I am new to PC-DMIS and our machine was just installed. As I am constructing my manual alignment, I am asked "Do you want to make Y- or X+ the active workplane? I didn't notice this at the training center. Should I use the "don't ask me this again" in this case?
DO NOT approve the "DON'T ASK AGAIN" as you are doing something wrong right now, and that is the only warning you will get that you are doing something wrong. Like, measuring a circle in the XZ plane (Y workplane) while the Z is the active work plane.
The software needs to be able to see the features. Imagine a 2d circle probed in Z axis 0,0,1 vector. You can see it if looking up or down in the Z axis, now look at it in Y axis direction, it looks like a line. Software can't see it. That's why it needs to be created and dimensioned in the correct work plane.
I would guess that you probably 'twitched' while measuring the plane, Pcdmis looks at the direction the machine is moving when the contact is made to try to figure out what you are measuring. Try moving in ONLY one axis to measure a plane, you do NOT need to try to measure it 'normal' to the surface.
Matthew D. Hoedeman does this apply to a circle also? If I have a cylinder on my table (Z+) from which an arc for example starting at 10DEGS (almost 3 o clock) and finishing at 80 Degs (12o clock) and want 5 points for a manual circle, is it ok if I just probe all points going -X direction? I am always trying to be somewhat normal to my probings but not usre if this is the best practice
yes, you should be OKAY as long as there is enough arc for the machine to see that it isn't a line, but is in fact an arc. Of course, AFTER the feature is created, it KNOWS it is an arc, and will comp correctly. You may have to do an X+ tounch to a Y+ touch to learn it, but once created, it's fine. NO probe comp is done until ALL touches are measured
