Move Exclusion Zones with Iterative Alignments

If you use exclusion zones (Insert | Move | Exclusion Zone) with iterative alignments, PC-DMIS automatically computes the starting and ending lines of the measurement routine that are to be re-executed. This means that PC-DMIS ends execution at the last feature used as part of the iterative alignment. This could prevent an arm from releasing the exclusion zone to the other arm, which thereby stops the measurement routine.

To resolve this, insert a start label for the iterative alignment. PC-DMIS executes from the label to the command just in front of the iterative alignment, which causes the arms to release the exclusion zone.

Example of a Stopped Measurement Routine:

In this example, PNT3 is assigned to ARM 2, all other commands are assigned to ARM 1.

STARTUP =ALIGNMENT/START,RECALL:,LIST=YES ALIGNMENT/END MODE/MANUAL PREHIT/ 5 RETRACT/ 5 CHECK/ 5,1 MOVESPEED/ 200 TOUCHSPEED/ 5 MANRETRACT/5 FLY/ON,3 LOADPROBE/MCW_B1 TIP/T1A90B0, SHANKIJK=0, 0, 1, ANGLE=0 FORMAT/TEXT,OPTIONS, ,HEADINGS,SYMBOLS, ;NOM,TOL,MEAS,DEV,OUTTOL, , LOADPROBE/SCW_B1 TIP/T1A90B180, SHANKIJK=0, 0, 1, ANGLE=180 , MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=ON,CORNER1=<1316.48,544.789,-2121.438>,CORNER2=<1692.357,731.906,-1927.833> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<152.429,10.032,96.903> PNT1 =FEAT/CONTACT/VECTOR POINT,CARTESIAN THEO/<161.427,11.05,0>,<0,0,1> ACTL/<161.41,11.043,0>,<0.0118161,0.0049698,0.9999178> TARG/<161.427,11.05,0>,<0,0,1> SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<161.41,11.043,0>,<0.0118161,0.0049698,0.9999178>,<161.41,11.043,0> PNT2 =FEAT/CONTACT/VECTOR POINT,CARTESIAN THEO/<129.42,87.149,0>,<0,0,1> ACTL/<129.402,87.142,0>,<0.0118161,0.0049698,0.9999178> TARG/<129.42,87.149,0>,<0,0,1> SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<129.402,87.142,0>,<0.0118161,0.0049698,0.9999178>,<129.402,87.142,0> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<133.155,93.849,163.961> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<126.184,-368.852,549.611> MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=OFF MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=ON,CORNER1=<1244.978,521.895,-2132.187>,CORNER2=<1694.493,693.843,-1941.159> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2801.191,1122.72,-4494.021> PNT3 =FEAT/CONTACT/VECTOR POINT,CARTESIAN THEO/<18.59,48.859,0>,<0,0,1> ACTL/<18.572,48.852,1.5>,<0.0118161,0.0049698,0.9999178> TARG/<18.59,48.859,0>,<0,0,1> SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<18.572,48.852,1.5>,<0.0118161,0.0049698,0.9999178>,<18.572,48.852,1.5> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2801.191,1122.72,-4494.021> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2504.204,1410.678,-5151.495> MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=OFF MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=ON,CORNER1=<3702.945,2326.236,-2201.708>,CORNER2=<3282.913,2429.285,-2038.206> CIR1 =FEAT/CONTACT/CIRCLE,CARTESIAN,IN,LEAST_SQR THEO/<203.199,25.4,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 ACTL/<203.199,25.4,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 TARG/<203.199,25.4,0>,<0,0,1> ANGLE VEC=<1,0,0> DIRECTION=CCW SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES NUMHITS=4,DEPTH=3,PITCH=0 SAMPLE HITS=3,INIT SAMPLE HITS=3,SPACER=4 AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 FIND HOLE=DISABLED,ONERROR=NO,READ POS=NO SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<215.899,25.4,-3>,<-1,0,0>,<215.899,25.4,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,38.1,-3>,<0,-1,0>,<203.199,38.1,-3> HIT/BASIC,<190.499,25.4,-3>,<1,0,0>,<190.499,25.4,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,12.7,-3>,<0,1,0>,<203.199,12.7,-3> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2808.247,1140.799,-4268.513> CIR2 =FEAT/CONTACT/CIRCLE,CARTESIAN,IN,LEAST_SQR THEO/<203.199,76.2,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 ACTL/<203.199,76.2,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 TARG/<203.199,76.2,0>,<0,0,1> ANGLE VEC=<1,0,0> DIRECTION=CCW SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES NUMHITS=4,DEPTH=3,PITCH=0 SAMPLE HITS=3,INIT SAMPLE HITS=3,SPACER=4 AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 FIND HOLE=DISABLED,ONERROR=NO,READ POS=NO SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<215.899,76.2,-3>,<-1,0,0>,<215.899,76.2,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,88.9,-3>,<0,-1,0>,<203.199,88.9,-3> HIT/BASIC,<190.499,76.2,-3>,<1,0,0>,<190.499,76.2,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,63.5,-3>,<0,1,0>,<203.199,63.5,-3> COMMENT/OPER,NO,"--------------------" ," Without the start label the iterative alignment executes the command from PNT1 here without releasing the exclusion zone." ,"--------------------" MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<3405.424,2381.097,-2065.988> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<3085.845,1750.21,-2223.279> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<3146.463,1750.925,-2775.383> MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=OFF A1 =ALIGNMENT/START,RECALL:STARTUP,LIST=YES ALIGNMENT/ITERATE PNT TARGET RAD=5,START LABEL=,FIXTURE TOL=0.5,ERROR LABEL= MEAS ALL FEAT=ALWAYS,MAX ITERATIONS=99,LEVEL AXIS=ZAXIS,ROTATE AXIS=XAXIS,ORIGIN AXIS=YAXIS LEVEL=PNT1,PNT2,PNT3,, ROTATE=CIR1,CIR2,, ORIGIN=CIR1,, ALIGNMENT/END

Explanation: Even though point PNT3 is located after the PNT1 and PNT2 and before CIR1 and CIR2, due to PC-DMIS's internal logic and the presence of the exclusion zone, PC-DMIS might measure PNT1, PNT2, CIR1, and CIR2 before PNT3. Because of this, the exclusion zone after CIR2 is not released and blocks the PNT3 ARM 2 measurement.

If you use a start label at the start of your alignment features and then have your iterative alignment command block use that start label, you can get around this problem, like this:

Example of a Working Measurement Routine:

STARTUP =ALIGNMENT/START,RECALL:,LIST=YES ALIGNMENT/END MODE/MANUAL PREHIT/ 5 RETRACT/ 5 CHECK/ 5,1 MOVESPEED/ 200 TOUCHSPEED/ 5 MANRETRACT/5 FLY/ON,3 LOADPROBE/MCW_B1 TIP/T1A90B0, SHANKIJK=0, 0, 1, ANGLE=0 FORMAT/TEXT,OPTIONS, ,HEADINGS,SYMBOLS, ;NOM,TOL,MEAS,DEV,OUTTOL, , LOADPROBE/SCW_B1 TIP/T1A90B180, SHANKIJK=0, 0, 1, ANGLE=180 , START_A1 =LABEL/ MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=ON,CORNER1=<1316.48,544.789,-2121.438>,CORNER2=<1692.357,731.906,-1927.833> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<152.429,10.032,96.903> PNT1 =FEAT/CONTACT/VECTOR POINT,CARTESIAN THEO/<161.427,11.05,0>,<0,0,1> ACTL/<161.427,11.05,0>,<0,0,1> TARG/<161.427,11.05,0>,<0,0,1> SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<1559.994,591.278,-2066.328>,<-0.7598541,-0.3263616,-0.5622366>,<1559.994,591.278,-2066.328> PNT2 =FEAT/CONTACT/VECTOR POINT,CARTESIAN THEO/<129.42,87.149,0>,<0,0,1> ACTL/<129.42,87.149,0>,<0,0,1> TARG/<129.42,87.149,0>,<0,0,1> SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<1527.075,666.984,-2065.783>,<-0.7598541,-0.3263616,-0.5622366>,<1527.075,666.984,-2065.783> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<133.155,93.849,163.961> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<126.184,-368.852,549.611> MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=OFF MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=ON,CORNER1=<1244.978,521.895,-2132.187>,CORNER2=<1694.493,693.843,-1941.159> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2801.191,1122.72,-4494.021> PNT3 =FEAT/CONTACT/VECTOR POINT,CARTESIAN THEO/<18.59,48.859,0>,<0,0,1> ACTL/<18.59,48.859,0>,<0,0,1> TARG/<18.59,48.859,0>,<0,0,1> SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<2808.365,1238.034,-4128.904>,<-0.7598541,-0.3263616,-0.5622366>,<2808.365,1238.034,-4128.904> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2801.191,1122.72,-4494.021> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2504.204,1410.678,-5151.495> MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=OFF MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=ON,CORNER1=<3702.945,2326.236,-2201.708>,CORNER2=<3282.913,2429.285,-2038.206> CIR1 =FEAT/CONTACT/CIRCLE,CARTESIAN,IN,LEAST_SQR THEO/<203.199,25.4,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 ACTL/<203.199,25.4,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 TARG/<203.199,25.4,0>,<0,0,1> ANGLE VEC=<1,0,0> DIRECTION=CCW SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES NUMHITS=4,DEPTH=3,PITCH=0 SAMPLE HITS=3,INIT SAMPLE HITS=3,SPACER=4 AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 FIND HOLE=DISABLED,ONERROR=NO,READ POS=NO SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<215.899,25.4,-3>,<-1,0,0>,<215.899,25.4,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,38.1,-3>,<0,-1,0>,<203.199,38.1,-3> HIT/BASIC,<190.499,25.4,-3>,<1,0,0>,<190.499,25.4,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,12.7,-3>,<0,1,0>,<203.199,12.7,-3> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<2808.247,1140.799,-4268.513> CIR2 =FEAT/CONTACT/CIRCLE,CARTESIAN,IN,LEAST_SQR THEO/<203.199,76.2,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 ACTL/<203.199,76.2,0>,<0,0,1>,25.4,0,360 TARG/<203.199,76.2,0>,<0,0,1> ANGLE VEC=<1,0,0> DIRECTION=CCW SHOW FEATURE PARAMETERS=NO SHOW CONTACT PARAMETERS=YES NUMHITS=4,DEPTH=3,PITCH=0 SAMPLE HITS=3,INIT SAMPLE HITS=3,SPACER=4 AVOIDANCE MOVE=BOTH,DISTANCE=50 FIND HOLE=DISABLED,ONERROR=NO,READ POS=NO SHOW HITS=YES HIT/BASIC,<215.899,76.2,-3>,<-1,0,0>,<215.899,76.2,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,88.9,-3>,<0,-1,0>,<203.199,88.9,-3> HIT/BASIC,<190.499,76.2,-3>,<1,0,0>,<190.499,76.2,-3> HIT/BASIC,<203.199,63.5,-3>,<0,1,0>,<203.199,63.5,-3> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<1599.344,656.811,-1986.577> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<1677.285,176.949,-1449.411> MOVE/POINT,NORMAL,<1194.889,254.594,-1185.293> MOVE/EXCLUSIVE_ZONE=OFF A1 =ALIGNMENT/START,RECALL:STARTUP,LIST=YES ALIGNMENT/ITERATE PNT TARGET RAD=5,START LABEL=START_A1,FIXTURE TOL=0.5,ERROR LABEL= MEAS ALL FEAT=ALWAYS,MAX ITERATIONS=99,LEVEL AXIS=ZAXIS,ROTATE AXIS=XAXIS,ORIGIN AXIS=YAXIS LEVEL=PNT1,PNT2,PNT3,, ROTATE=CIR1,CIR2,, ORIGIN=CIR1,, ALIGNMENT/END

For information on how to use a start label with iterative alignments, see "Start Label" under "Description of the Iterative Alignment Dialog Box".