Form measurements of micro-holes

Abstract

The form measurement and gauge repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) of a micro-hole using a coordinate measurement machine (CMM) with a combination of optical and contact sensors were conducted in this study. The micro-holes, about 160 µm in diameter and 0.9 mm in depth, were fabricated using the electrical discharge machining process for diesel fuel injectors. The shape and size of micro-holes are important for the desired spray pattern, fuel economy and exhaust emission of diesel engines. In this study, the setup of the measurement machine and the procedure to determine the contact points are presented. Five form characteristics, the cylindricity, diameter, roundness, straightness and taper, of the micro-hole are analyzed from measurement points. The gauge R&R test is conducted to determine the micro-hole form measurement capability and to calculate the tolerance specifications for each characteristic that the CMM is capable of measuring. An example to quantify the change in the shape of the micro-holes before and after the abrasive flow machining is presented.