Offline Program to Online Program Problems

[knati]

I programmed a part offline from the CAD model while I waited for the actual part to be manufactured. I received the part and was instructed that all I would need to do is put the part onto the machine, do a manual and dcc alignment, and my program should be good to go as I didn't have any collisions showing up on the offline program.

My problem is that I have the part on the machine and the first thing that happened was my tip that was first to be used crashed into the part, but not on the CAD model. To troubleshoot, I opened a "New" file, changed the tip being used, performed new alignments manual and DCC, then cut and pasted the body of my program. My program showed that it updated all of the command below the alignments, but the program still does not want to function. Upon the first move to the part, it said that is is out of tolerance and to move the probe. Also, I thought that perhaps I needed to do a CAD equals Part since I imported the part, but that button didn't show up in my alignment window.

Are there any suggestions to how to fix this or will I have to start a new program from scratch online?

[craiger_ny]

Are you using clearplane?

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

The CAD=PART button will NOT show up in an alignment that is being inserted into a program, with either features or dimensions below the insertion point. You CAN do the CAD=PART for the alignment by going through OPERATIONS ~ GRAPHICS DISPLAY WINDOW, and there you will find CAD=PART. ALSO, you do NOT want to update the commands below the alignment, this will totally screw up the program. The body of the program is already to the cad data, after you dp the alignment, ALWAYS (with only one exception, which I will not go into here) TELL IT NO when asked to update the commands.

[knati]

Hi Mathew,

Thanks for the quick response. I am not using clearplane.

To be safe, I will do the same steps again in recreating the alignments and cutting and pasting the body of the program and NOT update the commands. I thought I was taught by my B & S instructor to do so, but perhaps I mis- undertood him. I let you know wahat happens Matt.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Hi Mathew,

Thanks for the quick response. I am not using clearplane.

To be safe, I will do the same steps again in recreating the alignments and cutting and pasting the body of the program and NOT update the commands. I thought I was taught by my B & S instructor to do so, but perhaps I mis- undertood him. I let you know wahat happens Matt.

You can check and see if the point is still correctly placed on the CAD model by simply placing the cursotr on the feature, then hit F9. The Autofeature window will pop open and it should show you the probe at teh XYZ locaiton of the feature. If it is still on the cad model, you are probably good. You can click on FIND and watch the nominals and see if they change, if not, you ARE good, if so, then something in probably wrong.

[knati]

Matt, is there a work number that I can call you at?

[ag162]

Hello,
Just my 2 cents real quick. It sounds that one problem may be that when you took your point offline, the point actually took from the underside of the part (the top surface was not recognized) and I have had this happen before. As Matt stated, never let it update anything. Hopefully you saved the offline and kept it as the original. Open it back up and F9 one of the features and rotate the Cad, if you can see that the vector is on the underside of the mat'l all you have to do is adjust the offset for the mat'l thickness. Other than that, make sure that you take your alignment as in the offline prg, also verifying that the surface is actually being measured.

VP A.Gore

[craiger_ny]

If he doesn't reply I can give you John Kingston's cell phone number. He is the president and sole member of the fan club. They are in intimate contact, at least that is what John would have you believe.

[Tested]

knati

Are you touching selecting features on the CAD and then touching them on the part to do your manual alignment.
Just A thought my second shift guy is always just going in and touching features on the part i.e. not using CAD.

[Underspec]

The thing I noticed most about programming off CAD models is being in the correct workplane and the correct vectors. Check your move points and features.

[knati]

Thanks gentlemen for all of the advise. Worked it all out and the programs are running fine. I went back and realigned everything and didn't update the commands.


You guys are the best. Time for a beer.