Optimization of Fixture Layout Based on Error Amplification Factors

Fixture locators are used to precisely locate and stably support a workpiece so that the desired position and orientation (pose) of the workpiece relative to the cutting tool can be maintained during machining or inspection process. It is believed that manufacturing errors of locators and locating datum surfaces are key factors for the pose error between the workpiece and the cutting tool. Optimizing the layout of locators is helpful to reduce the pose error so as to improve machining accuracy of the workpiece. In order to minimize the pose error, we introduced, for the first time, a singular value decomposition (SVD) technique for the location matrix to derive error amplification factors (EAF) in six degrees-of-freedom of the workpiece. The EAF principle defines the maximal singular value, the condition number, the product of all singular values and the manipulability as the maximal error amplification factor, the relative error amplification factor, the error ellipsoid volume and the location stability, respectively. The four defined indices taken as objective functions are optimized, by a nondominated sort genetic algorithm (NSGA-II), so that an optimal layout of locators is obtained due to the minimization of the pose error. Also, the feasibility of the proposed method was comprehensively validated by simulation and machining experiments.