QC10 testing

With a QC10 ballbar system it only takes 10 minutes to diagnose machine faults. 

This page guides you through the steps necessary, to complete a ballbar test from set-up to analysis.

How does the test work?

The Renishaw QC10 Ballbar and its software are used to measure geometric errors present in a CNC machine tool and detect inaccuracies induced by its controller and servo drive systems.

Errors are measured by instructing the machine tool to 'Perform a Ballbar Test' which will instruct it to scribe a circular arc or circle. Small deviations in the radius of this movement are measured by a transducer and captured by the software.

The resultant data is then plotted on the screen, to reveal how well the machine performed the test.

If the machine had no errors, the plotted data would show a perfect circle. The presence of any errors will distort this circle, for example, by adding peaks along its circumference and possibly making it more elliptical.

These deviations from a perfect circle reveal problems and inaccuracies in the numerical control, drive servos and the machine's axes.

Test times will vary with test radius and machine feed rate but typically will be 10-15 minutes.

The attached animation shows all the steps in a typical ballbar test from set up to data review..... or watch the video clips after each of the sections below.

The QC10 ballbar test sequence

QC10 ballbar testing consists of 3 simple stages, Setup, Data Capture and Analysis.

Set-up

• Set-up is quick and easy with Windows® based software guiding the operator through each step.
• The QC10 is mounted between two kinetmatic magnetic joints.
• A simple G02 and G03 command program is all that's required for the test.

Watch the video...

Data capture

• The machine tool performs two consecutive arcs, one in a clockwise direction, the othercounter-clockwise.
• The QC10 ballbar accurately measures any deviations in the circle radius during the test.

Watch the video...

Analysis

Ballbar data is sent directly to a PC via a standard RS232 link.(compatible with specified serial to USB convertors)

• Ballbar 5 HPS software then analyses the data to produce reports in accordance with ISO 230-4, ASME B5.54 - B5.5, JIS B6194 or GB/T 17421.4 machine performance standards.
• An optional Renishaw format report gives even more diagnostic options.
• The shape of the ballbar plot indicates the major sources of machine error.
• Powerful software automatically analyses the data and diagnoses specific machine error characteristics.
• Each error is ranked according to its significance to overall machine accuracy.
• Overall machine accuracy is graded with a value for circularity and positional tolerance.
• Machine history function allows a review of historical test data for a certain machine.
• Pinpointing the specific machine faults enables efficient, targeted machine maintenance and minimise downtime. Hotlinks within the software take you directly to the relevant section of the user manual for further explaination. This includes causes for each type of machine error and offers advice on how best to fix them.
• The software includes a machine error simulator to help predict the effects of maintenance in advance.
• On repair options and the history option enables you to plan predictive maintenance programs by tracking machine performance.

Watch the video...