Analytical Approach for Design of Alignment Errors of Machine Tools

Nobuhiro Sugimura and Shinya Mitani

College of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University,
1-1 Gakuencho, Sakai, Osaka 599-8351, Japan
E-mail: sugimura@center.osakafu-u.ac.jp



ABSTRACT
The objectives of the present research are to establish a mathematical model representing alignment
errors of machine tools, and to carry out theoretical analysis of machining errors based on the proposed
model. A mathematical model is proposed based on shape generation process of machine tools to
represent alignment errors of 5-axis machine tools. The model describes the relative motions between the
tool and the workpiece by combining 4 by 4 homogeneous transformation matrices. Machining errors of
various types of 5-axis machine tools are investigated through simulation by applying the proposed model,
aimed at verifying adaptability of the feed axis configurations of the machine tools from the viewpoint of
the machining errors.

INTRODUCTION
New type manufacturing systems are now required to cope with large-variety small batch
productions with high accuracy and high quality products. Machine tools are recognized as key
components of the manufacturing systems. Much progress has been made in the machine tool
technologies aimed at improving the performances of the machine tools from various viewpoints, such as
accuracy, reliability, productivity, and flexibility. One of the most important revolutions in the later part of
this century is introduction of NC (Numerical Control) machine tools, which are able to carry out various
complicated machining processes without human interaction. Various types of multi-axis NC machine
tools are now being applied to machining process of complicated surfaces of mechanical products. It is
now required to clarify the relationships between the kinematic errors of the machine tools and the
geometric errors of the generated surfaces, in order to generate the complicated surfaces with the high
accuracy and quality.
The objective of the research is to develop a systematic design method of multi-axis machine tools
based on a mathematical model representing the shape generation processes of the machine tools
1),2)
. The
mathematical model has been applied to various research fields of the analysis and the design of the
machine tools. For examples, a systematic method was proposed for the static accuracy test of the
machining center based on a model representing the kinematic errors of the machining centers
3)
. Shape
generation motions of the 5-axis machining centers were described by a mathematical model taking into
consideration of the alignment errors, and the motion errors of machine tools were analyzed by applying
the model
4),5)
. A method was proposed to estimate the alignment errors of the machine tools based on
machined part shape measurement
6)
. The model of the shape generation process was also applied to NC
data generation and post-processing for the 5-axis machining
7),8)
.
In the previous researches, systematic methods have been proposed to design feasible structures of
the machine tools based on the geometric shapes of the products and the machining errors by applying the
model of the shape generation process
9)-11)
. This paper deals with theoretical analysis of the machining
errors of the 5-axis machine tools based on the model.

DESIGN OF MACHINE TOOL ACCURACY
Figure 1 summarizes the factors that affect the machining errors of the product surfaces and their
relationships from the viewpoint of the shape generation process of the machine tools. The geometric
errors of the product surfaces are determined mainly from the relative motion errors between the tools and
the workpieces, the geometric errors of the tools, and the errors in the material removal processes. The
requirements on the geometric errors of the product surfaces should be distributed among the factors
above mentioned in the design process of the machine tools, and finally the accuracy of all the
components of machine tools are designed.
The relations among the factors shown in Fig. 1 are
very complicated, and have not yet so clear at present.
Therefore, this paper deals mainly with the design process
of the errors in relative motions between the tools and the
workpieces. In particular, the alignment errors of the feed
axes and the main motion axis of the 5-axis machine tools
are considered. The alignment errors mean here the
relative position and orientation errors between these
axes.

MODELING OF SHAPE GENERARION
MOTIONS AND ALIGNMENT ERRORS
Shape Generation Motion
The shape generation process of the
machine tools is generally represented by the
shape generation motions, and also the tool
geometries
1),2)
. The shape generation motions,
which are the relative motions of the tools
against the workpieces, are executed by a set of
rigid components of the machine tools. Figure 2
shows a schematic illustration describing the rigid
components called units and the shape generation
motions among them. The shape generation motions
are described mathematically by the following
equation;

r r
W n T
AA A
1 2

(1)

where,
r
T
: position vector of a point on the tool given in the
tool coordinate system,
r
W
: position vector of the point given in the workpiece
coordinate system, and
A
i
: 4 by 4 homogeneous transformation matrices
representing the relative motions between pairs of
units.
The individual relative motions given by A
i
are
generally either the translation motions along the X, Y
and Z-axis or the rotary motions around the X, Y and
Z-axis. The axes of the rotary motion around X, Y and
Z-axis are denoted by A, B and C in the followings.
Therefore, the matrices shown in Table 1 describe the
transformation matrices Ai. In the Table, index j (j = 1,
2, , 6) of A
j
shows the motion type and the axis of
the motion.
Maretial Removal
Process Errors
Geometric Errors
of Tools
Kinematic Errors
of Main Motion
Geometric Errors of
Envelope of Tools
Kinematic Errors
of Feed Motion
Geoemtric Errors of Machined Surface


Fig. 1 Factors affecting machining errors


















Fig. 2 Shape generation motion of machine tools
Table 1 Transformation matrices describing
translation motions and rotary motions

Motion Axis Transformation Matrix



Translation
Motion


X



Y



Z
A
x
1
1 0 0
0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1

_
,

A
y 2
1 0 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1

_
,

A
z
3
1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0
0 0 1
0 0 0 1

_
,

Rotary
Motion





A



B



C
A
4
1 0 0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0 0 1

_
,

cos sin
sin cos



A
5
0 0
0 1 0 0
0 0
0 0 0 1

_
,

cos sin
sin cos



A
6
0 0
0 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1

_
,

cos sin
sin cos




Workpiece
Unit
Intermediate
Unit
Base
Unit
Intermediate
Unit
Tool
Unit
A
1
A
2
A
n
A
n - 1


Three types of 5-axis machine tools shown in Fig. 3 are considered in the research, and the axes of
the feed motions and the main motion are schematically illustrated in Fig. 4. The shape generation
motions of these machine tools are given in the followings;

(a) Tool rotation type
r
r
W
T
A d A x A d A y A d A z A d
A A d A A d A c A d

3
1
1 3
2
2 3
3
3 3
4
6
1
3
5
4 3
6
6
2
3
7
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
(2)

Z
X
Y
Workplace
C-axis R.S.
A-axis R.S.
X-axis.T.S.
Y axis T.S.
Cutting Tool
Spindle
Z-axis T.S.
@
A
B
C
D

Z
X
Y
Workplace
C-axis R.S.
A-axis R.S.
X-axis.T.S.
Y axis T.S.
Cutting Tool
Spindle
Z-axis T.S.
@
A
B
C
D

Z
X
Y
Workplace
C-axis R.S.
A-axis R.S.
X-axis.T.S.
Y axis T.S.
Cutting Tool
Spindle
Z-axis T.S.
@
A
B
C
D


(a) Tool rotation type (b) Tool & workpiece rotation type (c ) Workpiece rotation type

Fig. 4 Feed and main motion axes of 5-axis machine tools

A
C
Z
Y
X

Z
A
C
Y
X

C
A
X
Y
Z

(a) Tool rotation type (b) Tool & workpiece rotation type (c ) Workpiece rotation type

Fig. 3 Various types of 5-axis machine tools


(b) Workpiece and tool rotation type
r
r
W
T
A d A A d A x A d A y A d
A z A d A A d A c A d

3
1
6
1
3
2
1 3
3
2 3
4
3 3
5
4 3
6
6
2
3
7
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

(3)

(c) Workpiece rotation type
r
r
W
T
A d A A d A A d A x A d
A y A d A z A d A c A d

3
1
6
1
3
2
4 3
3
1 3
4
2 3
5
3 3
6
6
2
3
7
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

(4)

where,
A
j
(*): transformation matrices representing the feed motions and the relative positions among the axes,
A
c
j
(*): transformation matrices representing main motion,
x, y, z: parameters representing linear feed motions along the X, Y, and Z-axis, and
, , : parameters representing rotary main motion and rotary feed motions around the X, Y and Z-axis.

Modeling of Alignment Errors
The alignment errors considered here are the errors of the relative positions and orientations
between pairs of succeeding axes, for examples, C-axis and A-axis, A-axis and X-axis, and X-axis and
Y-axis of the workpiece rotation type machine tool shown in Fig. 3 (c). The position and orientation
errors in the three-dimensional coordinate space are generally composed of three components of
translation errors and three components of rotational errors. If these errors are very small, the position and
orientation errors between pairs of the axes are given by the following equation.

1
]
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0 0 0 1
x
y
z
(5)

where,
, , : rotational errors around X, Y, and Z-axis, and

x
,
y y
,
z
: translation errors along X, Y, and Z-axis.

If the three dimensional coordinate systems of the machine tools are set suitable to represent the
alignment errors, the error between a pair of axes can be represented more simply, as summarized in the
followings;
(a) Tool rotation type
Z-axis is set to equal to the rotational axis of the main motion, and Y-axis is set to be perpendicular
to both the Z-axis and the rotary feed axis in X directions.
(b) Workpiece and tool rotation type
Z-axis is set to equal to the rotational axis of the main motion, and Y-axis is set to be perpendicular
to both the Z-axis and the rotary feed axis in X directions.
(c) Workpiece rotation type
Z-axis is set to equal to the rotational axis of the main motion, and X-axis is set to be perpendicular
to both the Z-axis and the linear feed axis in Y directions.
In the cases mentioned above, the individual matrices representing the alignment errors can be
simplified, and the shape generating motions including the alignment errors are described by the
following equations;
(a) Tool rotation type
r
r
W XY YZ ZC
CA AC T
A d A x E A d A y E A d A z E A d
A E A d A E A d A c A d

3
1
1 3
2
2 3
3
3 3
4
6
1
3
5
4 3
6
6
2
3
7
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
(6)


(b) Workpiece and tool rotation type
r
r
W CX XY YZ
ZA AC T
A d A E A d A x E A d A y E A d
A z E A d A E A d A c A d

3
1
6
1
3
2
1 3
3
2 3
4
3 3
5
4 3
6
6
2
3
7
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

(7)

(c) Workpiece rotation type
r
r
W CA AX XY
YZ ZC T
A d A E A d A E A d A x E A d
A y E A d A z E A d Ac A d

3
1
6
1
3
2
4 3
3
1 3
4
2 3
5
3 3
6
6
2
3
7
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

(8)
where,
E
ij
: alignment errors between axis-i and axis-j.

ANALYSIS OF MACHINING ERRORS
Machining errors of the 5-axis machine tools are investigated through the simulation by applying
the proposed model given in Eqs. (6), (7) and (8), aimed at verifying adaptability of the feed axis
configurations of machine tools from the viewpoint of the machining errors. The analysis conditions
applied here are shown in the followings;
(1) Machined surface is a half sphere shown in Fig. 5 (a). The center of the sphere is set not to equal to
the center of the worktable.
(2) Machining process is an end-milling, and the direction of the tool is controlled to equal to the normal
vector of the machined surface, as shown in Fig. 5 (b).
(3) The errors of the rotary main motion and the geometric errors of the tool are ignored.

In the first step of the analysis, the tool path data representing the feed motions of the individual
feed axes are calculated based on the geometry of the machined surface, by applying the ideal shape
generation motions given in Eqs. (2), (3) and (4). Following this, the tool path including the alignment
errors is generated by applying the Eqs. (6), (7) and (8), and the positioning errors of the tool against the
workpieces are calculated at a set of points on the machined surface in the second step. The positioning
errors of the tool are measured from the machined surface to the bottom face of the end-milling tool along
the normal directions of the surface.
Only one alignment error is taken into consideration in each analysis in order to clarify the effect of
each error on the geometric errors of the machined surface. That is, one of the error components in Table
2 is set to be the unit value in each analysis in the second step. The unit values of the errors are set to be
10 m for the translation errors and 10 rad for the rotational errors.
Table 2 summarizes the analysis results describing the effects of the individual error components on
the geometric errors of the machined surface. In the table, the mean values are the averages of the errors
at all the points on the surface, and the standard deviation values are calculated from the mean values and
the errors at all the points. It is shown in the table that the effects of some alignment errors on the
positioning errors are relatively larger than the other alignment errors. It is also concluded that some of
the alignment errors do not affect the positioning errors in the normal direction of the machined surface.
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
-40
-20
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80

Machined Surface
Endmilling Tool


(a) Machined Surface (b) Machining Process

Fig. 5 Machined surface and machining process

As shown here, the effects of the individual components of the alignment errors can be easily evaluated
by applying the method proposed here.

CONCLUSIONS
(1) A mathematical model was proposed to represent the alignment errors of the feed axes and the main
motion axis of three types of 5-axis machine tools. The proposed model represents the shape
generation motions between the tools and the workpieces taking into consideration of the alignment
errors.
(2) The effects of the alignment error components on the geometric errors of the machined surface were
analyzed through the simulation applying the proposed model. The results show that the effects of
some alignment errors on the positioning errors of the tool are relatively larger than the other
alignment errors.

REFERENCES
1) Reshetov, D. N., and Portman, V. T., Accuracy of Machine Tools, APME Press, (1988), p.21.
2) Sugimura, N., Iwata, K., and Oba, F., Formation of Shape Generation Processes of Machine Tools,
Proc. of IFAC 81, Vol. XIV, (1981), p.158.
3) Inamura, T., Yasui, T., Misawa, T., and Watanabe, M., An Error-model Reference Method of Static
Accuracy Test for Machining Center, J. of JSPE, Vol. 51, No. 5, (1985), p.1060.
4) Sakamoto, S. and Inasaki, I., Analysis of Generating Motion for Five-Axis Machining Centers, Trans.
of NAMRI/SME, Vol. 21, (1993), p.287.
5) Sakamoto, S. and Inasaki, I., Error Analysis of Precision Machine Tools, Proc. of the 3rd Int. Conf. of
Ultraprecision in Manufacturing Engineering, (1994), p.245.
6) Kishinami, T., Tanaka, F., and Yamada, M., Estimation Method for Alignment Errors of Machine
Tools Based on Machined Part Shape Measuring, Proc. of ASPE 1993 Annual Meeting, (1993), p.358.
7) Takeuchi, Y. and Idemura, T., 5-Axis Control Machining and Grinding Based on Solid Model, Annals
of the CIRP, Vol. 40, (1991), p.455.
8) Takeuchi, Y., and Watanabe, T., Generation of 5-Axis Control Collision-Free Tool Path and
Postprocessing for NC Data, Annals of the CIRP, Vol. 41, (1992), p.539.
9) Iwata, K., Sugimura, N., and Peng, L., A Mathematical Analysis of Product Surfaces for Machine
Tool Design, Proc. of MI 88, ASME, (1988), p.1.
10) Iwata, K. and Sugimura, N., A Knowledge Based Structural Design of Machine Tools for FMS/FMC,
Proc. of 21st Int. Seminar of Manufacturing Systems, (1989), p.1.1.
11) Moriwaki, T., Sugimura, N., and Miao, Y., A Model Based Design of Kinematic Accuracy of Machine
Tools, Human Aspects in Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Elsevier Science Publishers, (1992),
p.673.
Table 2 Effects of alignment errors on machining errors

(a) Tool Rotation Type (b) Tool & Workpiece Rotation Type (c) Workpiece Rotation Type
Machining Errors( m) Machining Errors( m) Machining Errors( m)
Alignment
Errors
Mean
Value
Standard
Deviation
Alignment
Errors
Mean
Value
Standard
Deviation
Alignment
Errors
Mean
Value
Standard
Deviation

xCA

5.1 2.9
xCX

0.7 0.7
xCA

0.0 0.0

yCA

5.1 2.9

yCX

4.8 2.4

yCA

8.0 2.1

yAS

5.1 2.9

yAS

4.8 2.4
zAX

10.0 0.0

zAS

4.8 2.9
zAS

4.8 2.4

yAX

0.0 0.0

XY

0.8 0.4
CX

0.9 0.2
CA

1.0 0.3

XY

1.2 0.8
CX

0.2 0.1
CA

0.2 0.1

YZ

1.5 0.8
XY

0.2 0.2
AX

0.3 0.2

YZ

0.0 0.0
XY

0.0 0.0
AX

0.0 0.0

ZC

4.8 0.8
YZ

6.2 1.2
XY

0.0 0.0

ZC

4.4 2.5
YZ

0.2 0.2
XY

0.0 0.0

CA

3.2 1.7
ZA

3.8 2.2
YZ

1.6 0.4

CA

3.2 1.7
ZA

0.6 0.6
ZS

3.5 1.8

AS

0.0 0.0
AS

0.2 0.2
ZS

0.0 0.0