The ATS800 is a very flexible instrument that offers a combination of measurement options. The following workflows can be used as a reference for direct feature scanning:
Direct Camera Driven Measurement. This is the simplest work flow where features to measure are selected directly using the camera. This is the entry point to more advanced automation as well.
An initial alignment is needed for automated feature measurement. Initial alignment options can be found here.
Inspection Tab Measurements. By double clicking on a feature in the inspection bar it can be directly measured.
Multi-Feature Trapping. Multi-feature trapping offers an intermediate options for feature measurement that include a degree of automation in addition to manual operations.
Fully Template Based Inspection. The next most common configuration is a fully pre-defined template. This work flow offers the ability to pre-configure how each features is measured withing a template file before starting the measurement process.
The Over View Camera (OVC) can be directly accessed from both the Toolbar (Drive Beam icon) and the full instrument interface (Drive head/ OVC). Basic scan options can be performed directly from this control and do not require the use of any measurement profiles. This approach is simple in that you define a region and can immediately scan that region, but does not offer the ability to save regions or control additional filtering. These options are available as part of a measurement profiles definitions (see following sections).
Open the OVC camera using the Drive Beam Icon.
Define regions and lines as desired. See section below for more information on the OVC controls.
Press use the Red custom profile button (which is preset to OVC Scan for the ATS) to control start and stop of the scan.
This same basic scan control can be accessed from the OVC button in the full interface as well.
When the OVC Scan button is pressed the tracker will measure *All* the regions defined on the controller, both lines and polygons. Therefore you need to remove any definition you do not want to directly use. Specific regions can be saved as part of a measurement profile for use later if needed. The greater controls and options for this are as follows.
This independent measurement process can also be directly accessed from the full interface using the Drive Head/OVC button. The Camera but- ton will open the tracker OVC and the Scan button can be used to initiate a scan defined directly.
More information on using the OVC Camera can be found here:
The inspection bar offers a list of measurable features and displays their current status:
By doubling clicking on a feature you can start the trapping process, and if it is pre-configured to do so, it can be automatically measured.
For more details on the Inspection process see Feature Inspection.
The idea here is to select a set of features you want to measure within SA and set them in a “data capture” mode from the Inspection bar.
The user then opens the OVC (overview camera) and configure each feature measurement from the camera. This allows users to use the AI enhanced selection and configuration tools offered directly by the ATS as part of their video window for the measurement process and the flexibility to measure in any order they desire.
Either import or build GR-Features from CAD. For proximity matching to take pace the nominal features still need to build built in advance.
Connect to the instrument and alignment. It is necessary to ensure an accurate placement of the live instrument in the template file for the proximity match to take place and the measured features to be automatically matched to the nominal. Several options are available for the initial alignment process.
Right-click on the NEXT button in the inspection bar and activate the features you wish to measure.
Open the OVC and measure the features as desired.
SA Profession offers the ability to fully setup and configure a template for automated measurement within SA without the need for MP scripting. The SA template can fully pre-define the inspection process for a part. The measurement process can then be initiated with a single option: Auto Measure > Measure Batch of Features. This command will then trigger the measurement of all, or a selected subset of, features to be measured from a particular instrument station without any further user interaction.
Either import or build GR-Features from CAD. They can also be built from prior measured geometry if needed.
The Trapping Control offers direct access to a filtered list of measurement profiles usable for each feature. These profiles are filtered based on geometry type and expected data (trapping) type.
Adjust the settings as needed for one feature and then use the Apply to Selected button from within the Configure Instrument dialog. Doing so will control both the Expected Data Type to Measure and Associate select as well as the measurement profile and tooling settings. A full list of settings can also be applied using the Apply to Selected options within the feature properties. Also use the Set as Default option if additional features are to be created. Continue until the template is complete.
Open the template file and connect to the instrument
An alignment is necessary to ensure an accurate placement of the live instrument in the template file. Several options are available for the initial alignment process.
Select the menu Auto Measure > Measure Batch of Features