While running a program, can you run a separate program at the beginning?

[[Ju...]]

I have a program that runs in AutoRun on a pallet, and I'd like to run a separate program at the beginning using something like a batch file (which I know very little about).  The reason why, is I'd like to check a centrally located artifact for probe breakage (0.3mm).  If I were to just put the check at the beginning of the program, I believe I would need an artifact at each station of the pallet.  My thought is if I have a separate program that only references the pallet alignment, then I should be able to just have one artifact at a fixed location.  I could be way off on this approach, but it would still be nice to know if this is possible for other potential applications.  Thanks in advance!

[[Jo...]]

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Do you care if it is checked after the base alignment features? Or are you looking to do this before it even touches the part?

If the former, then there is a way to use PCM to only do it on pallet location 1. 

1. Program as normal.

2. Add your artifact measurement and place it after the base alignment features.

3. Set up a miniplan for that artifact measurement and regular inspection ("Artifact and Norm"). 

     3.1 You will need a characteristic for the artifact, of course. 

4. Set up a miniplan for regular inspection ("Norm"), skipping the artifact measurement.

5. In the program Presetting, add in the PCM below

There are probably other methods too. 

PltNum=getRecordHead("palletlocationnumber")

if PltNum=="1" then
	setRunID("Artifact and Norm")
endif

if PltNum<>"1" then
	setRunID("Norm")
endif

[[Ri...]]

On flexible parts or fixtures I use Space Points in all three axes right after the Base Alignment.

This method determines if the part and or fixture, depending on which you are testing, has moved by evaluating the X,Y,Z coords in the beginning and at the end of the program.

You can use the same methodology to check whether a stylus is intact or broken.

Determine where you want to contact on the part or fixture, in your case I would use the fixture as it should not deviate from your nominal point values.

Perhaps even add a Tooling Ball or Rectangular Block that allows you to add Space Points.

Add a tolerance you would expect, typically I would base the tolerance on the Stylus Sigma.

Then add a Result element for each coordinate with a ".toleranceState"

Example for the X axis:

getActual("Point1X").toleranceState

The above will return True or False.

Stop the program if False by adding a cncBreak if False.