Influence of guideways misalignment on the positioning precision of

kinematic feed chains used on CNC machine tools

FUNARU Marian1, a, STAN Gheorghe1,b
1

Vasile Alecsandri University of Bacau, Department of Industrial Engineering, Calea Marasesti

Street, No. 157, 600115 Bacau, Romania
a

marian_funaru@yahoo.com, bghstan@ub.ro

Keywords: CNC machine tool, kinematic feed chain, guidance system, alignment errors,
positioning precision

Abstract. The main goal of the kinematic feed chains used on numerically controlled machine tools
is to ensure the relative position between the manufactured part and the cutting tool tip with a high
accuracy. Therefore, the positioning precision is a major performance criterion for CNC machine
tools. The guidance system of the machine table, together with the actuation system and the closedloop control system, represents a key factor in manufacturing high precision machine tools.
Mounting and alignment errors of guideways, both in vertical and horizontal directions, directly
affect the table positioning precision and implicitly, the manufacturing precision of the machine
tool. Guideways misalignment also generates stresses, plays and excessive run-out. The present
paper contains a method of experimental analysis regarding the influence of guideways alignment
errors on the positioning precision of the kinematic feed chains, which takes into account the
alignment of the two guide rails, both in vertical and horizontal plans. The feed axis used in the
experimental setup is closed-loop controlled, making use of an indirect position measurement
system.
Introducere
Guidance systems used for achieving the linear motion of the moving table, together with the
driving system and the control system, represent a key factor in designing and building high
precision CNC machine tools. Mounting and alignment errors, both in vertical and horizontal plans,
of the linear guiderails, which are part of the kinematic feed chain mechanical structure, directly
affect the positioning precision of the moving table and implicitly, the manufacturing precision of
the machine tool. Also, guideways misalignment leads to the appearance of stresses, plays and
excessive wear [1].
Geometric errors of guideways have a significant influence on the difference which occurs
between the real position of the moving table and the programmed one and also on the tool
orientation in relation to the workpiece. These errors are part of the volumetric error of the machine
tool as a whole. Beside the geometric errors, the volumetric error is given by the temperature
increase of the machine tool structure, which leads to thermal deformations, by the elastic
deformations of the elements which form the mechanical part of the kinematic feed chains, induced
by the resistant forces and also by the performances of the numerical control equipment [2,3].
Knowing the optimum domain within which the guideways misalignment errors range is very
useful for developping and implementing a software compensation algorithm, leading to an
increased positioning precision of the moving table. The efficiency of the software compensation
method was proved especially for large machine tools, having the table length bigger than 1200mm
[4].
Measuring the machine tool geometric error can be done directly, using a laser interferometer or
an electronic level, in which case the elements of the measuring system are placed on the moving
table, or indirectly, by using the ballbar test. Such a method was developed by Yang (2004), where
the end of the ballbar was placed on different points of the table [5].

The present paper contains a method of experimental analysis regarding the influence of
guideways alignment errors on the positioning precision of the kinematic feed chains, both in
vertical and horizontal plans. During the experiments, different values of the parallelism error in
both plans were introduced, measuring the positioning precision of the table for each case. The feed
axis used in the experimental setup is closed-loop controlled, making use of an indirect position
measurement system.
Experimental design and setup
Experimental researches have been conducted on a test stand, having the structure presented in
figure 1. The kinematic feed chain is mainly composed of the electromechanical actuator 1, having
the rod 5 fixed against the moving element 8. The table has the dimensions of 250x400mm and the
axial guiding is achieved using two linear rolling cylindrical guiderails 4, with the dimensions of
20x1000mm, provided with several supporting elements 3, with the purpose of assuring a high
stiffness of the table-guideway assembly.
The structure of the electromechanical actuator is mainly composed of a precision ballscrew
(precision class 7, in conformity with ISO 3408), having the diameter of 20mm and a 5mm pitch.
The ballscrew is supported by two sets of angular contact ball bearings on the motor side. Using
this type of bearing allows the development of high axial forces, reaching a maximum of 9300N, in
both moving ways and also leads to obtaining a minimum backlash when reversing the moving
direction. On the side opposite to the motor, the ballscrew is supported by a polymer sliding
bearing, which has the advantages of a high service life and a vibration free functioning.

Fig.1. General view of the experimental test stand

Description of the experimental method

Several international standards are used for determining the positioning precision of the
numerically controlled axes from CNC machine tools, from which the most commonly used in the
present time are VDI/DGQ 3441 and ISO 230:2. These standards establish the methodology
regarding the testing, testing conditions and evaluation procedure for processing the measuring
results. Testing procedure is based on repeated measurements of the effective position of the tested
feed axis, discreted in several points (target positions), placed at equal distances along the table
stroke.
For measuring the positioning precision of the researched feed axis, a calibrated measuring
system consisting of a Renishaw ML 10 laser interferometer was used, presented in figure 2. The
evaluation of the positioning precision of the moving table, in conformity with VDI/DGQ 3441, is
done through the following main parameters: positioning inaccuracy P, mean repeatability Ps and

mean reversal error U. It is necessary for the precision parameters to be determined using statistical
methods, because of the large number of measuring points and measuring runs which are done for
each point. This is required in order to evaluate the evolution of the position deviations with high
accuracy.

Fig. 2. Renishaw ML10 laser interferometer used for experiments

1- laser source; 2- linear interferometer; 3- linear reflector; 4 - ball bearing; 5- rolling linear guiderail

Experimental results and discussion

During the experiments, two cases of guideways misalignment were taken into account: in the
vertical and horizontal plan. Thus, different values of the parallelism deviation were introduced in
both plans and measurements of the positioning precision were made for each case. The parallelism
deviation is graphically represented in figure 3.

Fig. 3. Parallelism deviations of guideways: a. horizontal plan; b. vertical plan

In order to determine the influence of the guideways misalignment in vertical plan on the
positioning precision of the moving table, three different values of the parallelism deviation were
introduced, by ranging the height of the guideways supporting elements. The values of the
deviations, together with the working parameters of the kinematic feed chain and the resulted
positioning precision parameters for each case are given in table 1. From the experimental data
which was acquired, the positioning precision diagrams were plotted and are given in figure 4.
Table 1. Kinematic feed chain parameters for different parallelism deviations in vertical plan
Ps
Fa
I
a
V
P
U
Mm
dV
[Nm]
[N]
[A]
[mm/s2]
[m/min]
[m]
[m]
[m]
[mm]
0.3
0.197 225
0.164
100
6
30.548 2.640 0.830
0.5
0.197 225
0.164
100
6
50.394 2.671 1.103
0.7
0.197 225
0.164
100
6
56.068 2.722 1.963
In order to determine the influence of the guideways misalignment in horizontal plan on the
positioning precision of the moving table, three different values of the parallelism deviation were

introduced, by ranging the distance between the guideways supporting elements. The values of the
deviations, together with the working parameters of the kinematic feed chain and the resulted
positioning precision parameters for each case are given in table 2. From the experimental data
which was acquired, the positioning precision diagrams were plotted and due to the fact that the
curves present the same trends as in the anterior case, they are not included in the paper.
Table 2. Kinematic feed chain parameters for different parallelism deviations in horizontal plan

dH
[mm]

Mm
[Nm]

Fa
[N]

I
[A]

a
[mm/s2]

V
[m/min]

P
[m]

Ps

[m]

[m]

0.5
0.7
0.9

0.207
0.214
0.221

237
245
253

0.172
0.178
0.184

100
100
100

6
6
6

30.548
46.662
57.676

2.640
1.867
3.096

0.830
0.590
0.980

a.

b.

c.
Fig. 4. Positioning precision diagrams, for parallelism deviations in the vertical plan
a. dV = 0.3mm, b. dV = 0.5mm, c. dV = 0.7mm

Conclusions
From the analysis of the obtained experimental data and diagrams in the case of guideways
misalignment in the vertical plan, an increase of 20m of the positioning inaccuracy was recorded,
when increasing the parallelism deviation value from 0.3 to 0.7mm. The other two static
parameters, the mean repeatability and the mean reversal error, respectively, have ranged in a very
small interval and have reduced values, of maximum 3m in the case of repeatability and 2m in
the case of mean reversal error.
In the case of the guideways misalignment in horizontal plan, the obtained positioning precision
diagrams show a significant increase of the positional deviation, which can be seen especially in the
values of the positioning inaccuracy, which varies between 30 and 57m for a deviation of 0.5 and
0.9mm, respectively.
The obtained results form a useful experimental database for the designers and builders of CNC
machine tools when establishing the maximum values of the guideways mounting errors. Also, the
experimental results represent a guide for selecting the type of guideways which are to be used, the
number of carriages, the number of circuits and also the type of rolling elements.
References
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