RENISHAW PLC

A motorised measurement arm apparatus for a machine tool includes a base for attachment to the machine tool and an arm member extending from the base for holding one or more sensors. The arm member is moveable relative to the base between a stowed position and an operative position, the operative position being defined by engagement of a mechanical stop arrangement. The apparatus also has a motor for moving the arm member relative to the base and a motor controller for energising the motor to move the arm member relative to the base. The motor controller is configured to energise the motor when the arm member is in the operative position to maintain engagement of the mechanical stop arrangement. An operative position having improved repeatability is thus obtained.

A spectrometer including a laser for generating a laser beam, a lens for directing the laser beam to a location of a sample, and a component for directing the laser beam to the lens so as to be co-axial with the lens' optical axis, the spectrometer including a beam splitter for directing the part of the laser beam towards a sensor arranged such that part of the laser beam can be used for monitoring alignment of the laser beam with the lens' optical axis, and wherein the spectrometer comprises a laser beam path correction element. Optionally the spectrometer includes an element for directing the part of the laser beam towards a sensor.

A method of determining components present in a sample from spectral data obtained from the sample including resolving each of a plurality of models of the spectral data, the plurality of models including models having a different number of component reference spectra selected from a set of predetermined component reference spectra; selecting a one of the plurality of models based upon a model selection criterion and determining one or more components present in the sample based upon the selected model. The model selection criterion includes a measure for each model, which balances improvements in fit quality of the model to the spectral data against a complexity penalty determined from the number of component reference spectrum used in the model.

A metrology apparatus includes an indexed articulated joint including: first and second relatively reorientable bodies, respectively having mutually engageable engagement elements, which can be locked together in different angular orientations about a first axis to provide a plurality of angularly indexed positions of the bodies; at least one verification sensor configured to provide a measure of the relative spatial configuration of bodies when in their locked state; and wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the bodies lock together at an indexed position, the sensor measures the relative spatial configuration of the bodies, and wherein information obtained from the measure is compared to calibration information obtained from at least one other measure of the relative spatial configuration of the bodies when the bodies were locked at said indexed position at an earlier point in time, in order to establish information about the state of engagement of the bodies.

A method includes a plurality of scanners, each scanner directing a corresponding laser beam to different positions on a powder bed, an isotropic position sensitive detector arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation arising from interaction of the laser beams with the powder bed and a movable optical component for moving a field of view of the isotropic position sensitive detector to different positions on the powder bed. The method includes positioning the movable optical component and/or a first or second scanner of the plurality of scanners such that a first or second point irradiated by a first or second laser beam of the first or second scanner within the field of view of the isotropic position sensitive detector and recording a first or second position of an image on the isotropic position sensitive detector generated during irradiation of the first or second point by the first or second laser beam.

A method of communicating information to a measurement probe mounted on a coordinate positioning machine includes encoding the information as one or more of a plurality of characteristic movements of the probe, controlling the machine to impart the movement(s) to the probe, detecting the movement(s) at the probe, and decoding the information at the probe from the detected movement(s). A measurement probe for use in such a method is mountable to the machine and includes at least one movement sensor for sensing movement imparted to the measurement probe by the machine, and a controller for determining whether the sensed movement includes one or more of the plurality of characteristic movements of the probe and for performing an operation at or controlling operation of the probe in dependence on the determination.

A metrology apparatus including an articulated joint having: first and second bodies which can be locked together in a plurality of different angular orientations about a first axis; the first body including a prop which is actuatable by a motor between a retracted configuration at which the first and second bodies are in their locked state, and an extended configuration at which the first and second bodies are held apart by the prop along the first axis such that the first and second bodies are unlocked thereby permitting relative rotation of the first and second bodies, the prop and the second body being magnetically biased toward each other so as to magnetically retain the first and second bodies; and further including at least one supplemental bias member configured to bias the prop towards its retracted configuration.

A scale arrangement for a measurement encoder includes a scale and a thermal displacement relief structure. The thermal displacement relief structure includes an intermediate member and a first thermal displacement relief layer for attaching the scale to the intermediate member. The coefficients of thermal expansion of the intermediate member and the scale conform to the following: - 3 × 10 - 6 ⁢ K - 1 ≤ CTE ⁡ ( intermediate ⁢ member ) - CTE ⁡ ( scale ) ≤ 6 × 10 - 6 ⁢ K - 1 .

A method of manufacturing an article, including using coordinate measuring machine both to obtain three-dimensional point coordinate measurements of first part of article in place and to position a second part of article in predetermined spatial relationship relative to first part in dependence upon measurements of first part. Predetermined spatial relationship is defined in more than three degrees of freedom. Positioning second part relative to first part includes controlling machine to move second part relative to first part in more than three degrees of freedom. Machine is controlled to hold first and second parts in predetermined spatial relationship while performing an operation to fix both parts in predetermined spatial relationship. Second part is not in direct contact with any other part of article when first and second parts are in predetermined spatial relationship, at least not in a manner which would interfere with or influence or affect predetermined spatial relationship.

A method of calibrating a coordinate positioning machine having a first member that is moveable relative to a second member, wherein the geometry of the machine is characterised by a set of model parameters. The machine is controlled to make point contact between multiple reference surfaces of a tool or artefact mounted on the first member and multiple reference surfaces of an artefact mounted on the second member. At least one of the model parameters is updated knowing or taking into account that the actual separations between the relevant surfaces are zero when making contact, even if the expected separations between the relevant surfaces as derived from the current model parameters are non-zero.