Offline programming

[Devaney]

Does anyone work with offline programming?

The company is considering having the engineering staff trained in DMIS so they can program parts prior to reaching the quality group.

"It shouldn't be that difficult to train the engineering group for PC-DMIS programming"

[kbotta]

h ah ah ah ah ah aha ha!!!!!

Sorry. I've heard that before.
This should be interesting...
I have programed offline in the past, not so much now (were slow) but do when I know a job is coming that is hot.
I for one, wouldn't trust the eng's to write my program. No way in He77.
One mans opinion...
Kev

[Devaney]

LOL, nice to know I'm not alone

[John Kugler]

Look at it this way. Are they going to replace any and all probes and probe heads that may or may not be busted into a million pieces everytime a wrong move is put in??


Just my thought...

[Wes Cisco]

far more important than $

Do they know anything about CMMs or best inspection techniques? Do they know how many hits are needed to check a feature? ETC.

[kbotta]

And, are they going to have the hands on inspection (cmm) experience that the cmm folks have? Not likley.
Sorry to come off laughing so hard - But that is just not a good situation. Next thing you know, they'll buy into the whole "inspection planner" thing.

Hey, come to think of it - maybe that is just what you need or are reffering to?

Kev

[Devaney]

I am laughing right along with. It's one of those things that doesn't even worry you it's so far fetched.

No CMM experience at all! But what the he77 let'em run it blind!

Inspection planner, now I'm scared....What is this inspection planner you speak of?

[kbotta]

You can check it out on the Hexagon site (I believe).
The thought was - just as you proposed!

Engineering would be able to select the features - and DRF to inspect with this software - and it would poof! Automaticaly write a pcdmis program for you. Many problems with this - as I am sure you could figure that out.

Seen it last year in nashville.

One thing I did like (kinda) was the optimize path option. It would remove any un neccesary move points - and make your program shorter. But I can see problems with that also.

Kev

[Paul Sarrach]

1 you cant just get training and write a program offline. 2 When they say write a program they have not a clue what they are saying. They maybe able to write a template with the dimensioning in it, but as we know each program needs TLC, with move to's, and such. Just getting around the part let alone trying to write a program to a fixture. You will spend more time trying to figure out what they gave you than if you would write it yourself. Tell them what they are doing is about the same as playing with a bomb, sooner or later they will destroy the CMM.

[Devaney]

I made an attempt at voicing some of the same concerns. They do understand that the programs will need be "touched up a bit" but I don't feel that they fully understand the magnitude of what they are asking. And you are totally correct, I don't even want to get involved with trying to decipher a program that has been written by someone with little or no experience.

I provided a copy of the invoice to show the dollar amount it took to get us out of the stone age and asked them if they really wanted the Flinstones to start programming the equipment.

They are slowly getting the idea. I hope

[R. Farr]

I currently offline program, and a few things I've noticed with people who don't have experience doing it online is:

• A lack of organization in their programs.
• People think that if the simulation doesn't crash that it's a good hit. Back dragging the probe, etc.
• Don't know how to utilize assignments, generic features, read points, etc. To make life easier.
• Have a hard time with notches or odd shaped features.
• Don't know quirks with the software. When changing from one probe to another, you have to have a tip before a move, even if it's the same angle as before, etc.

Maybe you can write the offline programs and have the engineers run parts

[Paul Sarrach]

I currently offline program, and a few things I've noticed with people who don't have experience doing it online is:

• A lack of organization in their programs.
• People think that if the simulation doesn't crash that it's a good hit. Back dragging the probe, etc.
• Don't know how to utilize assignments, generic features, read points, etc. To make life easier.
• Have a hard time with notches or odd shaped features.
• Don't know quirks with the software. When changing from one probe to another, you have to have a tip before a move, even if it's the same angle as before, etc.

Maybe you can write the offline programs and have the engineers run parts

Thats what I was trying to say. Well put R. Farr

[kbotta]

Maybe you can write the offline programs and have the engineers run parts

Now that would be a novel idea! Wonder if it would fly...

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Hey, I'm all for letting the, er, 'other' guys write the program, AS LONG AS THEY TAKE ALL THE BLAME. If I have to take the blame for WHATEVER, then by golly, I'm the one who is writting the program. I won't even run programs sent to us by outsiders (does NOT happen very often), I will re-write the program myself so that I know it works. Had one program come in, was told that they were currently running that program on those parts on the fixture they brought in (we were making a die change). Well, let me tell you, the first 3 tip changes in the program were set to rotate the probe THROUGH the part and the fixture. Gee, any wonder WHY I refuse to run an outsiders program on MY machine?

[craiger_ny]

..................The company is considering having the engineering staff trained in DMIS so they can program parts prior to reaching the quality group.

"It shouldn't be that difficult to train the engineering group for PC-DMIS programming"

Seeing that your engineers will be so busy with PCDMIS and so much of your time will be freed up perhaps you could do some of the product design that they will be getting so behind on. It shouldn't be to difficult to design saleable product.