PC-DMIS

Probe Qualification

Probably the most important aspect of measuring parts on a CMM is getting the probe, or probes, to be in relationship to one another. As it happens, this procedure is one of the most frequently asked questions on the internet forums and least understood. Qualification, as this process of relating a probe setup to the CMM is called, is the topic of discussion today. We will start by qualifying a single probe setup. To begin, the PROBE UTILITIES window must be accessed. To do this, go to INSERTHARDWARE DEFINITIONPROBE. Once the PROBE UTILITIES window has been accessed, a name has to be given to the probe that is going to be created.

PC-DMIS Training

Using CAD models in 4.1 and above; importation and transformation.

The software developers at Wilcox have been hard at work to improve PC-DMIS for the last few years. With their hard work they have added many new features that may not be known to the average programmer. This flexibility is making the usage of the software easier and easier for the seasoned programmer. At one time the programmer would have to hunt down an engineer that had some knowledge of CAD software if a “tweak” was need to an .iges or .step model. As of the PC-DMIS 4.1+ version(s), the CMM programmer can easily manipulate the models from within the software.

As an example, many times a program will have been created in standard units and the next CAD model given to the CMM programmer will have been exported from its native software in metric units. This change may have been intentional or an oversight, but either way, it would have a required a rewrite of the program or the very least for someone that had access to the native CAD software to export in the proper units. All of this manipulation can cause errors. PC-DMIS now allows the CMM programmer the ability to import .iges and .step files regardless of the units used for its’ creation.

Another improvement in PC-DMIS is the ability to “transform” the CAD data once the .iges or .step file has been imported. Similar to the units of measurement issue, sometimes a CAD model can be imported and the origin of the part may not be where the blueprint states it should be. In many cases there are a number of authors that work on a CAD model. Each one of those authors opens, saves, and closes the CAD model numerous times in its’ life and at some point the origin is either moved or re-oriented upon a new model being created.


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