soildworks

[Ken379128]

So you will have to forgive the spelling. I have read on here that the trihedron on the cad model can be change to how you want to align the part on your machine using soildworks. I have seen soildworks in a put down menu on PC Dmis is this what I use and if so how. I have tried matching the model to the machine with no luck, I will try some more be it seems if I can just change the trihedron on the cad model it will be easier

[rebeldude]

You can change it in Solidworks easier. Thats what I do. Get One of your designers to show you how. It is simple. (Tell him that if you know how, you wont have to bug him to do it everyday. That works real good!)

[Andrew Gardner]

That's what I do. (in SW) Create a point where you want origin, create a new coordinate system, and save as an .igs file - it works great. I even use Solidworks to convert (UG) .stp files into .igs. PC-DMIS seems to import them better.

[djayne]

I too use SolidWorks to do this and works great. You should also be able to do this within PCDMIS using >EDIT>PREFERENCES>SETUP and using the Part/Machine Tab and set the CAD axis equal to your machine axis. Switch to a probe of A90B90 or something like that and touch off on the part to see if you have set your axis correctly by viewing the orientation of the probe to your part and how you would have it fixtured on the CMM.

[Farmer]

I ALWAYS have to change the trihedron on my model (in a CAD package) before writing the CMM program. Its very easy once you know how. As above, ask one of your Engineers to show you.

[rangerboat72]

In PC-DMIS v4.0 and up you no longer have to have a seperate cad system to change the cad alignment to your machine alignment. You just "transform" the cad model to your preferences. We have been using v4.0 for about three months now for this purpose only. We transform the cad (after importing the UG, CatiaV4 or Catia V5 in PC-DMIS), then save the program and cad as a v3.7 file that we are accustomed to using. Hopefully you can upgrade (SMA is paid up). This will eliminate the need to learn a cad software such as Solidworks...

[Ken379128]

I am trying to get them to go with 4.1 I here it is better then 4.0.

[RussL]

I don't quite understand why so many people change the coordinate system,
Our customers require us to be able to report in their (aircraft) coordinate system.
Additionally, if we translate any data (step & iges are translations),
we have to prove to the customer the translation introduced error is negligible, a rather time consuming task.
We opted to buy the DCI, work directly to customer data with no need to do any translations or translation verifications.
We can still align to anything we want, we just maintain the customer coordinate system when we do.
Does anybody else work this way, or does everybody generally translate data into alternate coordinate systems?

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

I work in exactly BODY POSITION (automotive). No rotating, translating, or axis swapping. If the X+ points to the Y+ of the machine, so be it, it is a VERY simple thing to use the CAD to MACHINE setup to make the machine axis match the needed cad/part orientation. Takes about 5 seconds.

[KBearden]

But doesn't changing the Machine Axis to match the part axis very difficult to manuver the CMM, now that you have to twist the joystick for X or Y direction instead of Z? Another thing is what difference does it make wheather or not you change the coordinate system for importing??? You can always use any feature taken after alignment and cad equals part and move your coordinate system anywhere, and with the X, Y, & Z going in any direction you want.
Making the coordinate system to match the CMM coordinate system is by far the easiest way to go...

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

It has NO EFFECT on the joystick movement. Move to the right, it moves to the right. As a matter of fact, there is no X, Y or Z on the joystick, just direction arrows.

Then, what happens when you get a customer (automotive) who wants to know the XYZ location of a hole so he can compare those values with the values from the mating part that is being made someplace else? If you are not both in CAR POSITION, you have NO WAY to tell how close the holes are to matching.

Trust me, 5 seconds of 'labor' on the F5 'CAD to MACHINE' is a LOT quicker than opening a cad package, figuring out WHICH way, how much, etc. you want to move the data, exporting the data, then pulling it BACK into Pcdmis to start programming. AND, no need to try to explain to a customer, "Well, the hole is supposed to be at X256.25, Y 1050.75 and Z735.0, but WE MOVED THE DATA so it is at X100, Y-100, Z250 to make it easier on US." At that point, you are basically telling your customer, screw you, take the data the way WE WANT to give it to you, not the way YOU want it. Yeah, that goes over like a ton of lead.

QUICK, EASY, SAFE, use F5 to match the axis. YOu simple place the part/fixture on the table the way you want it. Import the cad data. Look at the data, use the 3-D rotate to make the picture on the screen match the way the part looks on the CMM (remember, the screen view is the same as looking DOWN on the CMM from above). Then, hit F5 and simply change the axis to match the axis on the 3-D rotate cube. Then click DONE. Now, almost ALL of that has to be done anyway (placing the part on the table, looking at the data) but then your choice is back to the cad package, or 3 simple mouse click changes and go to town.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Oh, here is a picture to show just how easy it is:
1) I set my part on the table, import the cad.
2) I rotate the view using 3-D rotate until it matches the way the part sits
3) I open the F5 setting and make 3 simple mouse clicks

[KBearden]

Yes, I know how to do it. And I just tried it with our Xcel 15,30,10 with Sharpe32 controller and v4.1 and it worked as you say it does, but when I tried it on a Global machine with a Litze controller (I think it was) with v3.7mr2, it screwed the driving direction of the joystick to machine all to H... When I turned the stick which normally drives the Z axis, it was moving in the X axis which is what I selected in the Part Setup window. STRANGE !!!!

[T Miller]

My global does that also but only if I have the jog box set to follow part

[KBearden]

Maybe it was because I created the alignment and cad equals part before I changed things in the Part Setup Window?? Maybe?