Performance and testing

All of Renishaw's experience in metrology and laser interferometry is to be found in each and every measurement system that it produces. Our aim is to deliver the specified accuracy, with full traceability and confidence that the laser system will continuously deliver that accuracy day-after-day where it counts, in the workplace.

All lasers and ballbars are calibrated at the Renishaw factory against reference systems with traceability to national standards.

System performance

Performance specifications are verified to international procedures against a documented system error budget, with system accuracy quoted to 95% confidence level (k = 2), which is valid across the full environmental operating range. 

Without reliable and accurate wavelength compensation, errors of 20 ppm - 30 ppm would be common. Great effort has been taken to ensure Renishaw’s XC-80 compensation system and sensors are accurate across the entire operating range of the system. It is this that maintains ±0.5 ppm linear measurement accuracy from 0 ºC - 40 ºC (32 ºF - 104 ºF) and over the full air pressure range.

 

Linear measurement range	80 metres
Linear measurement accuracy	±0.5 ppm
Linear frequency accuracy  (1 year)	±0.05 ppm
Resolution	1 nm
Maximum travel velocity	4 m/s
Dynamic capture rate	10 Hz - 50 kHz
Preheat time	< 6 minutes
Specified accuracy temperature range	0 °C - 40 °C
Storage temperature range	-25 °C to +70 °C

Enviromental sensor performance

Sensor	Range	Accuracy
Material temperature	0 °C - 55 °C	±0.1 °C
Air temperature	0 °C - 40 °C	±0.2 °C
Air pressure	650 mbar - 1150 mbar	±1 mbar
Relative humidity (%)	0 - 95% non condensing	±6% RH

 

Measurement performance 

Measurement specifications for each of the measurement options can be found in the Measurement optics section.

System specifications

Renishaw operates a policy of continual improvement. Specifications given in these pages are accurate to the best of our knowledge. However Renishaw reserves the right to change product appearance and specification without notice and customers should always seek confirmation at the time of enquiry.

Rigorous testing to give you confidence

The frequency, accuracy and stability of all new lasers (XL-80) together wiith the sensing and compensation accuracy of environmental compensators (XC-80) are guaranteed to meet the published specification (± 0.5 ppm for linear measurement accuracy) on shipment from Renishaw.

With rigorous testing, and verifiable specifications Renishaw is proud of its transparency in discussions regarding system accuracy specification, certification and traceability.  When you are dealing with laser system accuracy even the smallest detail matters. Renishaw knows this and  welcomes enquiries from customers who wish to discuss this in more detail.

For more details see the attached  PDF download  (support note 001)

Validated performance

The performance specification of Renishaw's ML10 system has been validated by numerous calibrations of customer equipment carried out by UK National Physics Laboratory (NPL) over the last 15 years. The graph below shows the results of all 79 NPL calibrations of ML10 systems (ML10 and EC10 environmental compensation unit) carried out over this period. It clearly shows that the system's measured linear measurement error is tightly distributed around zero and system accuracy (including uncertainty of measurement) is well within Renishaw's published specifications.

With the same attention to design, manufacture and testing now built into every XL-80 system, you can be confident that with Renishaw you will experience an assured specification and system performance.