Thermal-Error Control of Precision Machine Structures

摘要

A deterministic means of controlling and accounting for thermal errors increases the micron and sub-micron machining performance of precision machining equipment. A method of controlling and minimizing thermal deformations is being developed based on temperature-controlled cooling channels. These passages are either imbedded within the structure, or strategically located near the largest heat loads, for instance under the workpiece table of a machine base. Results from small-scale experiments with additional finite-element analyses provide the means of determining the complete temperature and displacement fields of thermally loaded structures. The overall project goal is to develop a generalized modeling and design methodology for controlling thermal deformations in machine tools.