Flipping a Program

[gsepan]

Not sure whether or not this has been addressed in the past or not... but here goes...

I am a sheetmetal programmer and I have a program that checks a part on a check fixture in the X+ direction. I have another check fixture that loads the part in the X- direction and I would like to be able to "flip" my program to check the other side of metal on this check fixture.

Is there a way to accomplish this in a speedy manor barring going in on each individual feature measured and "flipping vectors? I don't mind editing the moves and tip angles individually but editing all of the features measured will be quite a daunting task.

Can anyone help a poor slub out???


Thanks in advance...

Greg

[T Miller]

Did you try to mirror the program

[gsepan]

Duh!

I'm so use to mirroring the program in the "Y" axis that it never occured to me that I can do the same in the "X" direction.

Good God! Somebody shoot me please!!!

[Bill **********]

I may be wrong here, but a mirrored program here will have the points on the wrong side of material won't it? Won't you need to repick EVERY point to get to the other side of material?

Bill

[gsepan]

I should be able to remove my theoretical metal thickness and that should solve the metal issue.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Mirroring won't work, unless it is a flat piece of metal with the X NOM for all points at zero. You will have to go, one at a time, and flip the vector and remove (or add) the metal thickness.

[gsepan]

Matt,

I guessing you have tried this in the past... Not good news for me if it's true!!! My part is symetrical about the centerline but it is in no way flat. Because it is symetrical, will this help?

[Rick Coleman]

Morroring

I use this quite frequently. Boat loads of LH/RH parts, usually mirrored in Y axis.
This seems to work out quite well. Will also USUALLY alter vectors accordingly. If you use move points, these also mirror. The BIG thing to WATCH OUT FOR is tip rotations. It will tell you if a tip is not available, but WILL NOT tell you if it choses the wrong rotation! Drive through the program slowly, or single step 'til you get all the rotations verified.
I use this on sheet metal and replacement die steels/tooling.

[Bill **********]

Personally I think you're stuck with repicking every point. You have vector directions as well as material thickness to deal with. I'm thinking that if I were you I would write a second program.

Mirroring works well for RH to LH parts, but the other side of material is a new one for me.

Bill

[Rick Coleman]

Sorry--my bad

Guess I missed a couple key words. Didn't sink in that he was looking for the opposite side of material.