Aligning Measured Auto Features to CAD

The procedure is only available when you measure Auto Features with a manual laser sensor (on a portable arm) and with imported CAD data. This allows you to select the actual measured features from the pointcloud that correspond to the selected nominal features from the CAD.

To align measured Auto features to CAD nominals:

  1. Import CAD data.

  2. Open the Auto Feature dialog box for a feature you want to include in the manual alignment.

  3. Select the nominal location for the feature. Click on the CAD surface next to the feature to do this.

  4. Change any Auto feature parameters as needed and click Create to add the auto feature to the measurement routine.

  5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for each Auto feature you want to include in the alignment.

PC-DMIS automatically adds a new extraction COP when you begin to create a new laser Auto feature. You may include the features of the manual alignment in the same pointcloud. The Laser Probe Toolbox: Laser Scan Properties tab determines the COP from which the software extracts the laser Auto features.

  1. Execute the measurement routine. PC-DMIS prompts you to scan the laser Auto features as part of a Portable Laser Alignment.

  2. Scan the part to include the Auto features for the manual alignment. You may need to perform more than one scan to adequately define each feature.

  3. Press the Done button on your measurement arm when you have completed scans.

  4. PC-DMIS now prompts you to define the first manual alignment feature. Follow the instructions provided in the dialog box and status bar and then click OK. At the end of the selection, the software displays the preliminary form of the Auto feature.

  5. Repeat Step 9 for each of the manual alignment features.

PC-DMIS solves the laser auto feature with the theoretical values from the CAD and actual values from the measured pointcloud.

  1. Select the Insert | Alignment | New menu item (Ctrl + Alt + A) to open the Alignment Utilities dialog box.

  2. From the list box, select the alignment features, and click Auto Align. PC-DMIS aligns the defined features from the pointcloud with the corresponding CAD nominals. This establishes the manual laser alignment.