Inspecting with Camera

[evan5382]

Hey guys! I'm brand new to CMM programming. I have all of 3 weeks or so of experience with all of this. I was given the task of learning to run the CMM at our shop. I have not gone through any formal training. So far all my training has been self taught using the instruction manual, youtube videos and this forum. So much great information here.

I am using PCMIS 2019 R1 with a Hexagon Optiv Reference 10103 Dual Z machine. Our machine has probe, scan probe, camera and laser scan capabilities. I'm getting a pretty good handle on the probing portions. Right now I am working on inspecting two identical parts. As of now, I have the machine probing all the features of part 1 and when it is completed it moves over to the second part on the table and runs the same measurements on part 2.

It takes about 10 minutes to inspect both parts. I know I am definitely not using our machine to its full capabilities but I'm having to move along on my own until we can get Hexagon here on site for training. My question is this......Is there a way to utilize my camera to scan a part and get the same measurements I am getting with the probe? I understand it is possible and could save time. I just want to try to see what this machine is capable of and find the easiest, fastest and most accurate way to inspect my parts.

[Darrollh]

Sounds like you’re doing some type of open measurements. The way to do it is to write an inspection program that utilize alignments to correctly locate the part. I use an Optical machine that has probes along with a camera. Does your approve have that?

[evan5382]

I'm using these pieces as test pieces to learn my way around the software and movements of the machine. I'm measuring holes/circles, radii, and other basic measurements. Up to this point I have just been using touch points with my probe. These parts also have flow channels for material. For these features I need to be able to measure angles and profiles. So far, I can get the measurements I want by using the probe, but it takes a decent amount of time to complete the program. Also, we have a robo arm for inspecting and by using probe points, I feel as though I'm not doing anything with this big machine that could already be done with the arm. Our machine has 3 heads. I'm currently using the scanning probe but it also has the optical camera along with a laser scanner. I'm just wanting to get a handle on how to use this machine to it's full capacity

[Darrollh]

I would have to see the equipment you’re working with. I don’t have a visual.

[mckenzie]

index.jpg i believe this is the machine

[evan5382]

yes, that is the machine I am using

[sealevel]

If you want to inspect the part 100% with the Optics, then calibrate your 'camera'. Hopefully they gave you the laser-etched glass standard to calibrate with.
If you want to use both probe and vision, they you'll need to correlate the probe to the vision camera...usually you use the vision as Master on a ring artifact, then calibrate the 'master' probe on the same ring so the machine can learn the offsets.
check out this post:

https://www.pcdmisforum.com/forum/pc-dmis-enterprise-metrology-software/pc-dmis-vision/390026-vision-and-probe-calibration-offset

HTH

[evan5382]

I appreciate the help sealevel. I was able to follow your link and get my camera calibrated to the ring gauge. so currently my vision camera and my probe are calibrated. Now I need to move on to figure out how to do the program to where my camera does the measuring rather than my probe.

I am creating my probe programs by utilizing the CAD model. I do a manual and DCC alignment so the machine knows where my parts are on the table, and then I use autofeatures to select the circles, cylinders and planes of the CAD model to get the machine to touch probe the part and measure it. Like I said previously, this works fine. But since we already can do this type of measurement with our Hexagon RoboArm, I want to use this machine to it's best ability.

[sealevel]

To do the vision/camera stuff rather than the probe.... maybe gander @ the Vision section of 2019 R1. Lots of good advice, knowledge and brain treats are there within. (you can just d/l the Vision manual separately @ the ftp://wilcoxassoc.com site. The Vision sys is a different animal in that creating features (autofeatures as well) need to be learned/played around with on your machine. The illumination parameters are of paramount importance.... good luck!

p.s. there is a good CAD file provided to play with:
C:\Users\Public\Documents\Hexagon\PC-DMIS\2019 R1\CAD\MycronaDemoPart.dxf

[evan5382]

I appreciate the information again. I was spending a little bit of time yesterday playing around with it. I will continue to work on it. I was able to get the camera to inspect and measure a circle. (baby steps right). This whole CMM thing is definitely a learning process. I appreciate all of you for the information that this forum provides