Can I import CAD? Which formats?

Yes, all SpatialAnalyzer packages include CAD import capability. SA Basic includes standard, vendor-neutral formats such as IGES and STEP in addition to VDA, SAT and DMIS. SA Ultimate+Native CAD additionally includes support for CATIA V4 and V5, Unigraphics/Siemens NX, Pro-Engineer, Solidworks as well as many other formats. Consult the SpatialAnalyzer User Manual for the up-todate list.

How do I align to a part?

SA offers many ways to align measurements to a part coordinate system including point-to-point best fitting, point-to-feature fitting, as well as the ultimate tool: relationship fitting.

Can I use tolerances and weights during the alignment?

Weights and tolerances optionally provide additional control during alignment. In a point-to-surface fit, for example, weighting can be used to distribute the error evenly between the points (which may have been more heavily sampled on one feature) or between the features. Additionally, weighting may be automatically allocated, accounting for tolerances, such that the more critical features command higher weight.

Can I inspect without CAD?

Certainly. Measurements may be collected before importing CAD, or even without ever referencing CAD. When CAD is available, removing probe offset from measurements (or tip-compensation) is performed automatically. Without the surface normal, this becomes an important consideration, and SA offers many tools for this case as well.

How do I change instrument positions?

The quickest way is to simply select which active instrument is being moved, and choose “Jump Instrument.” This will add and re-orient the new station.

How many instruments can I use at the same time?

Practically speaking, there is no fundamental limit to the number of instruments that can be used simultaneously. SA directly connects to more than 100 different measurement sensors and supports a wide variety of interface formats (Ethernet, Wifi, Bluetooth, SCSI, USB and RS232 to name a few).

Are measurements traceable?

The ability to “drill down” into measurement details to find exactly what the sensor observed is fundamental to SA’s design. By recording exactly what the sensor observed, along with and separate from other measurement assumptions, questions like “was the wrong probe used,” “at what temperature was the measurement taken” and “what points were used in the alignment” are all answerable. Not only that, they’re usually correctable without requiring re-measurement.

How do I inspect nominal geometry?

That depends upon what is of interest. A full GD&T inspection can be quickly performed with no programming. Or, without GD&T, measured positions of holes can be compared to design with a single group to group query. Alternatively, the hole comparison could consider errors of size, position and form, using the relationship fit and compare function.

How can I report my findings to a customer?

SA offers a range of reporting methods, from quick and simple to powerfully robust. The newest of which, dynamic report, is a WYSIWYG canvas supporting drag and drop, color and font controls. Alternatively, a single click produces a composite quick report of the entire job. Additionally, reports can be exported to, or directly produced in, Microsoft Excel or Adobe PDF.

What CAD formats can I export?

SA offers CAD Export in the vendor-neutral STEP and IGES formats as well as AIMS, SAT, VDA and Autocad DXF. Also included is the ability to export STL files as well as to Polyworks and Imageware.

How do I view/report data in different coordinate frames?

Reporting in a local part frame is handled by simply selecting that coordinate frame prior to reporting. The active coordinate frame is identified in the report for clarity.

Can I have more than one watch window open at the same time?

Certainly. SA offers a variety of watch windows that display the probe's current location, proximity to the closest nominal point, or distance from a CAD surface. As many watch windows as desired can be simultaneously open and updating. This can include a single instrument or multiple instruments.

What is the best way to scale my measurements for thermal expansion/contraction?

SA supports many ways to analyze the effect of measuring a part at a different temperature than its design. One common practice that SA facilitates is to enter the part’s average internal temperature and it’s coefficient of thermal expansion when establishing a station, thereby setting a scale factor centered on the instrument (but prior to calculating the instrument’s transform). Another, similar, approach is to use measurements of a scale bar which is both at the same temperature and of the same material as the part. Yet another supported method, when the part reference system has been established at design conditions, is to “let scale float” and calculate it as another degree of freedom during the fit. Another unique situation that SA considers is a non-isotropic scale factor, such as a steel optical table with zerodur components. Which method is best, of course, depends on situation and shop practice.

Can I easily make an inspection program a user can follow?

SpatialAnalyzer’s GD&T implementation allows very quick creation of a guided inspection procedure, providing automated view zooming and “follow the bouncing dot” target illustration, with no programming. IF GD&T isn’t required, NRK feature checks can be used in the same method. In contrast, SA’s powerful Measurement Plan, a complete programming language, offers ultimate control of the user interface, measurement sensor control, and report generation.