I have no use for this app at the moment. However I thought that I would open it and get familiar, should I want to use it in the future. My question is; is it possible to run routines and generate reports through this software and still maintain my current file structure and naming convention for the reports? As far as I can tell, it just wants to use it's own naming convention and dump all reports into a single folder called "output folder". You can set the location of this folder but that seems to be the extent of customization that can be done. I'm thinking of running a part via Inspect, just to see what it actually does. In the meantime I thought I'd see if any of you have actually used it yet and could provide some insight.
I tested it out with the technical preview. I didn't see a use for it either. Our programs use a form for operators to enter in data and Inspect doesn't support them. Unless something has changed since then. Because of that, I have no use for it.
We don't have operators, aside from one guy that occasionally runs production parts if I'm not here. I'm the only one that touches this machine 98% of the time. We do however have an old Scirocco with a burnt up controller in another facility that we are supposedly gonna put back into service eventually. If so then the fab shop guys will be running my programs on it. We also have an old analog manual CMM that the floor operators use. It may end up being replaced by a PC based machine whenever it finally kicks the bucket. That's why I figured that I would try to get accustomed to something like this now. If I can't maintain my current file structure though, then it's not gonna do me much good. I still haven't had a chance to really mess with it too much. Will report back with any new findings.
I just installed this and tried it out. We only have a couple of people that run/program. I use operator input prompts at the beginning of my programs and use those with variables in a print command at the end of the program. This works extremely well for us as we now have a very consistent filing system. Now reporting puts the reports where I want them but also makes a copy in the single "universal" folder. If I open PC-DMIS directly then all of my reported files (PDF format) are corrupt and I lose everything. I do still have it in the report window but then it has to be manually saved to location. A bit of
Each different part that we have has it's own folder with different programs depending on the stage of production. When running programs in Inspect it brings up all programs, no individual folders, to include old and obsolete files that I never throw out. Is there a way to change this? Can I just delete Inspect 2.5 and go back to PC-DMIS and get my reporting back? Getting frustrated with this.
You should still be able to use PC-DMIS directly. I played around with Inspect briefly, ran into the same problems as you and gave up on it. Was told on another thread that these issues were going to be cleared up in the next version, due out in the summer. Well, it is now Fall and that hasn't happened yet.
Thanks Numbers. We finally gave up on using it also. Two programmers and on new guy that we are teaching. If we had a bunch of operators then it might be worth trying a little harder. May be if they fixed it? Nah, I think I'm good.
