I'm a new CMM user, having recently taken the PC-DMIS 101 training, and I'm having difficulty synchronizing my imported CAD with the machine. I've searched through the forum for similar issues, but nothing has helped yet. I may simply be skipping a step, as I'm inexperienced. Here's my issue:
I import a CAD (STEP) file into PC-DMIS, and it shows up on the cad view. I create features for an alignment (plane, cylinder, plane in this case) using the program mode by selecting points with the mouse, and then I create the alignment feature itself. When I execute the program, I move the stylus with the joystick to manually probe those features on the part. However, when I'm finished, the graphics of the features appear at different locations on the screen and don't "jump" to the CAD like I recall from training. If I try to run any other movements in DCC after that, I get an out-of-stroke error, since the targets (e.g., other features I programmed using the CAD) are far away from the probe-measured features, and the machine doesn't like that.
I've tried simple fixes like restarting the CMM, the computer, and the software a few times. I've also tried using an iterative alignment with a plane, line, and point, as well as other alignments. I also tried re-exporting the CAD from our CAD software and then re-importing it into PC-DMIS. I've considered that I could manually move the CAD by offsetting it, but that seems like a cheat that would work once and now for future files.
Am I way off base, or am I just missing a simple step? I'd appreciate any suggestions and help. Thanks!
Your logic is soound in the real world...but in PC DMIS World..I'm pretty sure your error lies with you using planes for your alignment. Planes have a centroid and when you're using planes to align, they should all have the exact same centroid otherwise the error will extrapolate down the length of your part. Make sense?
I'd recommend trying a plane-line-point alignment and see if that works better for you. Also, your vectors look funky. I'd recommend that you force the nominal values to 0,0,1 and then let the actuals be whatever they end up being.