Equate Alignment program problem

What if that first circle is the datum specified on the print and in the FCF? Having shifted it off the machine travel?

I must read more on equate. Thanks Roberto. I appreciate the input.

That's exactly what equate align is designed to do...Never mind I am going to la "casa"...
Excelent idea, read more about equate.

NUGUY, to equate alignment, you don't need to access only your datum features. You need to have access to several features that you can probe before and after the equate.

In my case, the part had holes every 150mm or so. It was long square tube with small plates welded on each end, and holes running the length. Basically, there was a plane and 2 holes near the end of travel that got probed, then the part was moved forward and we re-measure the same plane and two holes in the new position, equate alignment, viola! This was the only time I have ever been a part of the equate alignment process though, and I was only following directions.

The CMM bed was around 10 ft. The probe could only reach about 12" from the front of the plate, and 24" or so from the back of the plate. Old gear driven DEA machine.

***
Also, to clarify a little, I was not 'inspecting' per se. I was reverse engineering because actual condition was much more critical than how close it was to print (no CAD). And it was in 4.3 or 2009, I don't remember what version we were on at the time.

To answer the question "how to relate to the origin?" The answer is literally "Equate Alignment". That is the purpose, in theory anyway.

I figured it out, at the very end of the program you just have to equate back to the original alignment, and it will set things right.

Thanks guys/gals!

Sam

Hi Sam,

Would you mind expanding on this a little bit? I use Equate Align a lot but I was using a manual machine before and never had the luxury of NOT manually aligning for a second piece. For everyone's benefit...


I create my first orientation alignments A1 - A4 (two manual then two DCC aligns) and measure what I can.

I then do "recall:startup", flip/rotate part, and do A5 - A8 (two manual, two DCC in new orientation).

A8 must be identical to A4 relative to the part, do an equate alignment A8 to A4, and measure the rest of the part.


Problem is, on second run, manual alignments are not right anymore so DCC goes wherever, as though the program still thinks it's in the equated orientation. Here is the question I have. What aligns do you use to equate back? Does this work to unmark the second set of manual alignments after the change (A5 & A6)?

Thanks,
Vernon.

Bump for Help

sorry.. just seing this post.. and your PM... I will post the program data (I will try.. never done it here before) and maybe that will help... I haven't ran that program or one like in over a year... so I honestly don't remember.... give me a little bit and I will find the program and post it..

Sam

Hahaha, all that work and never use it again... figures. Anyway, thanks!

Ok, I found the program...

First I will explain what little I remember before I post the program...

1. There are two models of the part in the program. One in the Op.1 position and one flipped in the Op.2 position. I gave each a different color so they were easy to tell apart. Don't know if that is how you do it, but it seemed the easiest thing for me to do, all probe hits on Op.1 are done on the Op.1 model... all Op.2 hits done on the other model.

2. I started with a manual alignment, then did an Op.1 DCC alignment. after the part flipped I did another manual alignment followed by an Op.2 DCC alignment..

3. And it appears that at the end of the program I created another DCC alignment called A1. This alignment at the very end of the program, flips the "part" UCS again, back to the Op.1 orientation. I use a plane and circle created on the part in the Op.2 position to create the A1 alignment... then I Equate this A1 alignment back to the Op.1 alignment.

4. After that... I turn off the manual alignments and let er' rip. I use a fixture to ensure that the part is placed in the same location every time.. and all worked well...

Now I will attempt to post the code...
Sam

I don't guess I know how to post the code on here... I paste it in and it wont post it because I over exceed the character limits... you know how to do it?

sam

OHHHHHHHHHHHHH... I'm going to go right ahead and say ****, Why didn't I think of that???

It's ok without the code... I'm not certain either unless you just post snippets or something. Anyway what you did makes total sense. I don't do that flipped model trick but I don't think it should be any different. The way you describe does this allows you to skip the second op manual alignments too? I'm also thinking that if I equate back to startup like the original orientation of the model itself it might do the same, maybe not... I'll play around with it and update my whole process when I get it worked out.

yes... I skip the Op.2 Manual as well... when I select the program and it asks if I want to select manual alignments.. I say no, and let it run like any other program.

If you have any more questions... feel free to ask... I might be able to help.. or may not.. the program was such a pain in the butt, even with the alignments working, that I had the tool room make me a special fixture to hold the part vertical.. so I could get to both sides of the part .... wrote a new program and never looked back!

Sam