Array Help! Need an array of thickness

[[Ry...]]

Good morning,
I am looking to get thickness variation over the surface of a sample at a very specific 5mm array. This is a simple geometry. Lets say 50mm x 50mm x 200mm long. I need the array of thickness points over the entire surface of only 1 axis.

On my non-Zeiss machine I have follow this process:
Create base alignment
Create point on the right face 5mm over and 5mm down.
Create point on the left face 5mm over and 5mm down.
Create width/distance measurement.
So far so good right? No surprises? Except when it comes to making the large array I need.
On the non-Zeiss machine I copy and paste thickness and can tell it paste 8 times 5mm down, and 38 times 5mm over.
Boom array complete, 351 thicknesses and all 702 points at once, ~5-10 minutes to program max. (Also have the ability to paste features/characteristics in polar arrays!!)

I want to create the same array in Calypso, this seems like a VERY basic programming function.
The easiest way I found to create this number of data points was to make my array with vectors in excel, then import them as space points. So all 702 points were created in seconds once the excel setup was complete. But now do I really need to make all the distances and pain stakingly select
Point1 -- Point352
Point2 -- Point353
....
Point351 -- Point702

There has to be an easier way!

[[Ma...]]

Theoretically you can use divisions

[[Ja...]]

I think you could create a symmetry point distance and then pattern that.

[[Mi...]]

It sounds like you should be using 2D Linear patterns on your features - which will automatically loop the characteristics for you and make this a very quick programming task, but without seeing what's physically being measured it's hard to know for sure.

[[Ja...]]

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I remember now. Create two points and the distance between them. Highlight your two points in the feature list, right click, and select group. Then, right click on your group and then you can select pattern. There is no need for symmetry point.

[[To...]]

To follow on Michael's post

Screenshot 2024-01-04 115759.jpgScreenshot 2024-01-04 120118.jpg

[[Ry...]]

Thank you all!
That looks very promising. I just did it in the offline seat and it appears to have generated fine. I had not used the pattern in the drop down before. Makes sense now! Just in a different location than I am used to with the other software. (FYI I love the functionality of Calypso better 😉 )

I will report back if there are issues once I get my hands on a part.

[[Ry...]]

This worked perfectly and saved me significant programming time. The only issue is, after each point it returns to a clearance plane. I tried setting a smaller sub clearance plane and had no success, also I unchecked the default "move to.." and said "Not at all" instead of "before and after measurement"

This doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things since there are only a few parts to measure. If I had a large quantity of parts to measure I would want to cut all the travel times down to save time.

Again this solution worked just the way I needed it too so thank you for the previous inputs!
Ryan

[[Da...]]

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Open Calypso manual and search for sub clearance planes.

[[To...]]

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Undo all of the changes you made above.

What clearance plane(s) are you using currently?

Let's say Point1 and Point2 were using CP+Z. Change Point1 to SCP+Z and Point2 to SCP2+Z.

If you're using CP+Y on Point1 and CP-Y on Point2, change Point1 to SCP+Y and Point2 to SCP-Y.

Make sure to run from Features list.

[[Mi...]]

For Sub Clearance plane to work 2 features in a row must be on the same one, and there must be no material whatsoever before the features make sure you really consider that or something that works fine in a full run may crash on a current selection or miniplan. It's an easy trap to fall into if you use the same sub clearance at the start and then sometime later in the program.

[[To...]]

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Sub-clearance planes will work on patterned features, treating each item in the pattern as an individual feature.

[[Ni...]]

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I can vouch for this.
I have created patterns of points around an OD and ID because they needed the wall thickness to be checked exactly on the same points on both sides and it works perfectly fine.
I would use a Y+ probe so my clearance groups would be SCP Y-1 for the OD points and SCP Y-2 for the ID points.
Worked perfectly fine.

[[Ke...]]

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Tom is correct, this is how it is intended to behave with patterned features using sub-clearance planes. However, I have a vague memory of that not functioning as intended in some service pack, so as with anything:please make sure you test at a safe speed to ensure it functions as expected.