Add Tool

The Add Tool button displays the Add Tool dialog box. To access this button, select the Measure button in the Probe Utilities dialog box (Insert | Hardware Definition | Probe).

Add Tool dialog box

The Add Tool dialog box allows you to store data that describes the qualification tools. Each tool is assigned a sequential ID number. Along with the ID#, PC-DMIS displays the tool type (SPHERE, POLYHEDRAL, or RING); the tool offset; shank vector; override vector; and the diameter (for SPHERE); or the length (for POLYHEDRAL).

Once you define a new tool, it appears in the List of available tools list in the Measure Probe dialog box.

You must define at least one probe tip before you can measure a calibration tool.

To add a tool to the List of available tools list, select the Add Tool button. The Add Tool dialog box appears. You can define these items:

Tool ID - In this box, enter the name of the tool you are defining.

Tool type - Select the type of calibration tool you will use. Some items are available for selection only if you use a specific probing system.

• SPHERE

• SPHERE(ARM 2)

• POLYHEDRAL

• POLYHEDRAL(ARM 2)

• RING

• RING(ARM 2)

Ring tools are only used with Vision probing systems. See the PC-DMIS Vision documentation for information on how to use this tool to calibrate.

Offset X, Y, Z - These X, Y, and Z values define the location of the calibration tool in machine coordinates. To recalibrate a tip, highlight the desired tip in the Active tip list option. Proceed to use the Measure button to calibrate the probe tip. (See "Previewing your Probe Configuration".)

Shank Vector I, J, K - These values define the vector of the shaft on the tool. PC-DMIS uses these values during calibration to avoid the shaft.

Item A depicts the shaft on a spherical tool

Search Override I, J, K - These boxes define a vector that PC-DMIS uses to determine the most efficient order to measure all the tips. This is enabled when you select the User defined calibration order check box in the Probe Utilities dialog box. For more information, see "User Defined Calibration Order check box" for details.

Diameter / Length - This box displays the diameter or length of a spherical calibration tool.

The Z point offset X, Z point offset Y, Z point offset Z, Datum depth start, Datum depth end, and Focus offset options become enabled only if you are running PC-DMIS Vision. See the PC-DMIS Vision documentation for descriptions of those items.

Material type - This list contains standard material types. When you select a material, its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) appears in the CTE box.