Creating and Using Alignments: Introduction

Once you have activated a tip and measured features, you can create a coordinate system (or alignment). PC-DMIS provides you with a variety of tools to create and manage coordinate systems. To access the tools that allow you to work with alignments, select the desired menu options available from the Insert | Alignment submenu.

The major topics in this chapter describe how to use these tools to effectively create and manage alignments in your measurement routine. These topics include:

• Alignment Overview

• Alignment Command Format

• Description of the Alignment Utilities Dialog Box

• Creating a 3-2-1 Alignment

• About QuickAlign

• Creating an Iterative Alignment

• Creating a Best Fit Alignment

• Saving an Alignment

• Recalling an Existing Alignment

• Using an Alignment Inside Loops or Branches

• Equating an Alignment

• Equating CAD to Measured Part Data

• Performing a Leapfrog Operation

• Changing Alignment Nominal Values

• Updating Dependent Commands When the Alignment Changes

Bundle Alignments

If you have a Leica Laser Tracker configuration, you can also perform a Bundle alignment. This special type of alignment is discussed in the PC-DMIS Portable documentation.