An innovative method of modeling plane geometric form errors for precision assembly

For precision mechanical systems, different distribution characteristics of geometric form errors usually lead to different assembly contact states, and in turn, different assembly errors are formed, due to the propagation and accumulation of geometric form errors. Statistically, a batch of part machined by the same precision process possesses the identical distribution characteristics of geometric form errors. It is of great importance to improve assembly accuracy and productivity if the statistic distribution characteristics of geometric form errors can be understood. To solve the problem, two methods of modeling geometric form errors for single parts based on linear combination of basis shapes and modeling statistic geometric form errors for a batch of parts machined by the same process on the basis of principal component analysis are proposed in this article. Besides that, evaluating indicators of model accuracy are also proposed. The results of the case study imply that the two methods can model geometric form errors of single parts and statistically model geometric form errors of a batch of parts, effectively and reliably.