PowerINSPECT 2012
Electrode Wizard - Inspection
for PowerINSPECT CNC
PowerINSPECT
Copyright © 1993-2012 Delcam Ltd. All rights reserved.
Delcam Ltd has no control over the use made of the software
described in this manual and cannot accept responsibility for any
loss or damage howsoever caused as a result of using the software.
Users are advised that all the results from the software should be
checked by a competent person, in accordance with good quality
control procedures.
The functionality and user interface in this manual is subject to
change without notice in future revisions of the software.
The software described in this manual is furnished under licence
agreement and may be used or copied solely in accordance with the
terms of such licence.
Delcam Ltd grants permission for licensed users to print copies of
this manual or portions of this manual for personal use only.
Schools, colleges and universities that are licensed to use the
software may make copies of this manual or portions of this manual
for students currently registered for classes where the software is
used.
Acknowledgements
This documentation references a number of registered trademarks
and these are the property of their respective owners. For example,
Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States.
Important Notices
PowerINSPECT
Copyright © 1993-2012 Delcam plc. All rights reserved.
Delcam plc has no control over the use made of the software described in this manual and
cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage howsoever caused as a result of using
the software. Users are advised that all the results from the software should be checked by
a competent person, in accordance with good quality control procedures.
The functionality and user interface in this manual is subject to change without notice in
future revisions of software.
The software described in this manual is furnished under licence agreement and may be
used or copied solely in accordance with the terms of such licence.
Delcam plc grants permission for licensed users to print copies of this manual or portions of
this manual for personal use only. Schools, colleges and universities that are licensed to use
the software may make copies of this manual or portions of this manual for students
currently registered for classes where the software is used.
Acknowledgements
This documentation references a number of registered trademarks and these are the
property of their respective owners. For example, Microsoft and Windows are either
registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States.
Electrode Wizard - Inspection for
PowerINSPECT CNC
Introduction
Electrode Wizard - Inspection is part of the Delcam software integrated electrode solution. It
automates PowerINSPECT CNC - creates a PI document, loads a CAD model from a selected .trode
file; builds probe paths for inspection groups from points created in PowerSHAPE Electrode.
Please use EXTREME CARE when running the ppaths on the machine - make sure you
have set the correct alignment matching the datum you have exported the .trode file
relative to (the CAD datum in PI).
As a precaution reduce the speed override to the minimum and drive the machine slowly
until you are sure the probe goes to the right position. Be ready to press the emergency
stop while running the machine until the alignment is proven correct. The ppath
verification is against the CAD and not the machine - the probe may collide with other
parts, if any, currently available on the machine table.
The user is prompted to create a best fit, if needed, using the PI GUI that can adjust the electrode
datum to compensate for eventual machining or positioning inaccuracy.
The last couple of steps help creating PI report and export the BestFit item, if it exists, to an xml file.
Step 1 - Configuring the Electrode Wizard - Inspection
It is essential the user to run PI CNC and create an alignment on the electrode fixture on the machine
table. This alignment should be exported to an external file and set as one of the settings in the
Configuration dialog.
A click on the wizard bitmap on the Wizard first page raises the Configuration dialog:
The settings are:
- Part files - Default CAD Files folder - location of the .trode files
-Alignment file - prior to running the Electrode Inspection Wizard an alignment should be calculated
and exported to an external file set on the Erowa (or similar electrode fixture).
-Probepath SafeZ - the height of the safe Z links for the probepaths
Once finished all the settings press Save button to save the configuration to a config file.
Step 2 - Loading the CAD file
Press the Browse button to raise a file selector and select the .trode file you are going to work with.
Trode files can contain more than one electrode - as a result all electrodes will be extracted from the
.trode file and listed in the Listbox:
Select the one you are going to inspect and press the Next button to proceed.
If you realise that you have selected the wrong .trode file you can press the Back button to take you
back to the step where you can select another .trode file.
Step 3 - Creating PPaths
On pressing Next the Wizard will proceed to the next step where a list of rougher, semi-finisher and
finisher would be added to the list box ready for selecting the electrode that has been set up for
inspection on the CMM.
Select the one you are inspecting; eventually change the SafeZ value for the probepath(s) that are
going to be created from points positioned during the modelling stage (in Pshape).
Press Next to create the probepaths.
Step 4 - Selecting a region to inspect
At this step a region can be set in the sequence tree and the ppaths can be run using the PI GUI.
Before running any ppaths, please verify once more the correct alignment has been set.
As a precaution reduce the speed override to the minimum and drive the machine slowly
until you are sure the probe goes to the right position.
Be ready to press the emergency stop while running the machine until the alignment is
proven correct.
The ppath verification is against the CAD and not the machine - the probe may collide
with other parts, if any, currently available on the machine table
Step 5 - A prompt for running the ppaths
Before proceeding further a prompt is output to remind the user to get PI connected to the machine
and run the ppaths.
Press Yes, if you have done so already.
Step 6 - A prompt for additional inspection
The user may decide to create new inspection groups and measure them using the PI GUI.
You can add or alter the inspection at this point.
Step 7 - A prompt to create a Best Fit
The user is prompted by a message box to create a best fit item from PI GUI.
This is just a prompt so pressing OK will not cause any changes to the document.
If the user decides so they may create a best fit of their preferred type to alter the setting datum for
the electrode.
This compensation should be done carefully and responsibly as it will affect the initially created
datum for the electrode.
Step 8 - Tolerance check
Pressing Next will run a check whether the inspection groups are within the specified tolerance
limits. This will result in a red cross or green tick image displayed on the Wizard form.
Step 9 - Export results
Pressing Next will create automatically the PI built-in html report.
Pressing for a second time the Next button will search for a calculated Best Fit item in the sequence
tree and will export it to an xml file.
Step 10 - Last page
The Finish button is activated for the first time; on pressing it, all files created for the inspection of
this particular electrode will be saved to the .trode file selected in the beginning of the session
before the end of the Wizard.
