Thoughts on Sharing Alignment with multiple programs.

[[Ro...]]

So as i've stated over & over, i almost always program parts in families.
Current project is no different and i get to thinking about doing something i've never had the guts to do before, give each program in a series the same alignment name.
The way we fixture the parts, the datum plane & line & point are always held in the same place regardless of how thick the part is, so what would be the cons of having 1 alignment for multiple programs?

[[To...]]

Sounds viable to me. You have the option to "load" a previously created alignment so I would think that would be very similar.

[[Me...]]

No problems....

I have been doing this for 13+ years. I create my BA Program and build all programs off this master.

[[Ow...]]

I share the same alignment with family parts all the time and don't recall any issues.

[[Ro...]]

Q to Steven & Owen.
So we have a dedicated place where we run all these parts, but if for some reason were to move the fixture, would doing an alignment on 1 part cause all parts to be updated?

FYI, all my alignments have features named exactly the same, Dat A plane, Dat B Line, Dat C point.

[[Ow...]]

Yes,in my experience, the alignment as it is named and shared would update and you wouldn't have to do a manual alignment on each program to tell it where it is.

[[Me...]]

Just as Owen Said, One manual BA for all programs with the same BA Name.

Feature names and strategies are irrelevant, just as long at the x,y,z 0 is the same.

For example: we run a family of parts that share a BA, but we probe different areas (Features) depending on the Machining fixture locations.