Development of analog scanning probe using compliant mechanism

Title: Development of analog scanning probe using compliant mechanism

Funding agency: Department of science and technology

Scheme: Device development program (DDP)

Industry Partner: Accurate Gauging and Instruments Pvt. Ltd.

Estimated project budget: 50,000 USD

Aim: To provide technology substitutes to Indian Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) manufacturers, reducing dependence on imported probe systems while offering equivalent performance at lower costs

I am solely managing this project with my PI at IIT Bombay. My responsibilities include designing and developing the probe, validating the design through simulation, PCB design, procuring lab equipment, managing logistics for lab supplies and custom-machined parts, fabricating the testing setup, and conducting tests

Experimental setup

Rotary probe

Linear Probe

The existing analog probe used simple ‘box spring’ Motion system arrangement (parallelogram arrangement). This type of system has large inter-axis error (Parasitic error) and this error is compensated using ‘isolated optical metrology’ transducer design (Renishaw SP80 probe) which require an expensive measurement sensor. Proposed technology is also based on complaint mechanism but has double parallelogram mechanisms and optical encoders are fixed to each cascading XYZ axis. Due to double parallelogram, parasitic error in all axis reduce drastically.

Specification of Probe

Stroke Range: 3-axis measurement: ±5 mm

Pay Load Capacity: stylus mass max 0.5 -1 kg.

Measurement Speed: max 5-10 mm/sec.

Resolution of scale: 0.02 µm

Measuring Force: 5 -10 gm

Measurement accuracy : 0.05 - 0.1 µm

Cost: 1000 USD