Dimensional Tolerance Allocation for New Type of Parallel Machine Tools.docVIP

PAGE  Dimensional Tolerance Allocation for New Type of Parallel Machine Tools 1 INTRODUCTIONS The prototype of a new type of parallel machine tools is a 6-6 Stewart platform mechanism. Compared to the traditional machine tool, a parallel machine tool possesses many advantages, such as high precision, high structural rigidity and high machining force/torque capacity, etc. Currently, many universities have research on this kind of machine tools. As shown in Fig.1, the parallel machine tool comprises the following four parts: a fixed platform, six in-parallel actuators, the length variation of each actuator is implemented by ball-screws and the ball-screws are driven by servo motors. The ball joints connect the fixed and moving platforms with ball-screws; a spindle is installed on moving platform bottom. When machining work is being carried out the variation of the moving platform allows a parallel machine tool to machine complicated curved work piece such as die, impeller etc. The developing tendency of modern NC machine tools is high speed and high precision, and the machine tool errors have direct effect on machine tool precision. In order to meet the precision specified, a scientific dimensional tolerance allocation is urgently required in the design of this kind of machine tool. The errors of the machine tool include the following parts: 1)transmission error in transmission chains, i.e. ,pitch cumulative error of the ball-screw in each actuator and dead domain error during starting or reversing operation;2)length transform error of the ball-screw due to the influence of ambient temperature;3)pares clearance error that connect fixed and moving platform;4)other errors, i.e. , positioning error caused by transmission rigidity, dynamic error caused by moving parts mass and velocity damping. The above errors will finally lead to error at the cutter head of the machine tool. This paper will carry out research on dimensional tolerance allocation based on a kind of s