Give machine offsets, without recalling.

[[Mi...]]

What is the simplest way to do this?.. I need to give X,Y,Z, sometimes R and Angle coordinates for various features in different coordinate systems in the same program. Same parts are machined on different brands and configurations of CNC machines.

I wanted to just use the position Characteristic and turn on additional printout, then tell them to look at those values, that was going to be the easiest, fill out the DRF and then rotate it to where it's needed, but that requires a tolerance, and nobody wants to see 999 as the tolerance.

I can create a secondary alignment, recall the features in question to that alignment, and then just report the coordinates directly that way, but that means a lot of manual work with the recalls and a messy feature list. Especially if we're starting to talk about a part with a whole bunch of holes and multiple machine coordinate systems.

Second method works, but it's a pain, is there no simpler way?

[[Ri...]]

Question - why do you need both?

[[Mi...]]

Please sign in to view this quote.

Both what?

If a group of machines has different coordinate systems from another, and from the part itself, we generally give extra offset values in the various CNC machine's coordinate system.

Should the machines all be programmed to go off the part coordinate system? probably, but I have no control over that and we have inverted mills right beside horizontal ones, making the same parts but +Z on one machine is +X on another. Right now the practice is to recall the features onto a secondary alignment in the correct orientation, then report the values directly, I'm trying to do better.

[[Ri...]]

Ah - I see - I missed that part. What a mess they created for you.

The only thing that I know you could do is to create the alignments via a secondary alignment, and use either Simple Distance (will only work on points and circles) or Caliper Distance as you can report X,Y,Z, Radial, and Angular values directly from one characteristic.

[[Ju...]]

I have seen someone print out a picture of a part being measured on the CMM with a physical coordinate system origin (X,Y,Z origin arrows) sitting beside it, so that the machinists know which axis points which direction in relation to the part itself.

viewtopic.php?t=442

[[Mi...]]

Please sign in to view this quote.

I really wanted to do that too, I was quite pleased when I thought of that relatively simple option...

Until I realized that because it's a distance, if the Y coordinate is -0.024mm, the distance would still show 0.024mm. So I would tell them how far it's out, but not which direction.

[[Ri...]]

Please sign in to view this quote.

If you can use the Simple Distance, you only need one feature. If you use Caliper Distance, you will need to create a theoretical center-point.

[[Ri...]]

Please sign in to view this quote.

How about creating individual Position characteristics for each unique machine coordinate system, and utilizing mini-plans. That way you would have the correct position tolerance applied, and you would only show the Position characteristic that is relative to that machining center.

[[Ma...]]

Could you use a Result Element with a formula to extract the actual of each coordinate and then name the Result Element the coordinate you wish?
I may not be thinking about this right and just confused myself and others 😕

[[Ma...]]

I am wondering - what about

• create geometry alignment with features you want to report
• create theoretical point in XYZ=0 with previously created alignment
• recall this theoretical point into another alignment ( ex. another features as another machine worked on )
• callout X Y Z for that - it will give you mismatch

[[La...]]

Can you use a variable "Machining Center" and then have your relative alignment change based on the users input for the machine the part was made on?

[[Mi...]]

Please sign in to view this quote.

Actually, yes, I think that would be pretty doable and simple after the first time.

I'm already controlling the input and what features run, with PCM and mini-plans - I didn't consider just using a parameter file and controlling the rotations of the alignment with variables. Even if I have to have a single recall for things, I can live with that.