Part program question..

[eg92b16a2]

Hi guru's,
I am having some weird issues with programming a part that starts out at A90B-90 on the probe.

I import the CAD model in and reference the CSYS to have the part sitting sideways and all the features I am needing to check is in X+ and X- workplane.
I rotate the probe to A90B-90.
I set the workplane as X+ and touch the features to align the part.
Primary is 3 bosses that creates a datum in X+.
Secondary is an edge that I create a line that has the vector Z+.
Tertiary is a Bored hole in the center of the part.

This is where I get stuck on.
Do i align the part to the current rotation or does the Z+ axis point towards the Probe head?
In a CNC machine Z axis is always pointed the spindle,so is it the same for a CMM?

I tried:
I level X+ to the Primary datum.
I rotate the Secondary datum to Z+ axis rotating on X+ axis.
I origin Z & Y to the Tertiary datum.
I origrin X to the plane.

Then redo the alignment with a DCC alignment it looks good when I am doing it.
But when I click on to show toolpath and animate the program. The Manual portion of the program is okay in the animation but when it gets to the DCC mode everything is flipped even the probe head.

I know I am doing something wrong but have no clue on what it is. Can somebody shed some light for me to figure this out.

In the .jpg the CSYS is what is currently on the PCDMIS program.
Z is pointing up, Y is pointing Away and X is pointing to the right.

TIA

[#2#]

Hi guru's,
I am having some weird issues with programming a part that starts out at A90B-90 on the probe.

I import the CAD model in and reference the CSYS to have the part sitting sideways and all the features I am needing to check is in X+ and X- workplane.
I rotate the probe to A90B-90.
I set the workplane as X+ and touch the features to align the part.
Primary is 3 bosses that creates a datum in X+.
Secondary is an edge that I create a line that has the vector Z+.
Tertiary is a Bored hole in the center of the part.

This is where I get stuck on.
Do i align the part to the current rotation or does the Z+ axis point towards the Probe head?
In a CNC machine Z axis is always pointed the spindle,so is it the same for a CMM?

I tried:
I level X+ to the Primary datum.
I rotate the Secondary datum to Z+ axis rotating on X+ axis.
I origin Z & Y to the Tertiary datum.
I origrin X to the plane.

Then redo the alignment with a DCC alignment it looks good when I am doing it.
But when I click on to show toolpath and animate the program. The Manual portion of the program is okay in the animation but when it gets to the DCC mode everything is flipped even the probe head.

I know I am doing something wrong but have no clue on what it is. Can somebody shed some light for me to figure this out.

In the .jpg the CSYS is what is currently on the PCDMIS program.
Z is pointing up, Y is pointing Away and X is pointing to the right.

TIA

Double check your vectors for the DCC alignment. It sounds to me as if your DCC line or plane has an opposite vector of what you had for the manual alignment.

OK, I read your post again. You say even the probehead is flipped. Are you sure that it isn't just the view changing?

[Tested]

Is that the CAD trihedrain on the near boss? and your new one in the center?

[eg92b16a2]

I checked the view and it is still in the same orientation as the manual section. The weird thing is I edit the plane that I created in DCC mode and all the vectors are switched to to negative.

The CAD trihedron is in the center the stuff on the near boss is the tolerances in ProE.

I wrote another program with the Z+ axis now pointing in the X+ axis of the .jpg and the program worked. I thought maybe it was my CAD model that was bad but it must be how I did the alignment.

How would you guys program this part if you needed to get to both sides of the part? But did not need the A0B0 axis.

[#2#]

I checked the view and it is still in the same orientation as the manual section. The weird thing is I edit the plane that I created in DCC mode and all the vectors are switched to to negative.

The CAD trihedron is in the center the stuff on the near boss is the tolerances in ProE.

I wrote another program with the Z+ axis now pointing in the X+ axis of the .jpg and the program worked. I thought maybe it was my CAD model that was bad but it must be how I did the alignment.

How would you guys program this part if you needed to get to both sides of the part? But did not need the A0B0 axis.

Well, first off I would put A0B0 in there somewhere even if you don't measure anything with it. It is important to include A0B0 when you calibrate tips as it is used to relate one probe to another and (I believe) one angle on a tip to another angle on a tip. If you have it in the program it will show up as used in the program and will get calibrated with the other tips. Plus, it's easier to take a manual hit on the cal sphere with A0B0 than with another angle.

[eg92b16a2]

Sorry about that confusion. I do have "A0B0" for the probe set-up. I also added the other anlges. "A90B-90", "A90B180" & "A90B90" I meant that if there is no feature in the Z plus plane to start the measuring process.

Example:
I calibrate the tip to the cal sphere for all 4 angles.
I load the part on the fixture plate.
All the features that I need to check is in X+, X-, & Y- axis related to the table.
That is where I think my problem is.

So if I am going to start in the X+ axis to align my part and the probe angle is "A90B-90" do I align the CSYS in PCDMIS to Z axis to the X+ workplane or do I keep the Z axis of the CSYS pointing up from the table? I am confused on how to set up the CSYS to the part and table.

If it was on a CNC machine which ever surface I am working on Z+ would be normal to that surface. But if i try to do that with PCDMIS the probe will always be reference to the table. And rotate the wrong direction.

The weird thing is if i rotate the part to where all the features are in the Z+ plane then the program will act normal and not have the issue with flipping vectors when I get to the DCC part of the program and rotating the probe head to other angles.