So im working on this part, and im trying to use the level rotate and origin alignment. I understand which vectors to level to and rotate too. However the machine isnt correctly reading where the part is after i allign it. Am i supposed to find the origin offset of each origin and offset it too that? like click on the cad for the Yorigin and enter the negative value in the origin box? Im also trying to use CAD=PART. Ive been programming 2 years, have mastered iterative aligns but barely use the level rotate and origin align but it seems like the programmers im learning from arent comfortable with using it either
CAD=PART is only needed if you write a program on the CMM and later import a CAD model and want to align it to the program. If you have the CAD model when you start the program, create features from the CAD model and align to them. Whether or not you offset is only important relative to the dimensions you need.
CAD=PART is only needed if you write a program on the CMM and later import a CAD model and want to align it to the program. If you have the CAD model when you start the program, create features from the CAD model and align to them. Whether or not you offset is only important relative to the dimensions you need.
And Also needed for Clearance Cube Override CAD setting.
In my experience CAD=PART does more harm than good. It seems to cause things to get screwy sometimes. I would say don't use it unless you absolutely need it.
If you want to do a "level-rotate-origin" sort of alignment, you'll need features with three separate surface vectors to work with.
Lets assume you're working with a square block. This square block is sitting on your CMM table. My example will use three separate planes. This is not the only way to accomplish the type of alignment you want but this example is the easiest to explain.
Assuming your workplane is set to Z+...
1) measure pln1 on top (Z+ vector). insert/alignment/new: level pln1 to Z+
2) measure pln2 on one of the sides. lets say you pick the left side.....then insert/alignment/new: rotate pln2 to X- about the Z+
3) measure pln3 on one of the other sides. lets say you pick the side facing the CMM's Y-.....then insert/alignment/new: pl1 = Z origin, pln2 = X origin, pln 3 = y origin
Your first alignment is recalling startup, alignments 2 and 3 are recalling the previous alignments, when all evaluated together you'll have all 6 DOF constrained & will have (in theory) a very good start to your program.
It sounds like you are clicking on CAD, which isn't oriented normal to the machine. There's two easy solutions.
Solution 1:
Start new routine. Follow DAN_M's example.
Click on CAD to create 3-point Z-level plane click "END" you just created a manual plane (offline, virtually)
Press CTL+ALT+A, alignment popup will appear. Level Z to plane, Origin Z to plane. Click ok. You just leveled/zeroed to the cad model
Click on CAD to create a 2-point rotate line (left to right or near to far, depending on how you want to put sample on your CMM. Click "END", you just created a manual line (offline, virtual)
Press CTL+ALT+A, alignment popup will appear. Rotate either X or Y axis to line. Origin Opposite axis that you rotated to, to the line. Click ok. You rotated and origined second vector and axis to the cad model
Click on CAD to create a 1-pont spot to zero your last axis, (X or Y depending on above). Click "END" you just created a manual point (offline, virtual)
Press CTL+ALT+A, alignment popup will appear. Origin to X or Y (whichever you didn't origin to earlier). You now have a full alignment to the cad model.
NOW RUN THE ROUTINE. Replicate the locations you clicked on cad, and your alignment will match the CAD and how it's oriented on the CMM & relative to your probe angles.
Solution 2:
If your CAD model is squared to the CMM, you can do the same as above, but you can flip CAD's default axii to match your machine. Click F5 (or Edit-> Preferences-> Setup). Click Part/Machine Tab. Mess with "Part Setup" section as needed to coordinate your axii before you start solution 1.
If the nominals for the features used for the alignment does not match the print/CAD, then you should use CAD->Part.
AND you will need to do origin offsets for what the cad model says those datum features should be.
import cad
set up part
take the jogbox and measure the datum features (plane on top, line on front edge, line of left side)
make an alignment, level to plane (Z), rotate to line on front (X+ if you measure from left to right), origin X on 'left line', Y on 'front' line, Z on plane
At this point, your manually measured features have THEO values equal to MACHINE CO-ORDINATES. That is where your alignment is, NOT on or to the cad model.
IF the top (where you measured the plane) is supposed to be Z12.345, then you also need to do an origin offset for Z of -12.345, same for the other axis as well.
Now, your alignment is 'correct' to cad nominals, BUT, the features themselves STILL HAVE machine co-ordinate THEO (nominal) values. Your alignment will NOT lay over the cad model
You can either (BEFORE YOU MAKE THE ALIGNMENT!) change all the theo values (including the vectors) for those manually measured features OR
You can click CAD=PART when you make the alignment (after you level, rotate, origin, origin offset) and it will UPDATE the theo (nominal) values for all your manually measured features to the CAD model and you don't have to screw around with all that manual typing to make the theo values for the manually measured features correct to cad.
Do I need to take the -number of the vector from which I am controlling with each origin and offset the origin to that number- like if I am controlling y with the level origin, do I need to take the y value and input -that for origin. That draws the conclusion that the vector must be +or- 1
