Using micro spheres as reference artifacts for the in-situ characterization of tactile 3D micro probes along the probing sphere’s equator

Nano and micro coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) have been developed for the characterization of small dimensional features. They require a procedure which enables a traceable and precise characterization of probing spheres. In this contribution we explore the use of well characterized micro spheres as reference artifacts for the in-situ characterization of probing spheres along the probing sphere’s equator. The spheres are characterized using a strategy which is based on a set of tactile surface scans in conjunction with a stitching-algorithm. These micro spheres serve as a reference for the in-situ characterization of a tactile 3D micro probe on a nano measuring machine (NMM-1). Our investigations are based on a sample of eight spheres sourced from two different suppliers. Although the sample is small, we could already observe characteristics which seem to be typical for spheres of a certain type (i.e. nominal radius and material). The experiments indicate that micro spheres are a suitable reference artifact for tactile 3D micro probes. We were able to reproduce the measured mean radius of the probing sphere with a standard deviation of 31 nm using reference spheres whose nominal radius covers a range of 89 µm.