Programme

Tuesday, 22nd of February 2011

Plenary Session Moderation: Frank Härtig, PTB, Germany

09:00 Welcome speech and Opening
Jörn Stenger - PTB Presidential Board Member, Germany
Frank Härtig - PTB, Germany

Session 1 Moderation: Michael McCarthy, NPL, UK

09:10 Keynote speech: Economics and Technical Challenges in
Coordinate Metrology: Retrospective & Prospective
Steven Phillips - NIST, USA
Precision engineering and dimensional metrology have advanced
enormously over that past century. This talk will briefly look at some of the drivers
of these advancements and future motivators for this field of technology. In
particular, 3D coordinate metrology will be examined, some results from NIST
presented, and challenges that lie ahead considered.

09:40 Keynote speech: CMM Future Demands – Measurement at the Edge

Nick Orchard - Rollyce-Royce, England, UK
A recurring problem in manufacturing metrology is that it is a
production expense that is under constant pressure to be reduced. Although there
is an understandable desire to look for ever more accurate and faster measurement
systems, sometimes we lose sight of the real priorities. Our objective should be to
use the cheapest method of verifying the conformance of our manufacturing
processes. This means that we want to buy the ‘worst possible’ equipment that we
can get away with. It may sound odd to put it that way, but the reality is that if a low
cost CMM is adequate for the tolerances that are to be inspected, then there is no
need to buy a machine with significantly greater accuracy if it will cost significantly
more. The result of this is that we are likely to be using our measurement
equipment at the limits of its capability, so it is therefore very important that we
know where those limits lie. I believe that we need to do a lot more work to develop
our methods of assessing the true feature-specific measurement uncertainty of our
CMMs, so that we can be confident that we are correctly matching capability to
requirement. I shall illustrate this with examples from our current production
processes, and look at some of the specific measurement problems that we still
have to solve.

10:10 Coffee Break

10:40 Keynote speech: Challenges in Dimensional Metrology and the

European Metrology Research Programme
Ruedi Thalmann - METAS and EURAMET Representative
The European Metrology Research Programme EMRP aims, through
European integration, to develop new measurement capabilities which have a
strategic impact for Europe and to accelerate innovation and competitiveness
necessary to improve quality of life. The research programme is based on road
 maps identifying the major challenges in metrology. The presentation will show how
the challenges in dimensional metrology are addressed in the first call within the
iMERA-plus targeted programme length and outline the relevant projects accepted
within the new call Metrology for Industry in 2010.

11:10 New Industrial Techniques – Meeting the Challenges

Frank Härtig,- PTB, Germany
This presentation will reveal the background of the NIMTech project
(e.g. goals, project divisions; financial capacity); connectivity of the project activities
among the participating National Metrology Institutes (NMIs), consulting industries,
project sponsors. The roles of the following organisations in the project will be
presented: European Association of National Metrology Institutes (EURAMET),
European union (EU) and European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP). It is
apparently clear that the challenges in the field of dimensional metrology in modern
manufacturing industries is no longer a responsibility of a single national metrology
institute. The interdisciplinary activities of the NIMTech project with the numerous
work packages as implemented among five European National Metrology Institutes
(PTB, NPL, CMI, INRIM and MIRS/UM-FS) to address and develop new industrial
measurement technologies would be demonstrated.

11:20 3D Artefacts for Verifying Industrial Measuring Systems – Freeform,

Gears, Complex Geometries
Bonja Acko - MIRS, Slovenia
To obtain accurate and traceable measurement results of complex
geometric components on both optical and tactile 3D measuring systems, universal
and specific tasks capable measurement standards are required. Within the
framework of NIMTech project, we have developed and manufactured different
measurement standards (e.g. tetrahedron) that can be used for performance
verification tasks. Among other things, I will reveal the approaches used in the
development of those standards as well as the challenges, benefits and test results.

11:50 A New Approach to System Verification – Laser Tracker Case

Study
Ben Hughes - NPL, UK
Within the framework of NIMTech project, the use of multi-sensor
networks deploying any combination of angle and range measuring systems has
been investigated. Examples of such systems include laser tracker surveys with
overlapping points measured from multiple positions, or Indoor GPS (iGPS). Within
the project, tools for simulating these systems and methods of validating these
systems have been developed. This presentation will give an overview of the work
that has been undertaken and illustrate the use of multi-sensor networks with a new
practical application that has been developed.

12:20 Lunch and Technology Exhibition

Session 2 Moderation: Alessandro Balsamo, INRIM, Italy

13:45 Calibration Technique for Laser Tracers

Vít Zelený - CMI, Czech Republic
 The calibration of Laser tracker (LT) system used in dimensional
metrology is very challenging due to the sensitivity of its accuracy to the operating
atmosphere as well as the technique of the experimental setup. We have calibrated
four LT systems with reference laser interferometer on a 30 m long bench. The
experiments were carried out for all the LTs using the same optical path and
environment. The acquired experiences and the techniques involved with the setup
of such measurement will be shared. Several important investigations procedures
will also be described in detail.

14:00 M3D3 – High Accuracy Measurement of Large Complex 3D

Objects Using Tracking Interferometry
Klaus Wendt - PTB, Germany
The continuous drive in modern production to increase efficiency, reduce costs and
to improve quality requires more and more versatile usable, robust and portable
measurement systems. Therefore, within the NIMTech project a new portable
measuring system has been developed for high-accurate inspection and calibration
of large parts on-site directly in production. The so-called M3D3 system is based on
the principle of multilateration and can be considered as a high-precision
metrological frame. Combined with a novel measurement concept it allows
conventional coordinate measuring machines to be improved or machine centres to
be turned into qualified 3D measuring devices.

14:30 Importance of Software in Coordinate Metrology - Achievements

and Perspectives
Giampaolo D’Errico - INRIM, Italy
The target of this research work, by design is focused on improving
the quality of CMM evaluation software beyond the existing conditions. Our
approach in this new perspective is focused on providing new and adequate
reference data-set as a basis for software testing; development of valid numerical
standards; methods and procedures for CMM software testing, validation and
estimation of uncertainty of geometry as well as the evaluation algorithms. The
results and other prospects of this approach will be covered in the presentation

15:00 IASV - Internet Aided Evaluation Software Validation

Matthias Franke - PTB, Germany
Up till today, the validation of geometrical algorithms is only provided
by a few metrology institutes in a very time consuming and manual procedure
suitable only for software manufacturers. This situation leaves the CMM users
uncertain if the installed software can be still considered valid e.g. after updates or a
service release. To overcome this dilemma, an internet aided infrastructure that
facilitates the online validation of CMM evaluation software has been developed.
The concept of this new application tool comprises of new test data consisting of 3D
coordinates for prismatic form elements; a client approach; generation of a protocol;
instruments involved in secure transmission and storage channels and online
certification approach. The economic benefits of this innovative tools are huge,
particularly, to the growing manufacturing industries, measuring device
manufacturers, CMM-algorithm developers as well as the CMM users.
 Session 3 Moderation: Keynote speakers

15:30 General Discussion – Dimensional Metrology

All participants

16:00 Closing remark

Frank Härtig
16:10 End
16:20 Visit to PTB Facilities and Laboratories
 Further link

JRP partners in the Project:

www.ptb.de
www.npl.co.uk
www.inrim.it
www.cmi.cz
www.fs.uni-mb.si

Accompanying and consulting industry:

For further information contact:

Principal Organiser
Dr.-Ing. Frank Härtig
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
Coordinate Metrology
Bundesallee 100
D-38116 Braunschweig
Germany

Tel.: +49 (0)531 592-5300

Fax: +49 (0)531 592-5305
E-Mail: frank.haertig@ptb.de