Aircraft coordinates

[[Me...]]

Hello everyone.
I've been using Calypso for a whole week now. Previously using PCDmis (9yrs). And it seems the two are nothing alike. So I'm thinking this will be the first of many questions I post or search on this forum. So thank you all in advance for your patience and help.
Here's my question: I'm trying to validate the coordinates of a feature on an aircraft part. Is is possible to create an alignment based on the aircraft coordinates if the model was created in aircraft? If so, can someone give me the steps to take to create an aircraft alignment?

Thanks!

[[De...]]

You can create an alignment from the menu, Resources -> Utilities -> Alignment

Your alignment will need to be setup to some set of features on the part that defines the part's DRF.

Once that is done, you can click the special button and input the angular / translational offsets between the parts DRF and the co-ordinate system you want to use.

[[Me...]]

So even if the model was imported in aircraft coordinates, there's no way to just recall that coordinate system without offsetting the part? For example, if the end of my part was at BL155.00, I would have to offset a plane 155 inches from the end of the part and then align to that offset plane?

[[De...]]

You can import the model in its original coordinate system.

In general when you create your Base Alignment it expects the features used to define the alignment to be at zero, and if they are not it will 'move' the part to get that result relative to the features you use. If you want the origin somewhere else, you can modify the 'special' values and make Calypso put the origin wherever you wan't it relative to the features you use on the part.

That said, according to the documentation, you can use the special button in your base alignment and choose "keep original alignment from CAD model" and Calypso will use the origin from the CAD model and will automatically calculate the necessary angular and positional offsets for the special screen. When using this option the dialog values on the special screen will appear greyed out. This option is only allowed on the base alignment.

I personally have never used this option, however it sounds like this might actually be what you were looking for.

[[Ma...]]

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I have used this method with success. It works well.

But I always add a local alignment on the part too. This allows me to report back features for the machinist back to the part instead of aircraft position. If you are doing anything with mold line data you will need to be in aircraft position.

Mark

[[Me...]]

That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks a lot. I'll try it the first chance I get.