DRAFT

The Value of Temperature Compensation

Electronic temperature compensation has been successfully applied to shop floor gages for over 25
years. It has become a mature technology. Yet it is still poorly understood, and commonly undervalued.
It has proven to be one of the most easily cost justified means to achieving the goal of gage correlation
and elimination of the most common cause of gage error, namely temperature. It can save many times
its investment cost within months by maintaining gage R & R in precision gages so as to effectively
control production processes while temperatures vary, all in real time.

Gages are used to control quality during the production or rework cycle of metal worked components so
as to ensure compliance with part specifications. It is vitally important that these gages can be relied
upon to check dimensions accurately. Gages are tested for their accuracy and repeatability. These tests
are usually performed at stable temperatures, at which time they may show acceptable results.
Thereafter gages will cease to be repeatable or accurate as temperatures fluctuate if thermal changes
are not taken into account. Run the same Gage R&R tests while changing the temperatures of part,
master and/or gage fixture or gage head and a very different and unacceptable result will be obtained.

The International reference standard, ISO Standard (ISO 1 -1975) states: The standard reference
temperature for industrial length measurements is fixed at 20C. so the correct dimension, by
International Convention, is that which is obtained when: PART, SETTING MASTER AND GAGE (the
elements of a measurement system) are at 68F / 20C (unless otherwise specified). It can be
impractical and expensive to try to keep all 3 elements of the measuring system at a stable 68F / 20C,
but a properly specified and configured electronic temperature compensation system can sense the
temperatures of each of them and correct a gage so that dimensions are displayed AS IF they were all at
68F / 20C.

Manufacturers of metal components used in industries such as automotive, transport, aerospace,

railroads and mechanical machinery operate in highly competitive markets. Driven by such goals as
improving mileage, environmental awareness, reducing wear and tear, warranty expense, rework or
scrap costs, etc., tolerances on critical dimensions of moving parts and their enclosures continue to get
ever tighter. It is not uncommon to find tolerances expressed to 3 (metric) or 4 (Imperial) decimal
places. At this point the Laws of Physics need to be addressed. At this point it inevitably becomes more
expensive to achieve the required levels of accuracy. When these tolerances are applied to dimensions
in excess of 50 or 75 mm, 2 or 3 inches, dimensional measurements can display considerable variation
due to temperature fluctuations.

Many CMMs have been equipped with temperature compensation capability but they are usually
restricted to a thermal range of about 15F or so, since three-dimensional compensation is particularly
challenging. Single axis compensation can be effective over a much greater range such as 45F to 130F,
a range of 85F (30C). There are other ways to reduce thermal effects in measurements but they can be
very costly. Air conditioning or at least air tempering or coolant control, are expensive and usually less
successful examples. Waiting for thermal stabilization, perhaps in a controlled environment such as a
gage room, takes time. Ignoring the problem will ultimately take its toll in other ways, such as with
customer rejects, warranty issues and end user dissatisfaction.

Temperature compensation systems are a cost effective way to solve the problem. They can help to
squeeze out the much needed last few microns or tenths of a thousandth accuracy and repeatability in
fluctuating environmental conditions. However, they are not necessarily simple to define and set up. It
is too easy to over simplify the solution. It is not sufficient to specify to a gage supplier that
temperature compensation is required. This leaves too much to interpretation and has led to
instances where the technology has earned itself a bad reputation. A good system will measure
temperatures of work piece, master and gage and correct for each of them if they are not at reference
temperature using a customized correction coefficient. The sensors will respond quickly (or as quickly as
physics will allow) and a compensation algorithm will correct measurements made by the gaging system
so that they display as if all temperatures were at reference temperature.

When considering the use of temperature compensation it is worth spending some time defining the job
that is to be done and defining specifically the expected outcomes. With simple part shapes (such as a
cylinder liner or short shaft) the solution may be relatively straight forward and a single temperature
sensor may suffice to pick up all relevant work piece temperatures so that repeatable accuracy (i.e.
displaying the true dimension at reference temperature) can be achieved over a specified temperature
range. When part geometries are more complex it can become necessary to identify zones on the part
that are prone to exhibiting different temperatures at the time of gaging. Differing rates of thermal
conductivity may apply to different zones with differing masses and which may be separated by some
distance so that they react to exposure to temperature in different ways. For example, in a washer or
during a machining operation, or sitting idle for some time after such an operation, different zones may
respond at different rates to their recent exposure to thermal change. It becomes necessary to perform
more empirical testing so as to ascertain the best locations for sensors and the best correction
coefficients. This may be more expensive, but the benefits have proven to easily outweigh the cost.

Note that the term Correction Coefficients is used rather than Coefficients of Expansion. The reason
is that typical handbook-derived coefficients are usually only good to within +/-15% or so, and other
factors, such as geometry, different materials, inserts, etc., can affect the rate of thermal changes.
Consequently it is best to perform empirical tests to determine best fit.

The most recent generations of compensation systems are user friendly and transparent. While
password protection may be advisable so that programs cannot be altered, access to the key constants
such as correction coefficients and dimensions that are used in the correction algorithm should be
available to authorized users. Once installed and operational it is important that good documentation of
the system is maintained. A manual should include an explanation of the purpose of the system, the
need for maintenance of the sensors (i.e. keeping them clean and in the correct position to make good
contact). Too often there are changes in operators or managers who are not familiar with the system.
This can result in the system being ignored, neglected or being unplugged or otherwise taken out of
service in the years that follow implementation. An easy reference manual can overcome this possibility.

While recognizing that budget managers are constantly striving to minimize capital expenditures it is
worth considering that the investment pay back in temperature compensation has been studied by
users. It is usually measured in weeks or months after calculating savings from preservation of Gage R&R
as temperatures change, reduced scrap and rework, improved gage correlation, reduced rejections and
lack of need for the much larger investment in temperature controls such as environment tempering or
coolant temperature control.

For example, in one case a major car maker installed a new piston line and used temperature
compensation on its gages at a cost of $40,000. Their alternative was to install a temperature controlled
accumulating facility around the entire gaging operation at a cost of $1,000,000. The line was tested,
and subsequently went into production in 1993. The tests, and subsequent monitoring over a period of
7 years, showed that the compensation system consistently corrected for over 97% of thermal errors.
Pistons could be inspected to within better than +/- 1 micron repeatability regardless of ambient
temperature changes and process variations.
Other examples that follow show the various benefits obtained by other users.
Temperature compensation of engine cylinder bores at a major US engine plant:
Automobile engine block production rate increased: By over 50% due to increased accuracy and
speed of gaging.
Cylinder bore dimensional accuracy increased: 1 micron repeatability and accuracy held.
Temperature sensing at multiple locations: Three sensors in gage head to account for variations
within bore.
88.9720
88.9700
88.9680
88.9660
88.9640
Part Size in MM

88.9620
88.9600
88.9580
88.9560
88.9540
88.9520
88.9500
20.0 22.0 24.0 26.0 28.0 30.0 32.0 34.0 36.0
Part Temperature in C
Non Compensated Room Temp Size Compensated

Example of test data from the cylinder bore gage. Curves compare uncompensated and compensated
dimensions with room temperature (or reference) size while cylinder block is warmed.

Temperature compensation of In Process grinding gage:

Cp and Cpk improved: By over 200%.
Production rate improved: Through reduction of spark out and dressing times.
Dimensional accuracy improved: Held +/- 2 microns while grinding.
Finally, raw data from a study performed after installation to determine the effectiveness of
compensation on an aluminum transmission housing at another major auto maker. Note that 8
different bores were measured repeatedly while the part temperature varied by up to nearly 14C
(25F).

Gage #: 2 3 4 30 31 32 33 34
Coefficient (workpiece) 21 22.7 22.7 25 22.7 22.7 22.7 22.7
Total Tolerance (mm): 0.0400 0.0500 0.0300 0.0700 0.0800 0.1850 0.5000 0.2000
Nominal size: 173.0000 79.5420 62.8850 243.0000 202.0000 241.0000 183.0000 190.0000
Size C Size C Size C Size C Size C Size C Size C Size C
Baseline (ambient temp) 173.051 25.7 79.563 25.8 62.875 26.2 243.035 30.2 202.456 30.9 241.056 27.6 183.137 28.6 190.108 24.2
Comparative test 1 173.051 39.2 79.566 34.7 62.874 35.4 243.036 36.7 202.455 37.9 241.059 36.9 183.130 42.3 190.108 34.7
Comparative test 2 173.051 35.9 79.565 31.8 62.875 32.1 243.037 35.4 202.450 36.7 241.057 35.3 183.133 38.4 190.105 35.1
Comparative test 3 173.051 33.4 79.565 30.4 62.875 31.0 243.037 34.1 202.452 34.7 241.056 34.0 183.132 36.2 190.107 34.0
Comparative test 4 173.051 30.3 79.565 29.4 62.875 29.9 243.033 33.7 202.452 33.0 241.056 32.7 183.134 34.5 190.108 32.9
Comparative test 5 173.051 29.4 79.565 28.1 62.875 28.4 243.032 33.3 202.455 32.0 241.056 31.9 183.136 33.3 190.105 33.0

Max 173.051 79.566 62.875 243.037 202.456 241.059 183.137 190.108

Min 173.051 79.563 62.874 243.032 202.450 241.056 183.130 190.105
Range 0.000 0.003 0.001 0.005 0.006 0.003 0.007 0.003
Range as % of Total Tolerance 0% 6% 3% 7% 8% 2% 1% 2%

As these cases demonstrate, properly implemented temperature compensation systems can do an

excellent job of minimizing the loss of accuracy and repeatability as temperatures change. It is a cost
effective technology that helps to meet the increasing challenges posed by ever tightening tolerance
requirements.

Paul Sagar
President
Albion Devices, Inc.
www.albiondevices.com