Iterative Alignment in Polyworks

Published by CMMXYZ on June 25, 2024

Welcome to a new video on tech tips from CMMXYZ. In today's tech tips, we will be aligning data targets using iterative form of alignment method in PolyWorks. For this method, we'll be using a macro script that executes an iterative alignment using features like comparison points, points, circles, slots, and spheres. You can find the macro script in my PolyWorks website, the link for which will be added in the description. Go to Macro Zone and search for Advanced CNC CMM tools.

Here you can find the description for the macro script. Download the macro script with PolyWorks toolbar extension. Next in PolyWorks Inspector, right click on the toolbar and select customize in the list. In the customized dialogue go to the toolbar tab and select import.

Import the downloaded PolyWorks toolbar file and close the dialogue. The imported toolbar can be seen in the toolbar section, which is now ready to be installed. Click on the installer to install the toolbar.

After the toolbar is installed, PolyWorks Inspector needs to be restarted. Click on yes to restart Polyworks Inspector. After it restarts, you can see an advanced CNC CMM toolbar available in the toolbar section.

Next, use the surface comparison points created to do an iterative alignment. Currently, iterative alignment can be added to the sequence with the best-fit objects alignment at the end. The conditions to build an iterative alignment are having a best-fit objects alignment and having the same go-to points at the start and end of the iteration. The best-fit objects alignment requires a measured value of the features, in this case, the comparison points.

So to do a best-fit measurement object alignment, let's add the comparison points in the sequence and measure the points. Highlight all the surface comparison points, right click, and add the comparison points to the sequence. Close the dialogue box. Then measure these points in the sequence. Now with the measured points, make a best-fit object alignment, and add the best-fit object alignments to the sequence. Next, let's add the same go-to points at the start and end of the iteration.

Here, I've added the same start and end go-to points. Highlight the steps from the start go-to point to the end go-to point, then click on add iterative alignment to sequence icon in the newly added advanced CNC CMM toolbar. In the configurative alignment dialogues, adjust the max object distance and convergence target, as well as the number of iteration and maximum deviation threshold. I've kept the number of iteration to 10 and kept the success criteria to 5 microns for both max object distance and convergence target. After setting these parameters, click on confirm. This will add an iterative alignment step in the sequence. Now let's go ahead and run the iterative alignment steps. The execution window at the top shows the number of iterations and the current maximum deviation.

When the success criteria is within the set value, the iteration stops and shows the deviation and convergence value of the points. Click OK to the message. The alignment gets exported successfully. This is how an iterative alignment is made in PolyWorks. Thank you for watching.

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My Polyworks link to download Advanced CNC/CMM Toolbar

Link :  https://my.polyworks.com/

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