High precision measurement of blade profile curve using iterative normal vector approximation

The precision measurement of blades has always been a complex problem in free-form surface inspection. For contact inspection of blades by coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the probe radius compensation has a critical influence on the measurement accuracy. In this study, an iterative approach based on the normal vector approximation is proposed to measure the blade profile curve, which aims to reduce the measurement error caused by the conventional method relying on a computer aided design model for compensation. The proposed method combines the local reconstruction of blade surface and CMM measurement software. It first takes the measured results of conventional method as a base, then the resulting corrected points of several sectional profiles are fitted to a B-spline surface to provide an alternative nominal model for CMM software, leading to the next same measurement task. Thus, the measurement-fitting process iterates, in which the current nominal model in CMM software is updated by the reconstructed model of foregoing iteration, until a preset condition is reached. Consequently, the proposed method is implemented on a four-axis CMM, and two blade samples are designed to verify the approach's effectiveness. Experiments show that our approach is superior to the conventional one in blade profile measurement accuracy.