OGP MeasureX vs PC-DMIS Vision

My last experience with an OGP CMM was 2 ½ years ago, with software MeasureMind 3D MultiSensor version 14.2.37. They have a newer software called Zone3, but I don’t know anything about it. I never used Measure-X either, but the screenshot looks similar to MeasureMind.

Simple measurements on the OGP were much easier. For a circle, focus, select the “Measure Circle” icon then double click on the edge. It will trace the edge as it sees it, then give you the diameter, roundness and location. PC-DMIS needs to know the diameter and location first, before it can measure it. That’s easy to click three points on the edge for a small hole within the field of view, but not so much when the diameter is 200mm.

MeasureMind can follow any edge contour no matter the shape, where PC-DMIS has to be programmed where to look for the edge. That’s where the advantage ends.

All programming steps are numbered in sequence. The features cannot be given a name. If a circle was measured in step 14, then “14 Circle” is its only identifier. If steps are added or deleted before that, then that circle can become identified as “16 Circle” or “10 Circle”.

As stated by others, no assignments and no using results of previous measurements. The version that I used only allowed CAD as a visual reference, not for use in programming.

All reporting must be done in the step where the measurement occurs. All reporting uses the last alignment in the program, not the alignment that was active when the measurement was made. This requires a lot of constructing new features from the measurements done in an earlier alignment.

Going back and trying to change an alignment earlier in a program is about as efficient as rewriting the program from the start. Imaging having the origin and all measurements plotted on a piece of paper. Going back and changing the location of the origin moves that piece of paper to a different location, but the location of all of the measured features does not change in relation to the origin. It’s like a dog chasing its tail.

Descriptions for reporting features are done in a small space that only shows about 16 characters at a time, so scrolling is necessary. It’s limited to a single line and (I think) 32 characters, including spaces. It will let you type in more than that, but it just throws away everything past the 32 character limit.

That’s just a few things. I would have to write a book to cover everything.

My last experience with an OGP CMM was 2 ½ years ago, with software MeasureMind 3D MultiSensor version 14.2.37. They have a newer software called Zone3, but I don’t know anything about it. I never used Measure-X either, but the screenshot looks similar to MeasureMind.

Simple measurements on the OGP were much easier. For a circle, focus, select the “Measure Circle” icon then double click on the edge. It will trace the edge as it sees it, then give you the diameter, roundness and location. PC-DMIS needs to know the diameter and location first, before it can measure it. That’s easy to click three points on the edge for a small hole within the field of view, but not so much when the diameter is 200mm.

MeasureMind can follow any edge contour no matter the shape, where PC-DMIS has to be programmed where to look for the edge. That’s where the advantage ends.

All programming steps are numbered in sequence. The features cannot be given a name. If a circle was measured in step 14, then “14 Circle” is its only identifier. If steps are added or deleted before that, then that circle can become identified as “16 Circle” or “10 Circle”.

As stated by others, no assignments and no using results of previous measurements. The version that I used only allowed CAD as a visual reference, not for use in programming.

All reporting must be done in the step where the measurement occurs. All reporting uses the last alignment in the program, not the alignment that was active when the measurement was made. This requires a lot of constructing new features from the measurements done in an earlier alignment.

Going back and trying to change an alignment earlier in a program is about as efficient as rewriting the program from the start. Imaging having the origin and all measurements plotted on a piece of paper. Going back and changing the location of the origin moves that piece of paper to a different location, but the location of all of the measured features does not change in relation to the origin. It’s like a dog chasing its tail.

Descriptions for reporting features are done in a small space that only shows about 16 characters at a time, so scrolling is necessary. It’s limited to a single line and (I think) 32 characters, including spaces. It will let you type in more than that, but it just throws away everything past the 32 character limit.

That’s just a few things. I would have to write a book to cover everything.