Contact-Type Tool Setter with Sub-Micrometer Resolution for Micromachining

Abstract

A contact-type tool setter for measurement of lengths of small-diameter tools and tools in rotation has been developed. The tool setter consists of a seesaw structure and air pressure to maintain a small contact force. A contact probe at the tip of the seesaw structure is brought into contact with the tool, and the tool length is measured by accurately measuring the movement of the seesaw structure using a laser scale. To evaluate the developed tool setter, probe pushing tests were conducted, and the tool setter was confirmed to have a resolution of 0.1 µm. Additionally, a precision machining test confirmed that the tool length adjustment using the tool setter improved the machining accuracy. Furthermore, the tool setter was shown to be capable of measuring the operating characteristics of a machine tool at the sub-micrometer level.