Determination of laser tracker angle encoder errors

Abstract

Errors in the angle encoders of a laser tracker may potentially produce large errors in long range coordinate measurements. To determine the azimuth angle encoder errors and verify their values stored in the tracker's internal error map, several methodologies were evaluated, differing in complexity, measurement time and the need for specialised measuring equipment. These methodologies are: an artefact-based technique developed by NIST; a multi-target network technique developed by NPL; and the classical precision angular indexing table technique. It is shown that the three methodologies agree within their respective measurement uncertainties and that the NPL technique has the advantages of a short measurement time and no reliance on specialised measurement equipment or artefacts. © Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2014.