SPC data collection for PC-DMIS

[cklune]

I have been gathering bits and pieces of information on how to setup my Brown and Sharpe CMM to collect dimensional results into DataPage RT, or a format that is easy to pull from with MS Excel or MiniTab. But I need something or someone to help me put it altogether because there are some missing links in the information that I have.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a available books or someone who offers onsite training located somewhere out here in the west. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[trichards]

Brown and sharpe does this type of training on-site or Inspec-Inc.
Inspec would probable be cheaper. inspec-inc.com

[cklune]

I'll look up Inspec, but I'm having trouble getting Brown and Sharpe's training coordinator to respond to me. Thanks for the lead, its much appreciated.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

If you are using Datapage, all you need to do is install it. Then, in your Pcdmis program, you simply add the STAT comman (INSERT ~ STATISTICS COMMAND ~ STATISTICS), You will then get a pop-up window with your STAT options. You can then select the options you want AND the directory for the database that Datapage made. This database will be C:\DATAPAGE\PART if you used all the install defaults when installing. Once you do that, all the data (dimensions) following the STAT command in the program will be sent to the database and stored in a 'part' with the same name that you see at the top of the program in the edit window. You can then use DPEditor to make variable sets, then you can make all the different stat reports using DatapageRT from the collected data. It is pretty much taht simple to set up.

[calbritton]

DatapageRT

and save the report as a *.txt file. This is easily imported into excel.

[cklune]

Sounds pretty straight forward to me. I'll give 'er a go. Thanks a million.

[cklune]

A bit more help, if you could!!

After adding the stats command to the existing program, the program executed the code without moving the probe. I immediately removed the stats command (see below) and it worked fine again.

I inserted the stats command via the insert menu option which automatically entered the text in blue below.

....
ALIGNMENT/END
MODE/DCC
STATS/ON,DATAPAGE,$
DIRECTORY=,$
READ=10,WRITE=20,MEMPAGES=64,DIMENSION NAME,CONTROLCALC OFF,$
STATS/END
MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,0.094,0.462,12.906
TIP/T1A45B0, SHANKIJK=0.001, 0.707, 0.707, ANGLE=-0.116 ......


I used the following criteria in the "Statistics Options" dialog box:

Stats Options: "On"
Database Directories: N/A (defaulted to C:\DATAPAGE\PART which I didn't have in my directory)
Database Options: "DataPage"
DataPage Variable Name: "Use Dimension Name"
Do Control Calculations: "Off"
Read Lock: "10"
Write Lock: "20"
Memory Pages: "64"

PCdmis has been installed for a few years, and I didn't find the C:\DATAPAGE\PART database to enter into the database directory, but PCdmis came up with a dialog box asking me if I wanted to use it. I chose "Yes" and proceeded with the program.

Any ideas as to what went wrong?

[MrComment]

You need to create a Database with the DPEditor first.

Then Unlock the Database with the DPEditor.

Go back into PCDMIS, F9 the stat command.

Naviagate and Select your new Datapage Database with the dialog box.

[cklune]

That worked! Thanks

The only road block I have left is making variable sets in DP Editor. I read an article on-line that said you have to populate the database with 9 sets of data before you are able to do certain things. Does this include making Variable Sets in DP Editor?

The reason I ask is because DP Editor doesn't respond when I click on the different "Variables" options in the menu.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Nope, as long as the 'part' is in the database, you can make variable sets, even for variable you do not yet have!

Open DPEditor
VIEW ~ VARIABLE SETS ~ Select the 'part' in the list
The pop-up will give you the list of the current variable sets. If this is a new part, the only one will be MEAS_ORDER. You can do several things to make the sets:

Click on NEW and follow the prompts. Then, for varialbe insertion (ohhhhhh), you can either go through the list of ALL the current varialbes in the 'part' or you can type them in yourself, using the little box under VARIABLE TYPE. You CAN use wildcards (ie T*.X will give you all the variable that start with the letter T and have an X dimension). However, it will not put all the 'current' variable that match that into the set, rather the wildcard goes into the set. So, if you add a point that 'matches' later, it will automatically add into the set, in the screwy alpha-numeric way that Datapage sorts. I have gotten into the (good) habit of having all my feature have the same length ID. T001, T002, T003, P004, P005, H006, H007, etc. so that the wildcards will have them sort into the correct order. Other wise it would sort like this: T10, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T11, T12 (YUCK). It will also work the other way, too, if a variable is removed from the Pcdmis program, or does NOT get checked, it will 'drop out' of the variable list until it is once again checked. This sounds a LOT better than it actually is, I think, but it does work pretty good. IF you have symmetrical parts, with the same feature or dimension IDS (depending on which you use to save the data), you can COPY the set from one 'part' to the other, saving you the need to do some set creation. AND, if you are real uptight about it, you can actually use the same feature set for ALL your parts, if you are using the wildcard or not! If you ALWAYS use the same naming conventions, then the sets will be 'the same' for all the parts. My edge (trim) points are always T001, T002, T003, ..... T999 and my vector (surface) poitns are always p001, p002, p003,.... p999 nd my holes (all types) are H001, H002, H003, .... H999. I do NOT re-use the same 'number' for any feature, and I always program the edge points first (since they also give me surface data), so my program feature ID's will be T001, T002, T003, .... T024, P025, P026, .... P052, H053, H054, H055 and the dimension ID will always match the feature ID's number, so the dimension ID's would be D001, D002, D003, ..... D054, D055.

[Perry Fisher]

Nope, as long as the 'part' is in the database, you can make variable sets, even for variable you do not yet have!

Open DPEditor
VIEW ~ VARIABLE SETS ~ Select the 'part' in the list
The pop-up will give you the list of the current variable sets. If this is a new part, the only one will be MEAS_ORDER. You can do several things to make the sets:

Click on NEW and follow the prompts. Then, for varialbe insertion (ohhhhhh), you can either go through the list of ALL the current varialbes in the 'part' or you can type them in yourself, using the little box under VARIABLE TYPE. You CAN use wildcards (ie T*.X will give you all the variable that start with the letter T and have an X dimension). However, it will not put all the 'current' variable that match that into the set, rather the wildcard goes into the set. So, if you add a point that 'matches' later, it will automatically add into the set, in the screwy alpha-numeric way that Datapage sorts. I have gotten into the (good) habit of having all my feature have the same length ID. T001, T002, T003, P004, P005, H006, H007, etc. so that the wildcards will have them sort into the correct order. Other wise it would sort like this: T10, T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T11, T12 (YUCK). It will also work the other way, too, if a variable is removed from the Pcdmis program, or does NOT get checked, it will 'drop out' of the variable list until it is once again checked. This sounds a LOT better than it actually is, I think, but it does work pretty good. IF you have symmetrical parts, with the same feature or dimension IDS (depending on which you use to save the data), you can COPY the set from one 'part' to the other, saving you the need to do some set creation. AND, if you are real uptight about it, you can actually use the same feature set for ALL your parts, if you are using the wildcard or not! If you ALWAYS use the same naming conventions, then the sets will be 'the same' for all the parts. My edge (trim) points are always T001, T002, T003, ..... T999 and my vector (surface) poitns are always p001, p002, p003,.... p999 nd my holes (all types) are H001, H002, H003, .... H999. I do NOT re-use the same 'number' for any feature, and I always program the edge points first (since they also give me surface data), so my program feature ID's will be T001, T002, T003, .... T024, P025, P026, .... P052, H053, H054, H055 and the dimension ID will always match the feature ID's number, so the dimension ID's would be D001, D002, D003, ..... D054, D055.

This one is going in my archive of useful stuff from the board. Thanks Matt.

[cklune]

I went in to "Parts" in the DP Editor and created a New "Part", but I seem to be missing the "MEAS_ORDER" variable. Not sure what happened.

I think I need to make sure I have the order of steps right. Please let me know if something I've done in this list is not right:
1. Create Database in DP Editor.
2. Unlock DB in DP Editor
3. Insert Stats-On command in the existing Program
a. Stats On
b. Send it to DataPage
c. Tie it to new Database
4. Run a part to establish information in the new Database.
5. Proceed to establish variable sets.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

I went in to "Parts" in the DP Editor and created a New "Part", but I seem to be missing the "MEAS_ORDER" variable. Not sure what happened.

I think I need to make sure I have the order of steps right. Please let me know if something I've done in this list is not right:
1. Create Database in DP Editor.
2. Unlock DB in DP Editor
3. Insert Stats-On command in the existing Program
a. Stats On
b. Send it to DataPage
c. Tie it to new Database
4. Run a part to establish information in the new Database.
5. Proceed to establish variable sets.

If you created a part using DPEditor, then there will be no variables and no sets. If you write a program in Pcdmis, get it all done, then send those stats to Datapage, you will have MEAS_ORDER as a set and ALL the individual varialbes in the variable list to use to make other sets.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Oh, and you DON'T have to create a part in DPEditor BEFORE you send it from Pcdmis, it will create all by itself when you send the stats.

[cklune]

Now I understand the "Stats-On" command line that I place in the PCdmis program should automagically create the part and send the stats I'm looking for to the database automagically. But, I'm frustrated to say it is not sending any of that to the database.

It seems so simple, yet I'm missing something. I hate to take up anymore of anyone's time, but if you have any idea of where the disconnect maybe, I would sincerely appreciated the help.

I've walked through the steps I listed several times and I'm still unable to figure out what I missed.

1. Create Database in DP Editor.
2. Unlock DB in DP Editor
3. Insert Stats-On command in the existing Program
a. Stats On
b. Send it to DataPage
c. Tie it to new Database
d. Stats Off at the end of the Program
4. Run a part to establish information in the new Database.
5. Proceed to establish variable sets and find No Part or Part Variable Data to choose from.