Edge scanning sheet metal parts

[[Da...]]

Hello, I'm trying to figure out the formula to be able to scan any flexible thin walled edge and not fall of. Thanks in advance.

[[Cl...]]

Is the surface really wavy? What I would do is probe points on top of the part, close to the edge you want to scan or probe. Then make those Z points individual alignments (Z origin), then knowing the material thickness, place your points on the edge at Y zero, half way into the part relative to each of the corresponding alignments (one for each point) Man that sounds like a lot of work. I hope someone else has a faster/better idea.

Back in the day, Virtual DMIS had a great little method for doing this. I haven't found it in Calypso yet.

[[De...]]

If the thin walled parts you need to check are always straight this could be done with a 2D Line by creating an alignment using the adjacent surface, or alternatively simply use variables like getActual("AdjacentPlaneName1").x in the 2D Line position definition that pulled their values from the adjacent surfaces.

The problem I think you are likely to run into is that sheet metal is unlikely to always be straight, so any line you create will potentially fall off the edge if the part is too far out of straight.

One option for dealing with this is to use space points on the adjacent surface, then make space points on the thin edge that reference the positions on the adjacent surface. This would allow you to create however many space points on the thin edge of the sheet metal which all had their locations controlled based on a space point that measured the local position of the edge. This would still allow you to measure points all along the edge regardless how out of straight the part was.

[[Mi...]]

If your tolerances are loose enough try a cylindrical probe. These are more susceptible to errors as they need to be "on axis" but when I have been asked to do a sheet metal part they work like a champ. Tolerance I deal with are no tighter than +-.015. The rounded end stylus can be qualified just like a regular sphere.