Base Alignment to Primary before Secondary & Tertiary

[[Lu...]]

Hello,

Is there a way for the Base Alignment to lock 3 degrees of freedom after the first feature is measured (before the second and third features are measured)? The software seems to be measuring all 3 features then locking all 6 degrees after.

Thanks,

Lukas

[[DW...]]

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 Not quite sure what you are trying to accomplish here... can you give a more detailed explanation of what you are trying to do? 

[[Jo...]]

Not 100% sure what you're asking either. Not sure if it's fully possible to lock all degrees of freedom without more than 1 feature. 

 

If you are just trying to locate your part before measuring the rest of the datum features you could do this...

Create secondary alignments before the base alignment is established. 

1. Measure primary datum. Set secondary alignment to primary datum only. 

2. Measure secondary datum first alignment set to feature. Set secondary alignment to primary and secondary datums.

3. Measure tertiary datum feature with second alignment set to feature. Set base alignment. 

 

I typically just create a simple base alignment like a 3-2-1, then go back in and measure my primary datums for a secondary alignment. This way, the part is fully located before creating my datum alignments. 

 

Not sure if this helps you or not. 

[[Ri...]]

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I have been using a similar method for over 2 decades now. I don't care if the Base Alignment is tied to datums or not, because they do not have to be.

My secondary alignment (Or as I prefer my primary alignment) is always named in this manner:

"CNC Alignment1 A_B_C" (Substitute the primary DRF as needed).

[[na...]]

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It would be worth trying to solve your challenge with start alignment.

[[Ja...]]

I think I understand the question. Lets say you have a cylinder/3-D line that you use for zero X, Y, and spatial. You want this done before going on to measure the other alignment features?

[[Ch...]]

We need more details to what you are trying to accomplish.  

If Base Alignment features are blank, then it will pull from the Start Alignment.  If Start Alignment is blank or not used, then Calypso will pull from the machine axis.  

So either way, you're locking down degrees of freedom.   

 

[[No...]]

It's not possible to lock single degrees of freedom while still measuring the base alignment. But in case you need this only to enhance the reference frame for following features you may be able to accomplish something similar using formulas or relative measurement.

Fun fact:

In UMESS, alignment worked step by step: After measuring the primary feature you called the "align spatial" function, then the "Origin" function (if needed), and so on. Each DoF could easily be taken from a different feature. After each step all DoF were already fixed up to that point, serving as a reference for subsequent features. I sometimes miss that alignment method, as it was very versatile and comprehensible. But what I did back then with a few button presses, I do today with formulas.

Edited 16 hours ago