
METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MEASUREMENT PROBE PATH ON A NUMERICALLY CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
comprising in any suitable order the steps of:
i) providing a path for a cutter of the machine tool; and
ii) selecting, from a computer aided manufacture (CAM) program containing data relating to a plurality of geometric features
of a workpiece, one of the plurality of geometric features of the workpiece that is to be inspected and generating a measurement
probe path based on the selected geometric feature; and then
iii) creating an integrated program containing both the machine tool cutter path and the generated measurement probe path
for use with a motion control of the machine tool to control the measurement probe path.

BACKLIT VISION MACHINE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
an imaging sensor arranged to image an object,
a radiation source arranged to generate radiation having a first property, and
an object supporting base comprising (1) a radiation converter arranged to convert radiation having the first property into
radiation having a second property, and (2) a member that is substantially transparent to radiation having the first property,
is substantially transparent to radiation having the second property, comprises a glass member comprising two layers of glass
and a light diffusing layer sandwiched between the two layers of glass, and has a lower surface to which the radiation converter
is adjacent, wherein:
the radiation source is arranged to project radiation having the first property through the member and onto the radiation
converter, the radiation converter thereby producing radiation having the second property,
the radiation converter is arranged to illuminate, with radiation having the second property, an object to be imaged by the
imaging sensor that is separate from the vision machine apparatus,
the object to be imaged is releasably locatable on an upper surface of the glass member arranged to support the object to
be imaged, between the radiation converter and the imaging sensor, so as to be spaced from the radiation converter by the
member, the object thus being back-lit by radiation having the second property produced by the radiation converter, and
the radiation source is arranged to project radiation having the first property onto the object to be imaged and onto the
radiation converter.

METHOD OF SCALE SUBSTRATE MANUFACTURE
RLS MERILNA TEHNIKA D.O.O...
(b) using a laser to locally heat the magnetic scale substrate to form non-magnetic markings therein that define the passive encoder scale in which the non-magnetic markings have a different magnetic permeability than the magnetic scale substrate, wherein the passive encoder scale does not generate a magnetic field.

FREQUENCY TUNEABLE LASER DEVICE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a laser cavity formed from a plurality of optical components, the plurality of optical components comprising:
a laser source that generates a beam of light,
a spectral tuning element, and
one or more further optical components that directs the beam of light on to the spectral tuning element,
wherein at least one of the plurality of optical components is a moveable optical component configured to move in a first
degree of freedom, the movement of said at least one moveable optical component in the first degree of freedom simultaneously
altering an effective optical path length of the laser cavity and a tuning frequency of the spectral tuning element, thereby
providing frequency tuning in which mode hopping is suppressed,
wherein the effective optical path length and the tuning frequency are substantially insensitive to any movement of said at
least one moveable optical component in degrees of freedom other than the first degree of freedom, and
wherein the movement of the at least one moveable optical component keeps the beam of light directed on to the spectral tuning
element.

MEASUREMENT SCALE WITH PERIODIC NANOSTRUCTURE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
the or each scale marking comprises at least one periodic nanostructure that (i) represents scale device information and (ii) comprises a Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structure (LIPSS), and
the measurement scale device is for determining relative position of two objects.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS WITH A CHAMBER AND A REMOVABLY-MOUNTABLE OPTICAL MODULE; METHOD OF PREPARING A LASER PROCESSING APPARATUS WITH SUCH REMOVABLY-MOUNTABLE OPTICAL MODULE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
laser beams and an optical module comprising a housing containing a plurality of optical trains for delivering the plurality
of laser beams into the processing chamber simultaneously.

MAGNETIC ENCODER APPARATUS HAVING A PLURALITY OF MAGNETIC SENSOR ELEMENTS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a plurality of magnetic sensor elements for reading an associated magnetic scale that produces a periodically repeating magnetic
pattern, the plurality of magnetic sensor elements producing a plurality of sensor signals;
an analyser for analyzing the plurality of sensor signals to provide a measure of the position of the magnetic sensor elements
relative to the associated magnetic scale;
the analyser being arranged to use the plurality of sensor signals to assess the period of the periodically repeating magnetic
pattern sensed by the plurality of magnetic sensor elements; and
the magnetic scale having a series of alternating firs magnetized regions and second magnetized regions, wherein:
the first magnetized regions are of the opposite magnetic pole to the second magnetized regions,
centers of the first magnetized regions are spaced apart from one another by a fixed interval such that a distance between
neighboring centers of each of the first magnetized regions is the same, and
each first magnetized region has a first width or a second different width and thereby encodes a data bit, the data bit taking
a first value if the first magnetized region has the first width and a different second value if the first magnetized region
has the second width.

MEASUREMENT METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
using a surface sensing measurement probe mounted on a coordinate positioning apparatus to measure at least the feature of
the object and thereby acquire, based on feedback from the measurement probe, a representation of at least the feature that
comprises multiple data points;
fitting, by an analysis device, a model of at least the feature of the object to the representation, the model comprising
parameters defining at least two independently alterable portions that each replicate a different region on the surface of
the object and that are linked along a common edge so that a certain alteration of at least one of the at least two independently
alterable portions causes a consequential alteration of another of the at least two independently alterable portions, the
fitting comprising changing the form of the model by altering at least one of the at least two independently alterable portions;
obtaining information regarding at least the feature from the fitted model;
analyzing the information to determine deviations of at least the feature from a nominal feature; and
providing an output based thereon.

METROLOGY APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a body and a member mounted to the body by mechanical bearing assemblies such that the member is rotatable relative to the
body about an axis of rotation;
a motor for actuating rotation of the member relative to the body about the axis of rotation;
wherein a surface sensing device is attachable to the member such that the surface sensing device rotates with the rotation
of the member, relative to the body;
wherein the motor comprises a magnet and at least one metal coil spaced apart along the axis and mounted such that the magnet
and the at least one metal coil are moveable relative to one another; and
wherein the motor is arranged such that when it actuates rotation of the member relative to the body, substantially no radial
forces from the motor act on the mechanical bearing assemblies such that the location of the axis remains substantially fixed.

METHOD OF FINDING A FEATURE USING A MACHINE TOOL
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
probe and/or object to follow a course of motion which is configured such that the analogue probe is initially sufficiently
far away from the object such that the analogue probe is not in a position sensing relationship with anything and the course
of motion is configured to cause the analogue probe's surface sensing region to traverse past the object to be found a plurality
of times whilst approaching the object over successive traverses so as to ultimately arrive in a position sensing relationship
with the object so as to collect scanned measurement data about the object along at least part of a traverse.

ANALOGUE MEASUREMENT PROBE FOR A MACHINE TOOL APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a probe body;
a stylus member movably secured to the probe body in a suspended rest position via a suspension mechanism;
a sensor that measures an extent of displacement of the stylus member relative to the probe body from a rest position;
a first compliant sealing member extending between the probe body and the stylus member such that the sensor is contained
within a chamber sealed from external contaminants; and
a suppressor that suppresses movement of the stylus member away from its suspended rest position induced by a change in pressure
difference between the sealed chamber and the analogue probe's operating environment.

MEASUREMENT METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
bringing a stylus of a contact probe mounted on a positioning apparatus into contact with the object to obtain at least first
and second measurements of the object, each of which gives rise to a range of possible points of contact between the object
and a part of the stylus along its length and therefore inherently containing uncertainty in the location of the object along
said length, and
using the at least first and second measurements to at least reduce the extent of said uncertainty comprising using known
stylus orientation related information associated with the at least first and second measurements.

METROLOGICAL SCALE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
locating one or more markings with respect to the scale substrate in a provisional state in which the one or more markings
can be removed;
checking whether the one or more markings located with respect to the scale substrate are acceptable; and
finalizing the one or markings which are acceptable so as to transform the one or more markings into a permanent state in
which the one or more markings are less readily removable than in the provisional state.

METROLOGY APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a first structure rotatably connected to a second structure by a bearing arrangement, the bearing arrangement including at
least a first friction bearing comprising parts in sliding contact during rotation of the first structure relative to the
second structure;
at least one magnet that relieves the load on the first friction bearing; and
at least one mechanical stop,
wherein the parts of the first friction bearing that are in sliding contact are arranged to disengage when subjected to a
mechanical shock, the amount of displacement permitted during such disengagement being limited by the at least one mechanical
stop.

METHOD OF ANALOGUE MEASUREMENT SCANNING ON A MACHINE TOOL
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
using an analogue measurement probe mounted on a machine tool apparatus to obtain scanned measurement data of the surface
over a plurality of offset traverses,
in which a subsequent traverse is offset from a previous traverse such that, over a series of traverses, a surface detecting
region of the analogue probe progresses i) laterally across the object, and/or ii) away from or towards the object, and
in which the course of relative motion for at least one subsequent traverse is generated and/or updated based on data obtained
during at least one previous traverse.

LASER SCANNING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a housing that includes at least one laser, the apparatus being configured to emit at least a first laser beam and a second
laser beam from the housing and to rotate the first laser beam and the second laser beam about a common axis of rotation,
wherein:
a path of the first laser beam forms a shape of a first cone when the first laser beam rotates about the common axis of rotation,
a path of the second laser beam forms a shape of a second cone when the second laser beam rotates about the common axis of
rotation, and
the first cone and the second cone face in opposite directions.

RELATING TO JOINTS AND/OR IMPLANTS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a multiplicity of solid regions where material is present, locations of at least most of the multiplicity of solid regions
being defined by one or more mathematical functions; and
a remaining multiplicity of pore regions where material is absent,
wherein the one or more mathematical functions define the solid region locations so that the locations of the remaining multiplicity
of pore regions are nonrandom, and
wherein the one or more mathematical functions include at least one term that defines a porosity gradient such that porosity
of at least part of the porous portion changes continuously and without any discontinuity.

NON-CONTACT OBJECT INSPECTION
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
on the object, comprising:
i) taking a first image of the object, obtained from a first perspective, on which an optical pattern is projected;
ii) taking a second image of the object, obtained from a second perspective, on which an optical pattern is projected but
in which the optical pattern, as it falls on the object, in the second image differs to that in the first image; and
iii) determining data describing the topography of at least a region of the object based on phase data relating to the phase
of at least a region of the optical pattern as imaged in the first image in which phase data obtained from a corresponding
region of the object as imaged in the second image is used to resolve any ambiguity in the phase or topography data obtained
from the first image,
wherein the region of the optical pattern as imaged in the first image and the corresponding region of the object as imaged
in the second image each comprise a plurality of mutually adjacent pixels that define areas extending substantially in two
dimensions.

TOUCH TRIGGER MEASUREMENT PROBE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a stylus holder deflectably mounted to a probe housing,
one or more sensors for sensing deflection of the stylus holder relative to the probe housing,
a processor for producing a trigger signal when the deflection sensed by the one or more sensors meets a trigger condition,
and
an accelerometer for measuring acceleration of the measurement probe,
wherein the trigger signal produced by the processor is only output by the measurement probe when the acceleration measured
by the accelerometer is below an acceleration threshold.

CALIBRATION OF A CONTACT PROBE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
measuring with the contact probe a first geometric property of a calibrated artefact and a second geometric property of the
or a further calibrated artefact, the first and second geometric properties being such that a deviation between a measured
value and the expected value, resulting from a difference between an effective diameter of the contact element and an assumed
diameter used for determining the measured value, has the opposite sign for each of the first and second geometric properties;
identifying a difference in the effective diameter of the contact element from the assumed diameter comprising comparing deviations
of the measured value to the expected value for each of the first and second geometric properties to determine whether there
is a difference in the deviations; and
determining an effective diameter of the contact probe from the measurements of the first and second geometric property.

SPECTROSCOPIC APPARATUS AND METHODS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
receiving spectral data captured by a Raman spectroscopy apparatus, the spectral data comprising a Raman spectrum together
with a background signal;
carrying out an iterative process comprised of an initial iteration and a subsequent iteration, the initial iteration comprising
(i) fitting an analytical curve to initial reference data based upon the received spectral data, (ii) determining an allowable
deviation of the initial reference data from the analytical curve, and (iii) removing data points of the initial reference
data or the spectral data that are more than the allowable deviation above the analytical curve to provide subsequent reference
data, and each subsequent iteration comprising (i) fitting an analytical curve to the subsequent reference data, (ii) determining
an allowable deviation of the subsequent reference data from the analytical curve, and (iii) removing data points of the subsequent
reference data or the spectral data that are more than the allowable deviation above the analytical curve to provide reference
data, wherein the reference data is used as the subsequent reference data in a next subsequent iteration of the iterative
process unless termination criterion is met; and
outputting an estimate of the background signal in the spectral data based upon the reference data or the analytical curve
refined by the iterative process.

SELECTIVE LASER SOLIDIFICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a build carrier for supporting a powder bed onto which a powder layer can be deposited;
a gas flow unit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed along a gas flow direction;
a laser scanner for scanning a laser beam over the powder layer to selectively solidify at least part of the powder layer
to form one or more objects; and
a processor for selecting a scanning sequence of the laser beam based on the gas flow direction.

NEUROSURGICAL DEVICE AND METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a subcutaneous base portion comprising one or more ports for supplying fluid to one or more implanted catheter devices; and
a percutaneous portion comprising an extracorporeal surface, the one or more ports of the subcutaneous base portion being
accessible from the extracorporeal surface of the percutaneous portion,
wherein the subcutaneous base portion is at least partially insertable into a complementary recess formed in a bone and comprises
one or more anchoring features for directly anchoring the subcutaneous base portion to the bone,
the one or more anchoring features comprise at least one radially protruding wing extending from the subcutaneous base portion,
the at least one radially protruding wing has a proximal end adjacent the subcutaneous base portion, the proximal end of the
at least one radially protruding wing being configured to lie within the complementary recess formed within the bone, and
the at least one radially protruding win has a lower surface that curves upwardly towards an outer surface of the bone as
it extends outwardly from the subcutaneous base portion.

MEASUREMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
(i) taking a first data set comprising one or more first data values derived from measurement of a first object by a first
coordinate positioning apparatus, each first data value describing a position on the surface of the first object;
(ii) taking a second data set comprising one or more second data values derived from measurement of the first object by a
second coordinate positioning apparatus, each second data value describing a position on the surface of the first object;
(iii) calculating an error map comprising one or more error values, each error value describing a positional difference between
the surface of the first object as described by the first data set and the surface as described by the second data set,
the surface normal of the first object being known at each position described by each first data value and each error value
being calculated by determining the positional difference substantially in the direction of the known surface normal; and
(iv) using the second coordinate positioning apparatus to perform a processing or measurement operation on the first object,
or an object nominally identical to the first object, in which positions on the surface thereof are corrected using the error
map calculated in step (iii).

SIGNAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR A MEASUREMENT DEVICE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a first station for mounting with one of the measurement device and the coordinate positioning apparatus; and
a second station for mounting with the other of the measurement device and the coordinate positioning apparatus;
wherein the first station and the second station communicate with one another using a spread spectrum radio link,
the first station can be placed in a normal mode or in a power saving mode that consumes less power than the normal mode,
the first station transmits a plurality of request signals at intervals throughout a duration of the power saving mode, each
request signal asking if the first station should change to the normal mode,
the first station changes mode to the normal mode in response to receipt at the first station of an affirmative response to
one of the request signals from the second station,
the spread spectrum radio link is a frequency hopping spread spectrum link,
the first station hops between frequency channels, and
frequency hopping occurs at a slower rate when in the power saving mode while in rough synchronisation than when in the normal
mode.

ENCODER READHEAD
RLS MERILNA TEHNIKA D.O.O...
a plurality of sensors that are each arranged to produce a sensor signal indicative of measured magnetic field strength;
a plurality of signal combiners, each signal combiner being arranged to receive at least two of the sensor signals produced
by the plurality of sensors and to produce therefrom a combined sensor signal, the plurality of signal combiners thereby generating
a plurality of combined sensor signals;
a plurality of data bit extractors for generating absolute position data and arranged to receive the plurality of combined
sensor signals, each data bit extractor being arranged to receive at least two of the combined sensor signals and to determine
the value of a data bit encoded in an associated absolute scale; and
an incremental signal generator arranged to receive at least two of the plurality of combined sensor signals also received
by the data bit extractors and to generate at least one incremental signal from the at least two combined sensor signals.

MOVEMENT DISORDER
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
electrically stimulating the target area of the brain through the electrode,
wherein the target area of the brain is selected from the group consisting of the subthalamic nucleus, the zona incerta and the globus pallidus.

METHOD OF FINDING A FEATURE USING A MACHINE TOOL
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...

APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING AN ACCESSORY TO A COORDINATE POSITIONING APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
positioning apparatus, the workpiece mounting surface having a slot formed therein, the apparatus comprising:
an insert comprising means for fixing the insert within the slot; and
a mount attachable to the coordinate positioning apparatus accessory, the mount comprising at least one protruding member
for engaging the insert when contained within the slot, thereby fixing the mount to the workpiece mounting surface of a coordinate
positioning apparatus, wherein
the means for fixing the insert within the slot is configured to retain the insert fixed within the slot with the insert lying
flush or sub-flush with the workpiece mounting surface, when the mount is detached from the insert.

METHOD FOR RECALIBRATING COORDINATE POSITIONING APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a replaceable stylus, and a probe head for reorienting the measurement probe relative to the platform, the method comprising
the steps of:
(i) taking a first calibration data set for the coordinate positioning apparatus that comprises datum data for a plurality
of orientations of the measurement probe, the first calibration data set defining a calibration of the coordinate positioning
apparatus when the measurement probe comprises a first stylus, and the datum data including first datum data for a first nominal
orientation of the measurement probe;
(ii) replacing the first stylus of the measurement probe with a second stylus that is nominally identical to the first stylus;
(iii) updating the first calibration data set to generate a second calibration data set that defines the calibration of the
coordinate positioning apparatus when the measurement probe comprises the second stylus, the step (iii) comprising the steps
of:
(a) using the coordinate positioning apparatus to acquire one or more position measurements,
(b) calculating a first correction from the one or more position measurements, the first correction describing any change
in the first datum data following the replacement of the first stylus with the second stylus, and
(c) updating the datum data for a plurality of different orientations of the measurement probe using the first correction
to thereby generate the second calibration data set; and
(iv) using the coordinate positioning apparatus, with the second calibration data set, to measure an object.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING A PART
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...

METHOD OF CONTROLLING A COORDINATE POSITIONING MACHINE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
module, the retaining module being provided on a movable part of the machine, and the method comprising:
moving the retaining module to place the task module into engagement with a storage port for holding the task module; and
moving and simultaneously rotating the retaining module to separate the retaining module from the task module with a tilting
action of the retaining module.

MEASUREMENT SCALE WITH PERIODIC NANOSTRUCTURE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
at least one scale marking, wherein:
the or each scale marking comprises at least one periodic nanostructure that (i) represents scale device information and (ii)
comprises a Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structure (LIPSS), and
the measurement scale device is for determining relative position of two objects.

GAUGE ARTEFACT AND METHOD FOR CHECKING A COORDINATE POSITIONING MACHINE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
nominally identical parts, the calibrated gauge artefact comprising:
a base for mounting on a table of the coordinate positioning machine; and
a platform comprising at least two portions having a like but non-identical geometric property, the platform being locatable
relative to the base in at least two positions such that each of the at least two portions can be presented at a common location
relative to the base, wherein:
a difference between the like but non-identical geometric property of each of the at least two portions when presented at
the common location is known, and
the difference between the like but non-identical geometric property is of an order of an expected deviation in the set of
nominally identical parts to be measured by the coordinate positioning machine.

ANALOGUE MEASUREMENT PROBE FOR A MACHINE TOOL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF OPERATION
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a probe body;
a stylus member movably secured to the probe body;
a sensor that measures an extent of displacement of the stylus member relative to the probe body, in which the sensor is contained
within a chamber in the probe body; and
a vent between the chamber and the outside of the probe body, configured such that when the vent is open the pressure within
the chamber can equalise with the ambient pressure outside the probe body, and further configured such that an opening of
the vent to the outside of the probe body can be closed so as to seal the chamber and therefore the sensor from external contaminants
during operation of the analogue probe.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING WORKPIECES
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
providing a master artefact in the form of a reference workpiece which is one of a series of nominally identical workpieces
to be measured, the master artefact having dimensions which are known from a source which is external to said measuring apparatus,
measuring the master artefact on said apparatus at two or more temperatures, and producing two or more corresponding sets
of measured dimensional values of the master artefact at the respective temperatures,
measuring said temperatures at which the master artefact was measured,
generating one or more error maps or look-up tables or functions which relate the measured dimensional values of the master
artefact to the known dimensions of the master artefact, the or each error map, look-up table or function being dependent
on said respective temperatures at which the master artefact was measured.

METHOD OF ANALOGUE MEASUREMENT SCANNING ON A MACHINE TOOL
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
using an analogue measurement probe mounted on a machine tool apparatus to obtain scanned measurement data of the surface
over a plurality of offset traverses,
in which a subsequent traverse is offset from a previous traverse such that, over a series of traverses, a surface detecting
region of the analogue probe progresses i) laterally across the object, and/or ii) away from or towards the object, and
in which the course of relative motion for at least one subsequent traverse is generated and/or updated based on data obtained
during at least one previous traverse.

METHOD FOR OPTIMISING A MEASUREMENT CYCLE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
positioning apparatus comprising a measurement probe and at least one moveable portion for moving the measurement probe relative
to an object to be measured, the method comprising:
measuring at least one acceleration characteristic of the coordinate positioning apparatus, the at least one measured acceleration
characteristics comprising at least one of a measured acceleration and a measured deceleration of the at least one movable
portion;
calculating the optimum stand-off distance using the at least one measured acceleration characteristic of the coordinate positioning
apparatus using a processor, the optimum stand-off distance being optimum distance off a surface of the object from which
to initiate each surface position measurement;
moving the measurement probe to the calculated optimum stand-off distance; and
taking one or more surface position measurements of the object to be measured using the optimum stand-off distance; and
wherein the step of measuring the at least one acceleration characteristic of the coordinate positioning apparatus comprises
the steps of;
measuring a first time interval corresponding to the time taken for a moveable portion of the coordinate positioning apparatus
to move between two points of known separation at a commanded speed, wherein the move between the two points comprises acceleration
of the moveable portion, and
comparing said first time interval to a second time interval corresponding to the time that would be taken to move between
the two points of known separation at a substantially constant speed equal to the commanded speed.

OPTICAL ELEMENT
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
at least one optical element comprising at least one series of consecutive diffraction features for diffracting electromagnetic radiation from a source into diffraction orders and which are for contributing to the production at the detector of a signal varying with movement between the two parts,
wherein the diffraction features in said at least one series are shifted from a nominally regular spacing such that the spacing between the centres of adjacent diffraction features selectively varies irregularly from one pair of adjacent diffraction features to the next, each feature being shifted by a selected predetermined amount so as to substantially eliminate at least one nth diffraction order whilst maintaining the existence of the 1st and at least one selected mth diffraction order, such that said 1st and selected mth diffraction orders contribute to the production at the detector of the signal varying with movement between the two parts.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
taking an article formed in an initial state via an additive manufacturing process; and
performing a second manufacturing process to transform the article into a second state, which second manufacturing process
comprises:
(a) mounting the article in a holding device of a machine for operating on the article, and, with the article so mounted in
the holding device, processing at least one first feature on the article and processing at least one mounting feature on the
article, the position of the at least one mounting feature being constrained in a known manner with respect to the at least
one first feature, and
(b) re-mounting the article in the holding device of the machine via the at least one mounting feature, and, with the article
so re-mounted in the holding device, processing at least one second feature on the article, the position of the at least one
second feature being controlled with respect to the at least one first feature using knowledge of the position of the at least
one mounting feature with respect to the at least one first feature
wherein the article comprises a medical implant.

METHOD OF ANALOGUE MEASUREMENT SCANNING ON A MACHINE TOOL
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
using an analogue measurement probe mounted on a machine tool apparatus to obtain scanned measurement data of the surface
over a plurality of offset traverses,
in which a subsequent traverse is offset from a previous traverse such that, over a series of traverses, a surface detecting
region of the analogue probe progresses i) laterally across the object, and/or ii) away from or towards the object, and
in which the course of relative motion for at least one subsequent traverse is generated and/or updated based on data obtained
during at least one previous traverse.
DELIVERY OF A THERAPEUTIC AGENT TO THE CEREBRAL CORTEX BY ADMINISTERING A VIRAL VECTOR BY CONVECTION ENHANCED DIFFUSION INTO THE WHITE MATTER OF THE BRAIN
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
administering a viral vector that comprises the therapeutic transgene into white matter of a brain in order to deliver the
therapeutic transgene to the cerebral cortex or to the cerebral cortex and spinal cord,
wherein the viral vector is administered by convection enhanced diffusion (CED) below a motor cortex, visual cortex, or auditory
cortex at a junction of cortical gray matter and underlying white matter.

SELECTIVE LASER SOLIDIFICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a build carrier for supporting a powder bed onto which a powder layer can be deposited;
a gas flow unit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed along a gas flow direction;
a laser scanner for scanning a laser beam over the powder layer to selectively solidify at least part of the powder layer
to form one or more objects; and
a processor for selecting a scanning sequence of the laser beam based on the gas flow direction.

OPTICAL INSPECTION PROBE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
comprising:
an imaging assembly of the camera inspection probe that is configured to capture an image of an object at an object plane
of the imaging assembly; and
an illumination assembly of the camera inspection probe that is configured to produce a light beam directed toward the object
to illuminate the object, the light beam being directed toward the object plane,
wherein the light beam converges to a focal point at a first focal plane outside the housing, the focal point being between
the exterior window and the object plane so as to be prior to intersection of the light beam with the object plane, and
wherein the imaging assembly is configured to obtain a focused image of a region of the object from reflected light of the
light beam produced by the illumination assembly, at a point subsequent to the focal point of the light beam.

AUTO-FOCUS SYSTEM
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...

METHOD OF FINDING A FEATURE USING A MACHINE TOOL
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
probe and/or object to follow a course of motion which is configured such that the analogue probe is initially sufficiently
far away from the object such that the analogue probe is not in a position sensing relationship with anything and the course
of motion is configured to cause the analogue probe's surface sensing region to traverse past the object to be found a plurality
of times whilst approaching the object over successive traverses so as to ultimately arrive in a position sensing relationship
with the object so as to collect scanned measurement data about the object along at least part of a traverse.

LASER DEVICE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a cavity tuning arrangement for adjusting the effective optical path length of the laser cavity to move the cavity modes in frequency, with a frequency of the selected cavity mode being selectively adjustable by a predetermined movement of the cavity tuning arrangement, wherein the cavity tuning arrangement comprises a plurality of reflective elements arranged in optical series;
and the laser device further comprising:
an actuator configured to make the cavity mode selector and the cavity tuning arrangement perform a simultaneous coordinated movement, with respective frequencies of the selection feature and the selected cavity mode varying as a result with substantially the same dependence on a parameter characterising the simultaneous coordinated movement, at least over a predetermined range of the parameter,
wherein the frequency response of the cavity mode selector has a plurality of such selection features, each of which could potentially encourage a cavity mode to lase in preference to others, and only one of which selection features is aligned in frequency with the selected cavity mode, wherein the laser device further comprises a filter element which has a frequency response that (a) has a filter feature that is alignable in frequency with the selection feature of the cavity mode selector that is aligned with the selected cavity mode and (b) combines with the frequency response of the cavity mode selector to produce a combined frequency response that encourages the selected cavity mode to lase in preference to others, wherein the actuator is configured to make the filter element, the cavity mode selector and the cavity tuning arrangement perform a simultaneous coordinated movement, with respective frequencies of the aligned selection feature, the filter feature and the selected cavity mode varying with substantially the same dependence on the parameter characterising the simultaneous coordinated movement, at least over the predetermined range of the parameter.

METROLOGICAL SCALE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a scale locator for positioning the apparatus in a defined position relative to the scale substrate in one dimension;
an applicator for locating one or more markings on the scale substrate in a provisional state in which the one or more marking
can be removed;
a detector for checking the markings in the provisional state; and
a finalizer for finalizing the one or more markings which are acceptable after the detector checks the markings in the provisional
state so as to transform the one or more markings into a permanent state in which the one or more markings are less readily
removable than in the provisional state.

MOVEMENT DISORDER
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
electrically stimulating the target area of the brain through the electrode,
wherein the target area of the brain is selected from the group consisting of the subthalamic nucleus, the zona incerta and the globus pallidus.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING A PART
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
supplying a flow of fluid at least at the point of interaction between the probe and the artefact while scanning the probe along the surface of the artefact.

METHOD OF MEASUREMENT ON A MACHINE TOOL AND CORRESPONDING MACHINE TOOL APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING WORKPIECES
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
(b) obtaining calibrated values of said dimensional values from a source external to said measuring apparatus; and
(c) generating an error map or look-up table or error function which relates measured dimensional values of the reference workpiece to the corresponding calibrated values,
wherein:
the reference workpiece is measured at a non-ambient temperature that is different from the ambient temperature, and
the generated error map or look-up table or error function relates to the measured dimensional values at the non-ambient temperature.

CRANIAL DRILL SYSTEM
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
a spike configured to penetrate a dura, the spike dimensioned to be a close fit in the narrower diameter portion of the opening such that lateral translational movement of a section of the spike is limited when the section of the spike is located in the narrower diameter portion of the opening; and an implantable instrument configured to locate within the opening formed using the cranial drill system, the implantable instrument comprising a port, wherein the cranial drill system is arranged to form the opening having a profile corresponding to a profile of the port.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a high energy beam configured to consolidate material deposited in the working area in layers, and
a flow device configured to generate a gas flow across at least a part of the working area from a gas inlet to a gas outlet, the gas inlet and gas outlet arranged to be movable within the build chamber, wherein
the gas inlet and gas outlet are movable such that a position of the gas inlet relative to the gas outlet can be varied.

ROTATION DETECTION APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a decohering arrangement for eliminating or at least reducing the degree of coherence between first and second independent polarisation components of the beam of polarised light to produce a decohered beam of polarised light;
a detector for outputting a signal in dependence on the intensity of light which is incident thereupon, the detector being arranged so that the decohered beam of polarised light is incident upon it;
a polariser located in the path of the decohered beam of polarised light such that rotation of the polariser relative to the decohered beam of polarised light results in a variation of the intensity of light incident upon the detector from the beam source and a corresponding variation in the signal output from the detector; and
a processor for detecting the relative rotation based on the variation of the signal output from the detector.

METHOD OF FORMING AN OPTICAL DEVICE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
controlling at least one of atmospheric conditions at the surface and composition of the surface such that the application of the laser beam causes a melt pool at each of the plurality of target areas to exhibit a surface tension gradient, with higher temperature areas of the melt pool having a higher surface tension than lower temperature areas of the melt pool, that results in a transfer of molten material to build up profiles on the surface, the profiles forming a diffractive structure of the diffractive optical device.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING GEOMETRIC DATA FOR USE IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
provide a user interface that allows a user to define a location of each object within a common build volume;
identify at least one selected object from a user selection of at least one of the plurality of objects located in the common build volume;
carry out a slicing operation on the at least one selected object located in the common build volume independently from at least one unselected object of the plurality of objects located in the common build volume such that sections of the at least one selected object are determined without carrying out a slicing operation on the at least one unselected object; and
output control data based upon the determined sections for controlling an additive manufacturing apparatus to build the plurality of objects,
wherein the user interface comprises a display and a user input device,
the user can select through the user input device the at least one selected object, and
the processing unit is programmed to at least one of determine and re-determine the sections of the at least one selected object whilst sections of the at least one unselected object remain at least one of undefined and previously defined, the processing unit causing the display to display the at least one selected object for which sections have been at least one of determined and re-determined together with the at least one unselected object such that relative positions of the objects can be observed by the user on the display.

POSITION ENCODER APPARATUS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a readhead comprising a sensor configured to read the features via a process for capturing a single snapshot, the process being automatically adaptable so as to change, dependent on the relative speed between the scale and the readhead, at least one of:
(i) the feature capture duration of the readhead during the process, and
(ii) the duration that electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is emitted by at least one electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source during the process,
wherein the absolute position encoder apparatus is further configured to use the captured snapshot to fine-tune a determined absolute position between the readhead and the scale by determining a relative offset between the features of the scale and the sensor.

CALIBRATION OF MEASUREMENT PROBES
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a second part on which a tool is mountable, the first and second parts being movable relative to each other;
a control which controls the relative movement of the first and second parts of the machine tool;
a toolsetting probe mountable on the first part; and
a workpiece-sensing probe mountable on the second part;
the method comprising:
moving the first and second parts of the machine tool relative to each other to bring the toolsetting and workpiece-sensing probes into a sensing relationship with each other in a probing direction, a dimension or position of a first one of the probes being used to set one or more parameters of a second one of the probes in the probing direction; and
storing the one or more parameters of the second probe in the control,wherein:a dimension of the toolsetting probe is used to set one or more parameters of the workpiece-sensing probe,
the probing direction is an X-axis and/or Y-axis direction of the workpiece-sensing probe, and
the one or more parameters of the workpiece-sensing probe include an effective radius or diameter of a stylus tip of the workpiece-sensing probe.

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
an optical unit configured to control transmission of a plurality of laser beams onto material in the working area for consolidating the material deposited in layers, the optical unit arranged to move over the working area and comprising a plurality of optical elements, each optical element movable in the optical unit for scanning a corresponding laser beam of the plurality of laser beams across the material in the working area; and
a control unit configured to control scanning of the corresponding laser beam along a path across the working area by controlling (i) movement of the optical unit over the working area so that the corresponding laser beam moves in a first direction, and (ii) movement of the optical elements in the optical unit, simultaneously with the movement of the optical unit over the working area, so that the corresponding laser beam moves in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, the path of the corresponding laser beam being a combination of movement of the corresponding laser beam in the first direction and the second direction.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
(b) performing a second manufacturing process to transform the article into a second state, the second manufacturing process comprising:
(i) mounting, via the kinematic mount features formed during the additive manufacturing process, the article in a holding device of a machine for operating on the article, the position and orientation of the article in three linear and three rotational degrees of freedom within the machine operating volume being known and defined by the interaction of the kinematic mount features with the holding device; and
(ii) with the article so mounted, processing the predetermined feature on the article using knowledge derived from the computer model of the position of the predetermined feature relative to the kinematic mount features.

NEUROSURGICAL APPARATUS AND METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
the catheter is inserted along a trajectory through an occipitoparietal region, the trajectory substantially parallel to an anterior commissure-posterior commissure plane.

SELECTIVE LASER SOLIDIFICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
at least one laser module for generating a plurality of laser beams for solidifying powder material deposited onto the powder bed;
a laser scanner for individually steering each laser beam to solidify separate areas in each powder layer, a scanning zone for each laser beam being defined by the locations on the powder bed to which the laser beam can be steered by the laser scanner, and the laser scanner being arranged such that each scanning zone is less than the total area of the powder bed and at least two of the scanning zones overlap; and
a processing unit arranged to select, for at least one of the powder layers, which one of the laser beams to use to solidify an area of the powder layer located within a region in which the scanning zones overlap based on a total length of time each laser beam is used for solidifying areas in the powder layer.

METHOD OF TREATING A CNS DISORDER USING A WATER-SOLUBLE HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITOR
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING APPARATUS AND METHODS
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
wherein the second actuator provides a faster dynamic response but a smaller range of movement of the laser beam than the first actuator; and
a controller arranged to control the first and second actuators to accelerate/decelerate the laser beam in the first dimension using the faster dynamic response of the second actuator synchronously whilst moving the laser beam in the first dimension using the first actuator.

REFERENCE MARK DETECTOR ARRANGEMENT
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-und...
a readhead comprising a light source, a diffraction grating, an incremental photo detector and a reference photodetector comprising at least two detector channels, the features defining the at least one reference mark being configured such that each of the at least two detector channels resolve the at least one reference mark as a single feature, wherein:
the encoder apparatus is configured such that light from the source interacts with the incremental scale marks and the diffraction grating to produce diffraction orders which combine to produce at the incremental photodetector a resultant field which varies with relative movement of the scale and readhead, and
the optical arrangement of the encoder is configured such that a non-imaged representation of at least the track in which the at least one reference mark is contained falls onto the reference photodetector.

METHOD OF INSPECTING AN OBJECT WITH A CAMERA PROBE
RENISHAW PLC, Wotton-Und...
b) for at least one period during said relative movement turning at least a part of the camera probe about the at least one axis thereby slowing the passage of a feature of interest to be measured on the object across the camera probe's field of view, and capturing at least one image of the feature of interest during at least a portion of said turning.