Testing and calibration of coordinate measuring arms

Portable coordinate measuring arms with rotational axes have found their pl ace in many industrial areas. To establish and confirm the accuracy of thes e measuring devices, related test methods and appropriate devices are neede d. After an introduction, a new high precision measuring device for testing and calibration of portable coordinate measuring arms is presented. Analys is showed that the best results can be obtained with a device for measuring along a straight line adjusted in various spatial directions. We discuss t he design and construction of this measuring system and provide a theoretic al calculation of its measurement accuracy, which was confirmed by experime nts carried nut on a prototype of a high precision measuring device in both unloaded and loaded conditions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.