Scans

[rangerboat72]

I played with the scans a few years ago when I first started using the DEMON and gave up because I couldn't use them for feature contructions and other relationships (at least I think that's why I quit using them), and I was wondering how many of you actually use them regularly? If so, have improvements been made since 3.5mr2 ?

[MrComment]

I dont know about versions prior to 3.7MR3, but I scan everything with my SP600. (Best of all I got it for $free$ from a sister plant that wasnt using it. )

I also dont like the limitations of what you can do with the data. So I figured out a way to have VB or Excel VBA create a mass set of unique Generic features for me but directly into the PCDMIS part program, the key is that the Expressions get set to each HIT values in the Scan. When its all said and done I can use scan data to construct anything I want from Points.

[rangerboat72]

That's cool. Where did you come up with the VB or VBA code?

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

I only use them for strictly 2-D work since unless you are using SURFACE points with 3 (minimum) sample hits, you are only getting 2-D probe comp and taking 4 hits for each point takes WAY too long for a TP2. AND, since we got a 3-D laser camera, I don't need to do any surface work anyway.


EDIT: This is for scanning WITHOUT cad data, with cad data you do get 3-D comp based upon the cad nominal vector.

[MrComment]

Well I honestly I cheated some.

First I created a Generic feature that was "formated the way I wanted it". Then I used the File->Export->Basic utility in PCDMIS to print me out the command structure Id need to use to create the Features.

I read through it and then created a loop in VB that basically just adds Generic Points into my part program for me. (See the attached Zip file)

With the Attached File you can copy and paste the code directly into the Excel VBA Editor and execute it from there.

This is the basic idea of what it does for you below.

One further note, if you execute the code in Excel to create these Generic Points, after it completes you need to execute the PCDMIS program to get the points to show up correctly on the screen, and depending on the PCDMIS version also in the edit window. Closing the Graphics window in PCDMIS also makes this code Execute much faster as well.

$$ NO,My Scan to Get the Data
SCN19      =FEAT/SCAN,LINEARCLOSE,SHOWHITS=NO,SHOWALLPARAMS=YES
            EXEC MODE=DEFINED, NOMS MODE=FIND NOMS,CLEARPLANE=NO,SINGLE POINT=NO,THICKNESS=0
            FINDNOMS=2,SELECTEDONLY=YES,USEBESTFIT=NO,PROBECOMP=YES,AVOIDANCE MOVE=NO,DISTANCE=0,CAD Compensation=NO
            DIR1=NULLFILTER,
            HITTYPE=VECTOR
            INITVEC=0.2249571,0.9743687,0
            DIRVEC=-0.9743688,0.2249568,0
            CUTVEC=0,0,1
            PLANEVEC=-0.9743688,0.2249568,0
            POINT1=-86.614,38.324,-2
            MEAS/SCAN
            BASICSCAN/LINE,SHOWHITS=NO,SHOWALLPARAMS=YES
            <-86.614,38.324,-2>,<-86.614,38.324,-2>,CutVec=0,0,1,DirVec=-0.9743687,0.2249571,0
            InitVec=0.2249571,0.9743687,0,EndVec=0.2249571,0.9743687,0,THICKNESS=0
            FILTER/NULLFILTER,
            EXEC MODE=DEFINED
            BOUNDARY/PLANE,<-86.614,38.324,-2>,PlaneVec=-0.9743687,0.2249568,0,Crossings=3
            HITTYPE/VECTOR
            NOMS MODE=FINDNOMS,2
            ENDSCAN
            ENDMEAS/
            MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<-88.092,42.317,232.299>
            RECALL/ALIGNMENT,INTERNAL,A10
            PROGRAM/END
$$ NO,My Scan Data Ripped into Generic Points so that I can use it anywhere else.
SCN19_PNT1 =GENERIC/POINT,DEPENDENT,CARTESIAN,$
            NOM/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[1].TX,SCN19.HIT[1].TY,SCN19.HIT[1].TZ>,$
            MEAS/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[1].X,SCN19.HIT[1].Y,SCN19.HIT[1].Z>,$
            NOM/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[1].TI,SCN19.HIT[1].TJ,SCN19.HIT[1].TK>,$
            MEAS/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[1].I,SCN19.HIT[1].J,SCN19.HIT[1].K>
SCN19_PNT2 =GENERIC/POINT,DEPENDENT,CARTESIAN,$
            NOM/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[2].TX,SCN19.HIT[2].TY,SCN19.HIT[2].TZ>,$
            MEAS/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[2].X,SCN19.HIT[2].Y,SCN19.HIT[2].Z>,$
            NOM/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[2].TI,SCN19.HIT[2].TJ,SCN19.HIT[2].TK>,$
            MEAS/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[2].I,SCN19.HIT[2].J,SCN19.HIT[2].K>
.
.
.
.
.

SCN19_PNT255 =GENERIC/POINT,DEPENDENT,CARTESIAN,$
            NOM/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[255].TX,SCN19.HIT[255].TY,SCN19.HIT[255].TZ>,$
            MEAS/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[255].X,SCN19.HIT[255].Y,SCN19.HIT[255].Z>,$
            NOM/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[255].TI,SCN19.HIT[255].TJ,SCN19.HIT[255].TK>,$
            MEAS/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[255].I,SCN19.HIT[255].J,SCN19.HIT[255].K>
SCN19_PNT256 =GENERIC/POINT,DEPENDENT,CARTESIAN,$
            NOM/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[256].TX,SCN19.HIT[256].TY,SCN19.HIT[256].TZ>,$
            MEAS/XYZ,<SCN19.HIT[256].X,SCN19.HIT[256].Y,SCN19.HIT[256].Z>,$
            NOM/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[256].TI,SCN19.HIT[256].TJ,SCN19.HIT[256].TK>,$
            MEAS/IJK,<SCN19.HIT[256].I,SCN19.HIT[256].J,SCN19.HIT[256].K>

[mattfurtaw]

I use scan probably on average 3 times in a month. I only use them if I have the UG file mainly to just create a surface and overlay it with the UG file. The engineers seemed to really like that for a visual on how the part is for profile.

[rebeldude]

I use them all the time for 2d and 3d forms and trim steels. Mostly reverse engineering. We get all types of details that need replacing but no one has any cad on them

[than_357]

While my company paid out for CAD++, they never supported us with the CAD models... so scans are usually relegated to rough castings and a lot of trial and error work.

Tom

[craiger_ny]

Hardly ever, never in production. Reverse engineering only. We do machined stock and machined castings (housings mostly) we do not do formed or contoured parts so I have had no demand for scanning other than reverse engineering.

[Bass Assasin]

We have a couple of programs that uses them but mostly for reverse engineering which is not that often.

[Boomer]

We use them for about 75% of our work. We are inspecting molding components for aluminum die cast dies. We check core locations, datums, levels, but since there really arent any part prints for the steel, only models, scanning gives us the best and quickest alternative with a sp600. We create easy to read reports for the toolmakers in charge of the dies. These reports show the washed out areas, material safe areas, ect...