Ballbar Operation Manual

匯出日期：2023-05-11
修改日期：2021-05-14
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Ballbar Operation Manual

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Ballbar Operation Manual

1 Ballbar test introduction

Ballbar test is a very high accuracy, telescoping linear sensor with precision balls at each end. This document will
take Renishaw QC-20W as an example.
In use the balls of the sensor are kinematically located in the magnetic cups. This arrangement enables the ballbar
to measure minute variations in radius as the machine follows a programmed circular path around the mount on

the machine table.

Benefit of ballbar testing
Ballbar testing provides a simple, rapid check of a CNC machine tool's positioning performance to recognized
international standards (e.g. ISO, ANSI/ASME etc) allowing users to benchmark and track the performance of their
machines and to quickly diagnose problems that may require maintenance and the error sources that produce
them.
Regular ballbar testing of machine tools helps to:
• ensure accurate parts, first time, from CNC machines
• reduce machine down-time, scrap and inspection costs
• demonstrate compliance with machine performance and quality management standards
• implement fact based predictive maintenance

Ballbar test introduction – 3

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Ballbar Operation Manual

2 Component Introduction
2.1 Component Overview
N Description Figure N Description Figure
o o
. ,

1 Holder A 6 Adapter cable, detector and

signal receiver box
• Connect with the
ball end (male • The detector is
part) of the connected to the PC via
detector the adapter cable.
• Receiver box with
magnets to attach to
the panel

Component Introduction – 4
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Ballbar Operation Manual

N Description Figure N Description Figure

o o
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2 Holder B 7 Magnetic base

1. Holder(left • Two magnetic holders
picture) are required for Y-Z axis
(X-Z axis) circularity
• Connected to the
testing
magnet end
(female part) of
the detector
• There is a screw
on top of the
holder to loosen
the iron ball for
positioning
• After positioning,
the ball needs to
be locked again
2.
ball mounts
(including new centre
pivot and tool cup
extension)(QC-20W
kit)
• allow to carry out
a 220° arc test in
planes
through the
centre pivot axis
• carry out ballbar
tests in three
orthogonal planes
without the need
to reposition the
centre pivot,

3 Double-headed bolt 8 Detector extension rod

• Combined with • Three sizes available,
holder A depending on condition
• Convenient for • 50mm
locking the holder • 150mm
A to the machine • 300mm
• Specification
• M8x25
• M8x15

Component Introduction – 5
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Ballbar Operation Manual

N Description Figure N Description Figure

o o
. ,

4 Holder auxiliary rob 9 Small circle accessory

kit(QC-20W)
• Connects the
magnetic base to • used with the QC20-W
the holder B ballbar to allow tests
• The length can be with a radius of 50 mm
increased or • This can be useful when
decreased testing machine axes
depending on the with short axis travel, or
situation and is to emphasize the
available in three effects of servo and
sizes. dynamic errors on the
• 30mm machine (small circles
• 50mm require higher machine
• 100mm accelerations and
• Only the 30mm deceleration).
one can be
combined with
the magnetic
holder.

Component Introduction – 6
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Ballbar Operation Manual

N Description Figure N Description Figure

o o
. ,

5 Detector body
1. Wireless
ballbar(QC-20W kit)
• Use bluetooth
connection, with
CR2 battery
• Both sides are ball
ends. One side is
with spring and
strain gauge
2. ballbar with
wires(from
Heidenhain, currently
seldom used)
• The magnet end is
on the left, the
ball end is on the
right
• The number
above is the
compensation
factor (1.0014),
which must be
filled in when
using Renishaw
software for the
first time

2.2 Basic Tutorials

No. Instruction Figure

1 Detector and holder

• Holder A attracts to the male part of the detector
• The female part of the detector attracts the iron ball of the
holder B

Component Introduction – 7
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Ballbar Operation Manual

No. Instruction Figure

2 Detector & extension rob

• The basic length between the two centers is 100mm after the
iron ball is attracted at both ends of the detector.
• When the measurement radius is larger than basic, an
extension bar can be added. Figure a
• The magnet end can be removed using the two pieces of tools
on the top left of figure a, and the extension bar can be
installed.
• Figure b: Two small holes on the female part of the detector
• Figure c: There is a small point protruding from the front of the
tool to snap the small hole on Figure b Figure b
• Two pieces of tool each snap a hole, depending on whether to
turn tight or loose, the direction of the two pieces of tool will
be different

Figure c

3 Holder A & double head bolt

• Can be combined with the magnetic base or directly mounted
on the milling machine handle
• Please choose 8mm diameter for the handle sleeve size

Component Introduction – 8
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Ballbar Operation Manual

No. Instruction Figure

4 Holder B, auxiliary rob and magnetic base

• Three auxiliary rods can be combined into one
• Auxiliary rob must be used with magnetic base
• For Y-Z axis (X-Z) ballbar testing, Holder B should be used with
an auxiliary rob.

5 Adapter cable & PC

• One end of the adapter cable is connected to the detector and
the other end is connected to the PC

Component Introduction – 9
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Ballbar Operation Manual

3 X-Y plane erection process

1. Combine the holder A with the double-head bolt, then with the tool holder, and then install the tool holder
on the machine spindle. (As in basic tutorials item 3)
2. Attach the holder B on the workbench and loosen the screw on the holder B.
3. Move the X,Y,Z axis of the machine and let the holder A attach the iron ball of the holder B. (Refer to the
middle diagram below the Y-Z plane erection process)
4. After attaching the iron ball, make adjustment of the iron ball position, try to align the center of the sucker at
the bottom of the holder B in the X-Y direction as accurate as possible. Then adjust an appropriate height in
the Z direction. At the same time, the iron ball does not have to be pulled out too much.
5. After the X-Y-Z direction is adjusted, lock the screws on the holder and set the current X-Y-Z machine
coordinates to G54.
6. Import the processing procedures for ballbar testing into the controller, then turn on the MPG simulation
function. Execute the program to confirm the action is correct (Note: it is not recommended to install the
detector at this time)
7. After dry running the program ,cancel the MPG simulation function and execute the program again to reach
the standby position before the test. (Usually it will execute to M00 and the machine is in B-STOP state)
8. Open the Renishaw software and enter the "wait for plunge feed" state. (Software usage is described
separately)
9. Install the detector and the final combination is shown in the figure below.
10. Start the trigger program and the machine starts to the ballbar testing. (Generally two turns clockwise and
one turn counterclockwise)
11. The machine stops and the Renishaw software starts drawing and lists the results of the calculations.

X-Y plane erection process – 10

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Ballbar Operation Manual

4 Y-Z/X-Z plane erection process

1. Attach the holder A to the double-head bolt and then to the magnetic base, and then attach the magnetic
base to the part of the machine that moves with the Z axis. (As in the basic tutorials, item 3)
2. Combine holder B, auxiliary rob and magnetic base, then attach the magnetic base to the vise or workbench,
and then loosen the screws on the base, see the left figure below. (As shown in the basic tutorials, item 4)
3. Move the X,Y,Z axis of the machine and let the holder A to attach the iron ball of the holder B. Refer to the
middle diagram below.
4. After attaching the iron ball, make adjustment of the iron ball position. Try to align the center of the sucker
at the bottom of the holder B in the Y-Z direction as accurate as possible. Then adjust an appropriate height
in the X direction. At the same time, the iron ball does not have to be pulled out too much.
5. After the X-Y-Z direction is adjusted, lock the screws on the holder and set the current X-Y-Z machine
coordinates to G54.
6. Import the processing procedures for ballbar testing into the controller, then turn on the MPG simulation
function, then execute the program to confirm the action is correct (Note: it is not recommended to install
the detector at this time)
7. After dry running the program ,cancel the MPG simulation function and execute the program again to reach
the standby position before the test. (Usually it will execute to M00 and the machine is in B-STOP state)
8. Open the Renishaw software and enter the "wait for plunge feed" state. (Software usage is described
separately)
9. Install the detector and the final combination is shown in the figure below.
10. Start the trigger program and the machine starts to the ballbar testing. (Generally two turns clockwise and
one turn counterclockwise)
11. The machine stops and the Renishaw software starts drawing and lists the results of the calculations.

Y-Z/X-Z plane erection process – 11

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Ballbar Operation Manual

Y-Z/X-Z plane erection process – 12

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Ballbar Operation Manual

5 Software Tutorials
Ste Instruction Figure
p

1 Download the software from the Renishaw website and install it.
http://www.renishaw.com/en/ballbar-20-for-qc20-w-and-qc10--11076

2 After opening the software, select "Execute Ballbar Tester Testing".

3 • Set the machine type, test plane, test radius, feed rate and other
information.
• Press the right arrow in the bottom right corner (next page) to go to
the next page.

4 • Check if the axial positive and negative direction is correct

• Set the size of the arc for ballbar testing.
• Set the direction to be followed in the ballbar testing. (G02/G03)
• Press the green button in the screen, you can preview the simulation
path.
• On the machine, the relative position of the two iron balls of the
detector and the holder B should match the simulated path.
• Press the button in the lower right corner between the two arrows
(G02-) to generate the NC program.
• If the NC program has been generated, press next page directly.

Software Tutorials – 13
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Ballbar Operation Manual

Ste Instruction Figure

p

5 • After setting the NC file name in the lower left corner, the arrow
button in the center of the screen will be enabled.
• Check the "Exclude warning text" box.
• Press the green arrow in the center, the NC program content will be
displayed in the right window.
• You can compare the simulation path with the NC program content to
see if it matches the machine's condition.
• Press the Save button in the lower right corner to export the NC file
and save it to the controller.
• After exporting, press the left arrow (previous page) at the bottom
right corner to go back to the previous page.

6 • Check the test conditions to see if it meets the requirement

• After checking, click next page

7 • Confirm that the detector is connected to the PC

• You can go to the device administrator to confirm. If the connection is
successful, you can see which (COM) the device is connected to

8 • After successful connection, you can see the port number on the
software screen.
• When the software is first installed and used, a small window for
setting the compensation factor will pop up.
• The company is currently using QC10, choose another one will not be
found. (QC20-W)
• The compensation factor is written on the detector, the current value
is 1.0014.

9 • After setting, you can see the model number, serial number,
compensation factor and other information on the left side.
• After confirming, press next page.

Software Tutorials – 14
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Ballbar Operation Manual

Ste Instruction Figure

p

10 • The current status is waiting for start-up.

• Press the start button in the lower right corner, the status will change
to "waiting for plunge feed".
• Complete each plane erection process steps 1~7

11 • At this time, the distance between the center of the two iron balls
should be the test radius plus 1.5 mm
• "Waiting for plunge feed" is waiting for the moment when this 1.5mm
is eliminated.
• Take the test radius of 150mm as an example. After pressing the
Cyclestart button, the distance between the iron balls will change
from 151.5mm to 150mm (please refer to the NC file in the appendix
chapter)
• Next, enter the data capture stage. Normally, it will take turns, one in
the clockwise direction and two in the counterclockwise direction.
• During the testing process, avoid any jamming or pulling of the
detector wire to avoid affecting the test results.

12 • After the test is completed, the software will draw the test results,
including the central graph and all data analysis.
There are three tabs: percentages, values, and tables
• Percentages: lists the five error items with higher percentages
• Numerical: lists the common types of error items
• Table: lists all error analysis results
• From the data and percentages, you can understand the machine
condition and possible sources of problems.
• The use of Ballbar is generally to measure the size of the horn effect,
that is, the item "reverse pulse" .
• Other items such as backlash, verticality, and servo dismatch can also
be observed in the meantime.

13 • Turn to the table tab, the bottom will list the center offset in both
directions.
• This value is a small error that may occur occasionally during setup. It
is recommended that it be less than 10u, otherwise it will affect the
test results.
• The error can be corrected based on the analysis of the center offset,
by fine tuning the G54 workpiece coordinates until the offset is less
than 10u.
• For example, if the X-axis offset is 15u, the X coordinate of G54 should
be reduced by 0.015mm.

Software Tutorials – 15
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Ballbar Operation Manual

Ste Instruction Figure

p

14 • Click on each error item and a Help window will appear, explaining
the cause of the error and the possible sources of the problem.

Software Tutorials – 16
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6 Appendix
6.1 Auxiliary rob dimensions

6.2 Renishaw standard X-Y plane circular program

%
O1111 (NC program ID)
(Quick Inspection: X-Y 360 degrees 150mm)
(XY, 360 degree test, 150 mm radius, 1000 mm/min feed rate)
(Work offset must be defined at the center stand positioning)
N0010 G71 (input mm)
N0020 G54 (Set origin position)
N0030 G90 (absolute size)
N0040 G17 (X-Y plane)
N0050 G64 (Stop between deactivation steps)
N0060 M05 (Additional title code)
N0070 M19 (Additional title code)
N0080 G94 F1000 (Feed rate mm/min)
N0090 G01 X-151.500 Y0.000 Z0.000 (Move to start point)
N0100 M00 (Stop to load the ballbar tester)
N0110 G01 X-150.000 Y0.000 (Inward feed)
N0120 G03 X-150.000 Y0.000 I150.000 J0.000 (counterclockwise arc)
N0130 G03 X-150.000 Y0.000 I150.000 J0.000 (counterclockwise arc)
N0140 G01 X-151.500 Y0.000 (Outward feed)
N0150 G04 X5 (Pause between runs)
N0160 G01 X-150.000 Y0.000 (Inward feed)
N0170 G02 X-150.000 Y0.000 I150.000 J0.000 (clockwise arc)
N0180 G02 X-150.000 Y0.000 I150.000 J0.000 (clockwise arc)

Appendix – 17
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Ballbar Operation Manual

N0190 G01 X-151.500 Y0.000 (Outward feed)

N0200 M30 (Program termination)
%
Reference：
Renishaw QC-20W ballbar system https://www.renishaw.com/en/qc20-w-ballbar-system--11075
Renishaw training films https://www.renishaw.com.tw/tw/training-videos–38804
qc20-w_technical_brochure.pdf

Appendix – 18