Making 2 Part Programs into 1. One Graphic, One report

I have a top half part program, and a bottom half. Is there a way I can merge the two? I want to run the top half, program A, then input a comment to the operator for them to flip the part, touch off, then measure the bottom half. All using one graphic, one report, one model. I don't want the features measured on the bottom half, program B, to be in space. I want the features to be pulled from the same model used in program A. Then dimension all 500 items in one report.

Can an equate alignment work? I thought those were used if the part moves laterally in any direction. But in this case, I need to flip the part to measure the bottom half.

Any advice?

Pariah over 7 years ago

I have advice...
Get a fixture plate so you can elevate your parts, making all surfaces accessible.
Spend the 3-5 grand. It will literally pay for itself in months.

It is insanity (and bad practice since you can't acquire the same DRF) to write separate programs because your part is laying on the rock.

... and no, Equate will not work for this. <--- edit: This turned out to be incorrect. My misunderstanding.
Equate WILL work. but it's still a bloated, time consuming, less accurate, work-around than doing it with good practice... a plate.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
Roberto over 7 years ago

DCHRM,
If you have access to features that you can probe before and after flipping the part, then equate alignment should work for you.

Use the search function you will find a list of threads related to this.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
bigtallanddopey over 7 years ago

You can also have two CAD models in the same program and transforming them, there are a couple of recent threads about doing exactly what you are doing with the part.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
VinniUSMC over 7 years ago in reply to Pariah

Equate definitely works for this. But isn't necessary.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
acgarcia over 7 years ago in reply to Pariah

right, only if your're dimensioning features that were pre flipped to flipped features.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
acgarcia over 7 years ago

Here is what I do:

1) My part program has 2 models, 1 upright and the other flipped. I hide the flipped one until I use it.
2) Manual align, DCC align and measure as usual. Hide first model and un hide second flipped model.
3) Switch to manual mode, recall the startup alignment, probe new flipped alignment features, Flipped manual alignment and then DCC Alignment.
3a) Triheadron must be in the same exact place as your first DCC alignment, I had to offset mine in Z for example.
4) Insert>Alignment>Equate, Equate 2nd DCC alignment to the 1st DCC alignment, click OK and you're done.
5) Now you can measure the second half of the part and dimension features from the first half to the second half.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
VinniUSMC over 7 years ago in reply to acgarcia

For this to work, you need to use the same features before and after flipping. If you use different features, even though the trihedron is the same, they're not related.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
acgarcia over 7 years ago in reply to acgarcia

How would they not be related? I had to get tech support to help me on this and that was their instructions. I am unable to measure the original alignment features due to the fact they that my plane is now facing Z- and about half an inch off the granite. As long as the right offset(s) are put in, and the trihedron is exactly where the original trihdedron is, the alignments are equal.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
Pariah over 7 years ago

Flipping parts is NOT what Equate should be used for. The reason is exactly as you've discovered: Ya can't hit the same surfaces and acquire all the features.
There's one way to do it right, elevate the part.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel
DJAMS over 7 years ago in reply to acgarcia

Vinnie is correct - the equated alignments must pick up the same features. Note that you can create an alignment just for the equate operation. Equate doesn't have to use your main part alignment. As long as you have features that can be measured from both sides of the part that will create a fully constrained alignment, you're good to go. All the feature hits for the 2 alignments should be in the exact same location as well.
Cancel
Vote Up 0 Vote Down

Sign in to reply

Cancel