Effect on the measurement for gear involute profile caused by the error of probe position

Abstract Gear involute artefact (GIA) is a kind of measurement standard used to calibrate involute measuring instruments. To measure the profile deviation of GIA more accurately, the effect on the measurement of a gear involute profile caused by the error of the probe position is considered, the value of profile deviations would be affected and the measurement curve of profile deviations would be compressed or stretched along the roll path length, caused by the error of the probe position. Moreover, about 60% of the measurement errors are concentrated within the involute root of roll path length ρ = 0–5 mm. Based on the above research, an adjustment method for the probe position with a double roller-guide involute measuring instrument is proposed and measurement experiments are carried out using probes with probe radius r o = 0.5 mm, 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. As the error of probe position e > 0, the curve of profile deviations at the root of the involute is biased towards the body. As the error of probe position e < 0, the profile deviation curve at the root of the involute except for the vicinity of base circle is biased towards the body, while the profile deviation curve near the base circle is biased out of the body caused by the interference of the transition surface, and the measurement curve of profile deviations at the root of the involute is significantly compressed. These errors decrease as the probe radius increases and the error of the probe position decreases. The difference of profile slope deviations and profile form deviations measured by the three probes after adjustment is 0.11 μm and 0.04 μm respectively, which indicates the feasibility of the probe adjustment method described above. The research supports the machining and measurement of a high-precision gear involute artefact.