"CMM.exe" is a poor name for PiWeb

[[Je...]]

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It occurred to me that "CMM.exe" is a poor name for the application file for PiWeb.

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Here's why:
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PiWeb does not operate or interface with my CMM. Calypso does this. PiWeb was designed as a data collection and SPC software. Its architecture behaves collaboratively yet independent of Calypso.

"Why on earth would this bother you, Jeff, and why would you spend five minutes of your time posting about it?"

I'm glad you asked! 😂

The reason it bothers me that Zeiss names the PiWeb application file "CMM.exe" is because it gives the impression that PiWeb is designed to be a solution for the cmm programmer. It suggests that Zeiss took time to listen to the voice of the customer and then craft a solution. They simply did not do so.

Instead, this is what Zeiss did: They sought to identify a market gap where they could strategically introduce a data collection / spc software that existing customers would be forced to choose. It's a growth hacking strategy that overlooked the customer completely.

My evaluation after 10 years using PiWeb is that it utterly fails as a CMM reporting software.

As a CMM programmer who lives by my ability to communicate geometry to a wide array of customers both internal and external, PiWeb has been an ongoing nightmare. Approximately 9 months ago, I had to admit that PiWeb was causing waste for my customers. I was spending hours trying to figure out and troubleshoot basic formatting tasks (yes, I took Zeiss's online PiWeb course). PiWeb was simply failing me, and I needed to face this reality.

So, I had to divorce with PiWeb, for the good of my customers and my own sanity.

This was liberating and value-added. Instead of forcing my needs to align with PiWeb's clunky interface, I crafted a custom process for reporting that swiftly exports from Calypso to third-party software in order to optimize visual and numerical data. This allows me to easily customize the look and feel of the report. Calypso is still front-and-center in my workflow, but PiWeb is assigned nothing more than the bare minimum.

I should add that PiWeb is a decent spc software. This is especially true for quality engineers looking to leverage PiWeb for large-volume process control. If you can live with the built-in templates, or if you clawed your way through the headache-inducing UI in PiWeb to make a few customized templates that you plan to set-and-forget, you may be just fine.

If this were only a matter of opinion, I wouldn't even post. However, Calypso users are forced to adopt PiWeb. As long as that is the case, I appreciate the opportunity to respectfully share about my experience.

"CMM.exe"? That spot is reserved for Calypso.

[[Mi...]]

I have to ask, what are you going to replace PiWeb with?

I just spent 6 months arguing to ditch QC-CALC in favour of PiWeb because of how awful (And expensive) QC-CALC is to scale up.

[[Je...]]

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Hey Mike.

I agree that QC-Calc is expensive to scale. QC-Calc is not my solution.

An important point to consider is that my role is not primarily with high volume production. My CMM tasks involve tooling, prototype, NPI/NPD, and reverse engineering. Because of this, I need to generate new, customized reports daily that leverage Calypso's ability for visual metrology. Trying to do this in PiWeb has felt like running through quicksand with a weighted vest. They simply didn't design the software well, especially the user interface.

If you can implement a set-and-forget system that mostly uses Zeiss's built-in templates and doesn't require much customization besides header fields, PiWeb may very well work for you. Quality engineers also like using it for MSA and SPC. I think Zeiss just lost sight of the fact that quality engineers and production managers are not their front-line customers. CMM programmers are.

[[Gu...]]

Hi Jeff
CMM.exe is the internal interface for PiWeb Reporting in CALYPSO. The CALYPSO Standard Reports contain many highly automated reports. These are optimized for CALYPSO itself.

[[Je...]]

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Hi Guenter.

I truly appreciate your response and your participation in this forum. Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

I do understand that CMM.exe is the internal interface for PiWeb Reporting in Calypso. I am using the program naming issue as a conversation starter, but it is not the underlying issue. Ultimately, the name of the internal interface is inconsequential to me.

The root issue that I am concerned with is PiWeb's inability to meet my needs as a CMM Programmer.

Context is important here: I primarily work with tooling qualification, reverse engineering, new product development/introduction, and special measuring tasks that evaluate geometry to a CAD model(s). The primary industry that I service is medical device manufacturing.

We trust Zeiss because of the high-end accuracy of your metrology systems, the adeptness of Calypso to relate print requirements to the measuring system, and because of the aftermarket support of your specialists.

My customers require visual and numerical reporting that leverages the ultra-high accuracy of Zeiss CMMs in tandem with Calypso's visual representation of both actual and nominal geometry. In essence, I compare ideal geometry to actual geometry, and this occurs mostly for single-sample or small sample size situations.

The customer presentation usually happens on-screen, not on paper, and it requires high customization of the presentation. Here are a few redacted examples of the visual reporting my customers require (I can provide more thorough examples through PM or a web meeting if helpful).

As you view these, please keep in mind that I am not claiming that PiWeb is incapable of including these types of elements in its reports. The problem is how difficult it is to do so fluidly on a daily basis. The root problem is PiWeb's poor, outdated architecture regarding user interface.

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[[Gu...]]

Hi Jeff
As probably known, I have been in passive partial retirement for some time.
But I keep checking the forum again and again.

Table with more values:
The CALYPSO reporting use the protocol element from PiWeb. The reason for this is are the many different result states, group headings, text elements in CALYPSO. An extension of the table report can be found here in the video:
https://portal.zeiss.com/academy/video- ... leprotocoi

In the latest TrendReport 8.4_02a, there is a toggle for the current page to display "measured values" or "deviation"
Clicking on a number in "measured values" opens the InteractiveStandardReport.ptx
But the more automatic functions a report gets, the more complex it is in the designer.

[[Je...]]

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Guenter,

I actually had no idea that you were in semi-retirement. I extend my congratulations. Thank you for the legacy and investments you have made to the field of metrology. I greatly appreciate you, and I wish you joy in the next phase of your life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I always appreciate when Zeiss is willing to listen to the voice of the customer.

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