Automated thermal main spindle & B-axis error compensation of 5-axis machine tools

Abstract The increased demand for complex precise workpieces requires 5-axis machine tools with a high thermal stability. In this paper a recently developed thermal error reduction technique especially designed for 5-axis machine tools is presented. With a touch probe system clamped in the machine tool spindle all relevant thermal position and orientation errors of the machine tool are measured. The ability of the touch probe system on the machine tool is investigated in detail. The evaluated deviations are used to adjust a compensation model used to reduce a selection of relevant thermal position and orientation errors during measurement cycles applied for validation. The model is of linear type and robust against numerical errors.