Pros and Cons of Navigator

[[To...]]

Can anyone explain the pluses and minuses of Navigator, including Dynamic Tensor qualification of star probes. In particular, on a new Prismo Navigator machine with VAST-Gold, measuring small components on the scale of a disposable lighter. On their other non-Zeiss cmms, they currently use a fair amount of 3-way T-probes, i.e. 1, 3 and 5. The new Prismo will be taking over responsibilities of the older machines.

[[Ri...]]

Navigator is a option intended for high production inspection. Engine blocks for example. With Navigator it is possible to measure flat surfaces and 360 degree bores and cylinders at scarey fast speeds. A Polyline that you would normally run at 10mm per second can be run at 30-40 mm per second. Circle paths can go from 20 to 60 with Navigator. Dynamic Tensor Qualification is absolutely essential for running at these speeds and maintaining repeatable results. I know what your thinking. "Thank God, another styli qualification choice to throw into a Basic Calypso class." It's actually another two routines that have to be trained. Going along with Dynamic Tensor is it's abbreviated companion, Geometry Re-qualification. Dynamic Tensor requires 180 degrees of sphere coverage for the additional scanning routines it uses to write all the information to the probe file that it uses to calculate size and location of a planar or circular feature being measured at Navigator speeds. With a star probe, that's impossible unless one has two reference spheres or unless one rotates the reference sphere, reloads the MasterProbe and repeats Reference Sphere position. To get around those two problems, you can use Geometry Re-qual for all the subsequent qualification after the Styli has been initially qualified with Dynamic. Geo re-qual looks and acts like the old familiar Tensor routine and you can reduce the sphere coverage if necessary. The mistake a lot of customers make is to use Tensor for subsequent qualifications. When one does that, you wipe out all the necessary information the software needs to measure at Navigator speeds. Navigator is primarily a through put tool. If you have a lot of product to measure and not a lot of time to do it with, Navigator can help if your product has a lot of flat surfaces and 360 degree circular features.

[[To...]]

So, it sounds like you're saying Dynamic Tensor could be overkill for smaller parts, with very few planes and holes? I haven't seen how the programs run on their other non-Zeiss machines so I really don't know what they're inspecting. The directive to purchase the Prismo came from their parent company based in Europe. I think they may be providing some programs, as well.

To me, it sounds like the use of Tensor and Geometry Re-qual, would keep things simpler for now. Or at least until I see how Navigator would be justified. I'm open to learning something new about Navigator but we don't do a lot of engine blocks in the Northeast.

[[Ri...]]

For smaller parts, the benefits of Navigator are minimal. Navigator is for those shops where the CMM's are running 24/7 measuring the same parts day in and day out.