Evaluation of Straightness Errors of Cylindrical Workpiece Using the Minimum Zone Method

Based on the indication meanings of axis and generatrix straightness tolerances as well as their additional symbols, the optimization objective functions of axis and generatrix parameters based on the minimum zone method and the evaluation models of the straightness errors were established, and the subprograms of the optimization objective functions and the evaluation of straightness errors were developed. The application of the fminimax optimization function for the evaluation of straightness errors of cylindrical workpiece was realized. The roundness profiles of four cylindrical samples were extracted on Talyrond 586LT cylindricity measuring instrument, and their axis and generatrix straightness errors in the different azimuth angles of each sample were evaluated using the least square method and the minimum zone method. The influence of the optimization searching ranges on the evaluation results of straightness errors was researched, and their evaluation results were compared with those evaluated based on Lightning Search Algorithm, Improved Particle Swarm Optimization, Ant Lion Optimization and Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm. The application of the fminimax optimization function and the comparison analysis showed that it is a good optimization algorithm for the ‘minimax’ issue and can satisfy the need of evaluating the straightness errors using the minimum zone method.