Development and evaluation of a 3-component lapping force measurement apparatus in micro component manufacturing

The ultra-precision lapping process of three-dimensional micro component is perceived as a core requirement for technological development of the miniaturization of modern military system. In the lapping process, lapping force is the key factor that affects the machined surface of the component, and it is also a prerequisite in determining reasonable lapping parameters. In this paper, an apparatus is proposed to measure the 3-component micro lapping force simultaneously in a direct and real-time way. A method of error compensation and decoupling calculation is proposed based on the multisensor fusion technology, and a series of simulation analysis and experimental verification are conducted to verify the measurement performance of the designed measuring apparatus and the proposed method. The experimental results show that the 3-component micro lapping force can be measured accurately in the ultra-precision lapping process of three-dimensional micro component. Statistical calculations results indicate that the measurement accuracy of the apparatus is ±0.02 N.