The CMM Handbook Revision 6

CMM Quarterly announces the new release of The CMM Handbook Revision 6. This version comes with a USB drive containing video with explanations of specific topics. Below are listed some of the topics covered in The CMM Handbook. This spiral bound handbook is a must have for all CMM programmers and operators.

What this book is: This book is not a training manual but educational manual on how to apply CMM techniques across all CMM software platforms.

Common Conversion Factors
Environment Settings
Coordinate-Measuring Machine (CMM) Probes
Touch Trigger Probes

• Resistive 
• Strain-gauge 
• Piezo 

Scanning Probes
Passive Sensors

• Simplicity 
• Dynamic Response 

Active Sensors

• Complexity 
• Dynamic Response 

Accuracy
CMM Stylus Selection
Stylus Variables

• Stylus Sphericity (roundness) 
• Stylus Bending 
• Thermal stability 
• Coefficient Expansion 

DMIS Probe Command Set
Measurement Uncertainty
Measurement Uncertainty and your CMM System

• MPE = Maximum Permissible Error 
• MPEE - Maximum Permissible Error for length measurement 
• MPEP - Maximum Permissible Error for probing 
• ISO 10360-2 Where do E and P apply? 
• MPERONt(MZCI) - Maximum Permissible Error for form measurement (roundness) 
• MPETHP and MPEτ - Maximum Permissible Error for scanning probing 

Projection Planes and Plane Normal Vectors
Understanding the 6 Degrees of Freedom

• Using The Correct CMM Alignment Principles 

Words To Be Familiar With

• Alignment 
• Datum 
• Origin 
• Coordinate System 
• 3-2-1 Setup 
• Coordinate Systems 

• What is a Coordinate System? 
• How Do I Create A Coordinate System? 
• Myths And Truths About Establishing Coordinate Systems 
• Cartesian Coordinate System 
• Polar Coordinate System 
• Spherical Coordinate System 
• Datum Definition When the Datum Is a Cylinder 
• Basic Alignment Strategies
• Sample Alignments 
• Plane/ Line/ Line 
• Plane/ Line/ Point 
• Plane/ Circle/ Line 
• Plane/ Circle/ Circle
• Advanced Alignment Strategies
• Best-Fit Alignment
• RPS Alignment
• CAD Alignment 

Feature Types

• Circle 
• Cylinder 
• Line 
• 2d Line 
• 3D Line Spatial Vector 
• Cone 
• Partial Arcs 
• Measurement Methods
• Measurement Strategies 
• Diameters 

Filtering of Scanned Data

• Data from Scanning 
• Filtering – What is it? 
• Filter Methods
• Filtering Types 

Direction Vectors

• What Are Direction Vectors .
• How To Calculate Direction Vectors 
• Direction Vectors for Common Angles 

Gage R&R

• Terminology of R&R 
• Variability 
• How to perform a Gage R&R 
• Gage R&R Method 
• The 10% Rule 
• Calculating Gage R&R 
• What If the Gage R&R Is Not Good? 

DMIS Commands

• General Setup Commands 
• Machine Settings 
• Operator Prompts 
• Sensor Select

Datum Alignment Commands

• Three Step Method 
• One Step Method 
• Measurement Features 
• Work Plane 

Trigonometry Calculations

• Angle Measurement 
• The concept of angle 
• Right Hand Triangles 
• Oblique Triangles 
• How to Calculate Chord Length 

Bolt Hole Circle Calculations
Create Your Own Bolt Hole Calculator in Excel

• Getting Started 
• The Formulas 

Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing

EXPANDED GD&T SECTION

• GD&T Resources 
• GD&T printed or web materials 
• GD&T Training Companies 
• Datum Feature Constraints 
• Profile 
• Changes to GD&T 
• New and Refined Modifiers
• Expanded Profile of Surface and Line 

CAD

• Data Exchange 
• IGES and Step 
• Issues When Programming From CAD 
• Surface Normals 

CAD Modeling

• The Basics 
• Reverse Engineering 
• CMM Scanning Options 

Higher Level Language Examples

• Common HLL Usages 
• Jump To 
• If-Then-Else Statement 
• Relational Operators 
• Call External Program 
• Write a program to calibrate a disc, cylinder, or shaft styli .
• Save results and increment serial numbers 
• Write a program to query if a fixture alignment needs run .
• Write a program to add date and time stamping 
• Write a program to add operator input 

CMM Glossary

This spiral bound book sells for $115.00 plus shipping ($5.00 US, $10.00 International)






Click on image to purchase

PC-DMIS

Forms

With the introduction of new versions of software, there will be leaders and there will be followers. The leaders take the reigns and forge ahead using the “beta” version of the software, wallowing in the fact that they have the new version and they are at the forefront of their profession....

The followers wait for the leaders’ feedback on what they have encountered with the new software; good or bad.
PC-DMIS is well known for releasing new and improved versions at least once per year. With the introduction of the newest version 4.0 and above, the group at WILCOX has changed the playing field once again. The reporting methodology has been overhauled, HYPER-REPORTS have been removed from the software, FORMS have been added as an option, and a multitude of vision and articulated arm algorithms have been added or improved. Future articles will be covering some of these topics and more.

Today’s topic will look at the usage of the FORM as an alternative to hyper-reports in a program. Specifically, the process for embedding a set up photo into a FORM and linking it in a program will be reviewed. Keep in mind that all the options that a FORM may be appropriate for will not be covered in this article.

When the FORM window is opened for the first time, one would think they are looking at the HYPER-REPORT window.

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.

Click here to read the entire article

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.


Click Here to read the entire article