Integration of the Analysis of the Error of Geometric Dimensions Modeled with a Probabilistic Approach

Abstract

Metrology is extensively used in the manufacturing industry to determine whether the dimensions of parts are within their tolerance interval. However, errors cannot be avoided. If the metrology experts are actually aware of it, and currently able to identify the different sources that contribute to making errors, very few research has been made in this area to develop metrology methods accounting for such errors. The probability density function of the error is here assumed to be given as an input. This work deals with a batch of measures and its statistical properties. The first proposed method aims to correct the effects of the errors to the distribution that characterize the entire batch. Then a second method tries to estimate for each single measure, the dimension that is being the most likely given by a measure, after the error is deducted. It is based on the output knowledge of the first method and integrates it with Bayesian statistics. Only Gaussian distributions are considered in the paper. Their relevance is shown through one example applied on simulated data.