Rotate Probe Angles to New CMM Fixture alignment

[[email protected]]

My current issue: We have a proven out program but because of differences between the layouts of 2 separate CMMs we are having to rotate JUST the fixture 90 degrees to be able to check parts on that separate CMM. Is there a way to "transform" or something similar at the beginning of a program to quickly resolve the issues of our new probe angles to accommodate for this fixture rotation? - or will I have to go into the program and update every probe angle individually? Again, we are just rotating the fixture 90 degrees on the CMM and want to run the same program with the same size probes. I am predicting this wont be the last time that we have to do this so a quick fix would be ideal. Please let me know my options.

[NinjaBadger]

Sorry just to be clear - the fixture will be rotated, but the part orientation doesn't change?

[Don Ruggieri]

working off NinjaBadger's question, assuming the fixture AND the part are rotated. . . .

Sounds like the "Automatically Adjust Probe Head Wrist" option should take care of this. . . .
Automatically Adjust Probe Head Wrist

(This item pertains to the check boxes on the General tab of the Setup Options dialog box. You can open it through the F5 key or through the Edit | Preferences | Setup menu option.)

If you select the Automatically Adjust Probe Head Wrist check box, then during execution when the software reaches a TIP command, it will, based on the geometry, automatically select the tip for which the IJK of the tip shank most closely approximates the IJK on the TIP command. The IJK on the TIP command is relative to part coordinates so the tip actually selected can vary based on the part alignment.

[Douglas]

additional wrist angles need to be added and qualified if nothing in the probe file is suitable for the automatic adjust?

[NinjaBadger]

working off NinjaBadger's question, assuming the fixture AND the part are rotated. . . .

Sounds like the "Automatically Adjust Probe Head Wrist" option should take care of this. . . .
Automatically Adjust Probe Head Wrist

(This item pertains to the check boxes on the General tab of the Setup Options dialog box. You can open it through the F5 key or through the Edit | Preferences | Setup menu option.)

If you select the Automatically Adjust Probe Head Wrist check box, then during execution when the software reaches a TIP command, it will, based on the geometry, automatically select the tip for which the IJK of the tip shank most closely approximates the IJK on the TIP command. The IJK on the TIP command is relative to part coordinates so the tip actually selected can vary based on the part alignment.

Just be careful, PC-Dmis is not full machine aware. If you were spinning your part & fixture along say the machine x or y axis (i.e. NOT simply rotating it around Z) then it may well try index to A0B0 when the probe is too near the CMM table.

[[email protected]]

Thanks for the feedback thus far. Yes, in this case the part and the fixture are rotating 90 degrees together. The part will sit the exact same on the fixture as it is now, the setup will just be rotated (about the z) on the CMM so my X's and Y's will change. I still need to keep the same vector points and dimensions that are in my current program. Thanks.

[Don Ruggieri]

Let us know how you make out with this, pros and cons, trouble you may have encountered, etc.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

physically rotate the head mount 90 degrees. just a possibility.

[Mike Ruff]

You could copy the entire code for the program and then use Define Pattern, rotate 90° about Z, 1 instance. Then create a new program and Paste with Pattern. Then import your CAD and rotate it 90° about Z using Transform. Just make sure that all of the angles you are going to use in the new program are all pre-defined! If they are not, PC-DMIS will pick the closest angle it thinks it should use. Just make sure you double-check that all the new angles are correct before you try to run the program!!!

[Kp61dude!]

How many probes and tips are we talking?