Inline qualification of focus variation metrology for a series production of micro gears

Abstract

Abstract The rapidly advancing trend towards miniaturization in the series production of gears confronts quality assurance with new challenges. In this context, metrological technologies as well as expertise from the field of macro gears can only be transferred to a limited extent. Inline integration of metrology into micro gear production has not yet been implemented in a practicable way. This publication extends the current limits of micro gear quality assurance to date by qualifying the optical method of focus variation technology for complete inline measurements of micro gears in series production time. In detail, this work includes the development of a measurement program by means of Design of Experiments, the establishment of a practicable cleaning process, the evaluation of resulting measurement uncertainties, and a process capability analysis. Consequently, the focus variation technology is qualified for fast, three-dimensional measurements of micro gears with respectively low measurement uncertainties.