Spindle error motions are a primary source of quality degradation and product failures in equipment tools, disk drive spindles and other processes requiring a precision rotating axis. Using noncontact sensors to measure the spindle error motions enables engineers and operators to determine the capabilities of the spindle before making parts or installing the spindle in a larger system. The difficult task of measuring spindles to the nanometer or picometer level has now been fully described in a new book by Professor Eric Marsh of The Pennsylvania State University. Precision Spindle Metrology details important concepts, mechanical setup, high-resolution sensor options and detailed data analysis techniques. The book ends with chapters on specific case studies and meaningful applications of spindle measurement results.

Spindle error motions on machine tools are responsible for errors in feature location, feature roundness and surface finish. In disk drives, spindle error motions limit data density. The maximum speed of high-speed professional drills is limited in part by spindle error motions. Precision Spindle Metrology takes the reader step by step through the process of understanding which error motions may be responsible for different quality issues, selecting and using a sensor system to measure error motions at full operating speeds, collecting and processing the data and deriving error motion values from the tests. The full color book includes diagrams, illustrations, and photos on nearly every page to assist the reader in fully understanding the concepts and other content.