Program issue; won't measure last diameter?

[[Da...]]

So, here's my issue; should be a simple program, since 38 out of 40 diameters are all in the #1 stylus direction, and the last 2 are in the #3 position. As for the story, I will refer to these a "left hole" and "right hole". BTW, I am staging this part sideways, so right is X+, towards you is Y-, even though I will be measuring this hole with the #3 (X+) stylus direction.

So, the first 26 holes are on the upper part of the program, with A|B|C alignment (you can see just a bit of one of them in the upper part of the pic), then there is the lower part on a D|E|F alignment (small part of one hole on the bottom of the pic). Program runs flawlessly with my 2mmx(20+50)mm cylinder probe on both levels and both alignments, no issue at all. Then, at the very end, I rotate to stylus position#3 to measure these side holes. I created them on the screen first, then ran each with an F9 command to make certain I had clearance and/or no collision, and it worked well. FWIW, my clearance planes are 20mm from CAD edges.

So, when running, after measuring the last 'flat hole', the machine moves to the Y- clearance limit, rotates to the correct direction, moves diagonally along the Y- clearance plane, then goes straight in the Y+ direction to measure the "right hole". After measuring, the head backs out (Y- direction) to the Y- clearance plane, then upward to the Z+ clearance plane, and.......stops. Nothing!

I tried switching the "right hole" with the "left hole" in the order on the Features window, but it still goes directly to the "right hole", completely ignoring the left hole. 

I've tried everything; the alignments are both the same, strategies are the same, speeds, etc. I'm at a loss as to why the program just refuses to acknowledge the "left hole" at all. FWIW, both are aligned to the A|B|C top alignment (even though these are more of an (X,Z) type measurement, but both are...)and there seems to be no problem with the right hole measuring correctly.

Any ideas? It's either something glaringly obvious, or else something so obscure I just didn'y know what to look for. 

[[To...]]

Dumb question.  Do you have any characteristics associated with the features not being measured?

 

[[Ro...]]

I agree with Tom (no surprise there), right click on your unmeasured feature and click on "Check use of selected feature"

[[Da...]]

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Each feature has a positional dimension in Features. Every diameter except DatumB is given a 1.2mm position (RFS) to a primary datum, secondary datum with MMC, and a tertiary datum with MMC.  The E datum on the lower level is measured to the lower planar datum (D), then the B and C datums from the top as secondary; tertiary. Then there is a rotational datum F on the lower, measured to D|E|C. All the others on the bottom are measured to D|E|F.

When I get to these side holes, I flip the alignment back to ABC, but Calypso won't allow the datum shifts on the side holes, so I just measure them RFS. 

So, all features are positionally dimensioned in characteristics, but not axially or diametrically. 

I think I get what you are thinking. (runs over to the CMM......5 minutes elapse......runs back)  Yeah, found the problem; accidentally put the dimension measured down as the plane Datum D, dimensioned to....well, that was wrong. Changed it, and now it works. 

I'm multi-tasking too much. Today, between editing the CMM program, I also had to inspect a couple material C of C's, and hipot 3 different jobs....

[[Ün...]]

In programs that are worked on for a long time;

1) I close the program and open it again, especially when changes are made with BA, sometimes calypso does not like to work on it for a long time.

2) If the error persists when I close and open the program, it means it is time to take a coffee break. Such errors are inevitable when looking at the same thing for a long time. 🙂

[[Da...]]

So, I guess I've stumbled across another "unwritten rule" of Calypso, namely:

Calypso doesn't care if you want to take a dimension; if there is no characteristic associated, it just won't do it!*

This is different than PC-DMIS. I used to make different programs using the same shared features, but some with different outputs, like "positions only", or "full FAI report", or "measuring form skew", etc. These programs would happily measure features that weren't even included in the output, but I would leave in, partly to save time in editing, and partly to put the stylus in the right location to not hit anything when going to the next feature.

*(Or, in German, Calypso ist es egal, ob Sie eine Dimension annehmen möchten; Wenn kein Merkmal zugeordnet ist, funktioniert es einfach nicht!)

[[To...]]

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If you right-click on a characteristic and select Mask, it will not measure it.  Also, you can highlight a group of characteristics, i.e. positions only, then select menu item Plan > Mini-Plan > Define, then create a name for your mini-plan.  In the run window, at the left under Current Selection, you can select to run your Mini-Plan.  Due to how Calypso uses clearance planes, you don't have to worry about re-arranging your features to avoid hitting something it's supposed to, unless you are using sub-clearance planes. If you're using and re-using sub-clearance planes, this situation can be negated by using unique sub-clearance plane names based on local groups of features.  Mini-plans set Calypso apart from other software.

Edited January 22

[[Da...]]

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That sounds like a help. I ended this program with a bogus point taken on the top surface in stylus direction#1 just to not leave the CMM with a horizontal stylus at the end. This point has absolutely no relation to the inspection, and I really didn't want to have it on my report.

[[To...]]

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If you mask that point, it won't measure it.  You would have to Mark it and click Hide in the multiple report window.

Better option below

Go to Plan > Navigation > CNC End Park Position.  Click the + sign to add a new strategy.    I recommend moving the quill to the desired location, then click on the second icon from the left. This will record the position as though the MasterProbe was loaded relative to the BA.  Make sure it's high enough to clear any obstacles in the next move.  Then, click on the swivel stylus icon to choose what position you want it rotate to.

Edited January 22

[[Je...]]

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Sorry but I must address this:

This is not an "unwritten rule". It is THE rule of CALYPSO.  It is a Characteristic driven workflow.  No characteristic to report?  No need to run the machine needlessly for useless data and wasted cycle time.

No need for "useless" features in navigation either with proper inspection plan setup.  This is "linear programming" and is both unnecessary and dangerous in CALYPSO. Any feature should be able to run at any time without navigation problems or you've set it up improperly.

Clearance planes, clearance distance, retract distance will address 99% of all navigation needs.

[[Je...]]

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Like Tom said:
Plan > Navigation > CNC End Park Position

I usually advise setting this to change your stylus to a common stylus or the stylus that is used at program start for that program. In automation environments we always switch to masterProbe - 1 after any run as a standard process unless specifically requested not to for cycle time savings.

[[To...]]

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I agree but there is a downside, or at least there used to be one with older versions of Calypso, and that is the run is not finished until the probe change is finished so you have to wait to see your report.