AUTO ALIGNMENT LIKE IN PC-DMIS

[[Se...]]

Is there a way to do an, "Auto Alignment" in Calypso, like in PC-DMIS?

Purpose: CMM Techs are able to place the actual part "anywhere" on the table, without predetermined fixturing and or table grid coordinates. And start the program without having to do a manual alignment.

Objectives: Techs place probe at indicated spot on the part. And hit "Run". The placing of the probe acts as the manual alignment indicating approx where the part is in reference to machine zero. It will then take a "Base Alignment" and a loop, etc. to refine the alignment to that actual part. And then continue with the rest of the "featuring".

PC-DMIS format: Set "zero" on the model, export, import to PC-DMIS, set "DCC" mode, set "readpoint", set first alignment on "readpoint", set second alignment to confirm actual part location, set third alignment to refine actual part location, and program from third alignment.

[[Ri...]]

That seems like an awful lot of work to not do an alignment....

You could always just make a really simple Start Alignment.

[[Br...]]

The PCDmis guys call that the "Read-Point alignment". It basically reads where the center of the stylus is, calls that the origin for XY and Z, then begins to find the part through multiple iterations of an alignment. Calypso will not do this. It needs an actual contact point to register a point. What you can do is pick 3 points on your CAD model that would represent your part location in XY and Z. You can create a start alignment that uses only those 3 points as the XY&Z origins, leaving spacial and planar rotation blank. Then have a full Base alignment constraining all 6 degrees of freedom set with a loop. The base alignment will then run a set of iterations before executing the rest of the program. Unless there's some way to take a point in mid air from the controller, that's about as close as you're going to get to a read-point alignment with Calypso. There may be some way to do this through PCM. There is certainty PCM code that finds the current location of the center of the stylus, but I don't know how you could apply that the way you want here.

[[Am...]]

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Yeah most of the time that anyone is trying to avoid manual alignment is because they think its too slow and just are trying to decrease time anywhere they can because they need a lot of parts measured. This seems like it would take longer to run in every way.

[[Ow...]]

I've seen other people (most likely PC-demon people) request this over the years.
I've always thought the button on the right joy stick that is used to set intermediate "CMM positions" could do something like this.
Place the probe at the preferred start position, click button to record position and go from there.
I'm sure it would have to be with PCM (which we don't have) but, I'd think it could be done.

[[Ro...]]

I agree with Brett & Richard, i would use a Start alignment, but you can use a single point as your x,y,&z. you don't need 3 points (i don't think)
It doesn't take any more time to take a point than to just drive to an approximate position and hit a keystroke.

[[Se...]]

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Thank you Sir, for your detailed info. I'm coming from programming with PC-DMIS, to Calypso. And I'm trying to see what capabilities Calypso actually has. If time permits, I'll check into the PCM option. But at this point, I'll use your recommended alignment.

That being said, another question.
This may be Basic - Level 1 training (If so, I apologize), but in PC-DMIS, if a manual alignment was used, I.e. Top plane (primary) 4 points, line (secondary) 2 points, and 2nd line (tertiary) 2 points. And at least one of the line's hit points were taken out of order. I.e. The line (secondary) 2 points were supposed to be taken from left to right, but were taken from right to left, thus switching the vectors and "flipping" the part. Is that an issue with Calypso and alignments?

[[Se...]]

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Can anyone confirm the single point start alignment? If that is an option, that may be able to be tied into the PCM.

[[Me...]]

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I have never had that issue. As long as you are taking points on the correct feature, you are good. I take points out of order all the time.

[[Br...]]

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So Calypso is funny about this and I haven't ever quite been able to put my finger on it. I typically do it in the order like you said, but I think you'll come to notice that most of the time it doesn't actually matter. Though there have been a handful of times where it did seem to matter. I think the first time you do the manual alignment you need to do it this way, then after that, Calypso sort of remembers the vector of the line regardless of what direction you take it in.

[[Ro...]]

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I don't think you necessarily need PCM for this.
You could of course, but don't have to.
I have PCM so i don't know what options someone who doesn't have PCM has, but I was told recently that people without pcm can use formulas, so ill accept that as true.
I attached a Zip file with a quick program i threw together, you can open it and take a look at what i've done if you wish.
The program was tested several times on the physical CMM, not just in simm.

I have the top point Z being the alignment point, and is the X&Y&Z of my start alignment.
Then an alignment circle has its X&Y values set by the point taken, and a fairly large retract distance to account for variations in point placement.
Circle path location of "Lower Plane" is also controlled by the same formula as the alignment circle, so everything in the Base alignment will move accordingly with the 1 point.

THEN..... I put a 2x loop into the base alignment so that with everything being slightly wonky the first time thru, the 2nd time thru should be just fine like the part has been there the whole time.

Note, this is a round part, but a square part with rotation should be somewhat similar. i just wouldn't go crazy with the freedom of movement idea and instruct your operators to "make sure its kinda somewhat square" even if you have to draw a line on the granite with a sharpie to help them out.

Forum 1 Point Alignment.zip

[[Th...]]

As someone who doesn't have PCM, I can confirm that formulas are included in the base Calypso package, as well as conditional checks for strategies. So far the only options I've found that PCM actually locks me out of are the ones labeled "Parameter".

[[Me...]]

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My experience as well.

[[Ke...]]

I have used a self centering point for X & Z, and a separate point for Y, as a start alignment. I have no doubt that I could have used the same self centering point for Y also, by calculating the offset of the self centering point. But, for the 5 seconds that it takes to take the 2nd point... Y bother?

BTW: "PC-demon people" may be the funniest thing I've read in a while!... but then, I don't get out much. 🤣

[[Se...]]

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Interesting. So far I have been unsuccessful at identifying exactly how it populates All of the vectors. I've had one where there was a blind hole at "Y-" and the vector was correct. When I entered my "Depth" it was correct. And there was a blind hole on the opposite side (different center lines) that was at "Y+" and the vector was flipped and the same as the "Y-" hole, making my "Depth" amount reversed. Path lines looked good, as well as collision detection. So I don't know. I'm attributing most of these issues to my inexperience with Calypso. So it's hard for me to know if it's an actual valid issue or not.

[[Se...]]

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This sounds like it may have promise for my application, whether it's a round part or not. Thank you, Sir! I'll look more into it next week!

[[Se...]]

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Thank you, gentlemen. I'll have to check that out too. I haven't even had a chance to mess with that part yet.

[[Se...]]

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[[Se...]]

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[[Mi...]]

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Interesting.

So if I understand this thread, there is no built in read point function in Calypso.

Given that the majority of my PC-DMIS programs use a readpoint start, I'm assuming the translator will have a problem with the programs? Will I have to re-write the beginning of all of my programs, converting it to operator manual probing?

[[Se...]]

Hey, Michael. So after digging into Calypso for a bit, I was able to prove out and make a Calypso version of PC-DMIS's Read Point alignment, work. As long as you follow the steps in order, it'll produce the same results as PC-DMIS's Read Point alignment. But as far as your questions, from what I have gathered from Calypso, no, there is no read point function in Calypso. Thus the translator may have issues with the Read Point alignments. And from what I understand, not all of the translators, translate the same either. But if you already have your Base Alignment set in Calypso, adding the Calypso version of the Read Point is quick and easy.

1) Features/Define points (Make a point anywhere on the mod and adjust it's Nominal Definition from the already established Base Alignment, to somewhere easy to take 1 manual hit. Like a corner, etc. That one hit will act as PC-DMIS's Read Point, telling the CMM where the physical part is, in relation to machine zero.)
2) In Features, move the point to the very top so that it is the 1st feature in the program.
3) Measurement/Base Start Alignment/Start Alignment/Use Start Alignment/OK (Set the point as the X Origin, Y Origin, Z Origin, Only.) /OK (Calypso will then pop up an offset window which requires no actions) /OK

At this point when you go to Run the program, make sure Start Alignment/Manual Alignment is set. Calypso will ask you to take that 1 manual hit. Once the manual hit is taken, it will ask you to move styli out of the way due to CNC mode, which you should not have to do anything but hit OK. Once it has the 1 manual hit taken, it will then move to take your Base alignment, it's Loops if programmed, and on with the rest of the program. I would recommend opening up the Clearance Distance and Retract Distance for the 1 Manual Point and the Base Alignment, to compensate for how far off the actual manual hit is, compared to where the zero is set. As well as making the Base Alignment Probing Points far enough from any edges to compensate as well. My CMM techs literally click Run, click Start, enter their report's Input Parameters, and take the 1 point and they are done until the program is finished. If you want any refinement recommendations, let me know.