. (11). When the method is executed
iteratively several times, then the covariance matrix of the parameter
error could actually be updated based on the already included measurements,
since the statistical historical data are thereby changed. This
would result in a Kalman filter of a stationary process, albeit
for the special situation that the dimension of the measurement
vector is greater than the dimension of a state vector (i.e., parameter
vector) to be determined.
After the parameter error vector has been determined, the iteration
method is completed by determining a new parameter vector with Eq.
(5):
The number of iteration steps can be reduced if an oscillatory
behavior, i.e. overshoot of the iteration steps, is observed during
iteration:
In the parallel kinematics described in U.S. Pat. No. 6328510
B1 a weighting factor of .eta.=0.6 has proven to be advantageous,
without the need for including statistical historical data according
to Eq. (9).
The Jacobi matrix in Eq. (6) assumes that information is available
about the indirect kinematic problem. The following computation
can be used to apply the method also to the direct kinematic problem.
If the direct kinematic problem of Eq. (2) is linearized about the
set position x.sub.soll and about the parameter vector P.sub.i operating
in the control transformation, one obtains ##EQU10##
are also Jacobi matrices. ##EQU11##
is here typically regular and can be inverted. To obtain a linearized
relationship between parameter error and positioning error, Eq.
(15) is set to zero, the error definitions of Eq. (4) and (5) are
inserted, and the Eq. (15) is solved for the positioning error.
Assuming to that the equation can be inverted, one obtains ##EQU12##
and hence the desired Jacobi matrix J.sub.i,k in Eq. (6) ##EQU13##
The Jacobi matrix is advantageously computed numerically, so that
the method can be applied without introducing additional mathematical
complexity. This is done based on the transformation f, or by forming
difference quotients based on the transformation g, which has to
be created anyway for implementation in the controller. This is
shown below for an exemplary elements of the Jacobi matrix of Eq.
(6), namely for the x-coordinate and the parameter number s according
to the following equation, by varying the s-th element of the parameter
vector: ##EQU14##
wherein .DELTA.p is a parameter increment that is small compared
to the parameter values.
A basic accuracy can be achieved within a few iteration cycles
(for example 2 cycles), so that the parallel kinematics achieves
sufficient basic accuracy in a first iteration, for example as straightness
of the path. With this basic accuracy, a conventional error compensation
method can be executed with a relatively small number of support
points. The compensation method can be performed with the perforated
plate 1 (with a coarse grid) shown in FIG. 2. Such error compensation
method can be applied in the Cartesian coordinate system as well
as in the coordinate system of the axes drives. This combination
of methods can be applied when the kinematic transformation g stored
in the controller does not adequately describe the actual mechanical
situation on the machine. This happens, for example, when the paths
of the drive carriages are assumed to be ideally straight in the
transformation, by in reality have an inevitable curvature.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the iterative
process required by the nonlinearity of the transformation is not
performed at every step with a new measurement, but the error expected
following a change in a parameter can be predicted based on the
changed transformation and the historical measurement values. Only
a few measurements, in an optimal case only a single measurement,
may be sufficient with this embodiment. It is therefore similar
with the aforedescribed descent method, however with the difference
that it is specifically adapted to the optimization task and hence
converges extremely fast and reliably.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in connection
with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail,
it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various
modifications and structural changes may be made without departing
in any way from the spirit of the present invention. The embodiments
were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles
of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person
skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments
with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. |