How are you (somebody in the shop) programming the CMM's using V5 data.  I know that the official DS solution is Metrolog V5 (right??) and also know of VectorDrive and I'm sure there are others. 

We would like to program all our CMM's using native V5 data in V5 and getting output for the various brands of CMM's we have.  Just like NC machines, what a concept!

Jim

Dave,

We also have a few seats of PC-DMIS.  Problem is we also have a few seats of Brand X and a few of Brand Y supporting several types of CMM's.   PC-DMIS do everything you need?

Jim 

Jim,

Yes, Metrolog V5 is the Inspection solution for CATIA. It looks, feels and smells like CATIA, but is not a DS product. It is a product offered by the Metrologic Group based in Grenoble, France.

More info can be found at: http://www.metrologic.fr/uk/index.htm

Dave,

We are a little unique maybe in that the CMM programmers work for the NC Manager.  So I guess the real question is anybody using Metrolog?  What happens to the FD&T info if the model is exported to another brand X system?  I believe any data export causes a loss of info so Metrolog seems like the "best" option if it can drive LK, Brown&Sharp, Ziess, etc.

Jim

I use PCDMIS 4.2MR1 DCI (Direct Cad Interface) with Enovia on the side to program Offline. We also are considering switching to a Direct Cad Translator as this allows us the ability to import a CATpart model directly that contains GD&T annotations.

By using Hexagon's new Inspection Planner you just pick/click on the GD&T Feature Control Symbols and CAD elements in the imported CATpart model and create a plan which can then be uploaded to PCDMIS. Then we could use the new Optimization Path Option to automatically creates all the paths, clearplanes, and code, press "Optimize" which then selects the optimum order of features to measure the part. Opitmization Path also sets up the framework to report features measured in a AS9102 Inspection Report formatted template that can be created externally in Excel or Word. Of course, there will always be some refinemnent and testing to proof the program and I'm sure there will always be issues as ther always are in PCDMIS. However, I have seen it in action and it was so impressive that I have to give kudos to Chuck, the Brown & Sharpe Tech who came up from Lake Forest to Valencia jsut last week to set up 4 of 5 DCCs with both PCDMIS & Tutor Run (used on some of our legacy DCC programs).

I had Chuck also demo this for my QA Director who asked me, "why we hadn't gone this route in the first place?". My response... "Had Hexagon sent Chuck instead of a salesman, maybe things would be different!"

Techs Rule!