Measurement laboratory

To support our research results, we use a relative coordinate measuring machine (Mahr MMQ 400-2), which enables us to carry out wear, surface and production measurements.

For the wear measurement, the running surface contour of the test bearing is scanned before and after each test. The scanning is circular, whereby the number of measuring circles and measuring points obtained per circle has an influence on the accuracy. The measurement data obtained (Cartesian coordinates) serve as input for an internally developed wear program. In order for the wear to be extrapolated, the sets of coordinates must be processed before and after a test using mathematical methods such as the numerical Gauss-Newton method and the volume formula of the general tetrahedron according to Euler.

To characterize the surfaces, the inner surface of the bearing is also divided into individual segments before and after each test and scanned with a roughness probe. The two sets of measurement data for the individual segments are plotted over the bearing width and angle and reflect the roughness distribution. As expected, changes in the roughness values only occur in the wear area.

The production measurement is used to check the quality of manufactured components. Any deviations from relevant specified shape and bearing tolerances can be reliably recorded. In addition to the classic check for roundness, parallelism or radial concentricity of a shaft, axial profiling of the shaft can also be checked. This involves straight-line scanning of the shaft with subsequent polynomial approximation of the measurement data to a higher degree (application: wind power gearboxes).