CimCore PowerINSPECT
Scanning User Guide
by Delcam plc
Issued 27/04/09
Copyright © 1993-2009 Delcam plc
Delcam plc has no control over the use made of the software described in
this manual and cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage
howsoever caused as a result of using the software. Users are advised that
all the results from the software should be checked by a competent
person, in accordance with good quality control procedures.
The functionality and user interface in this manual is subject to change
without notice in future revisions of software.
The software described in this manual is furnished under licence
agreement and may be used or copied in accordance with the terms of
such licence.
Delcam plc grants permission for licensed users to print copies of this
manual or portions of this manual for personal use only. Schools that are
licensed to use the software may make copies of this manual or portions
of this manual for students currently registered for classes where the
software is used.
Acknowledgements
This documentation references a number of registered trademarks and
these are the property of their respective owners. For example, Microsoft
and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States.
Contents
About this guide 1
Calibrating Perceptron laser probes on CimCore
arms 2
Machine toolbar .............................................................................................5
Setting the scanning parameters 6
Configuring the parameters on a Perceptron laser probe ..............................7
Adjusting parameters during an inspection .................................................12
Perceptron Sensor View dialog ...................................................................12
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide Contents • i
About this guide
This guide provides details on:
Calibrating the laser probe.
Setting the scanning parameters that control how data is recorded
to PowerINSPECT.
Calibration is necessary to allow PowerINSPECT to measure parts
accurately, and is carried out by measuring a calibration artefact with the
laser probe.
The guide assumes that you have already assembled the particular
hardware that you are going to use, and that you have installed the
necessary drivers and software.
For all other information on the general use of PowerINSPECT,
you should refer to the PowerINSPECT Reference Help.
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide About this guide • 1
Calibrating Perceptron
laser probes on
CimCore arms
This method involves calibrating the Perceptron laser probe using the
supplied calibration sphere:
1. Click the Change Probe button on the Machine toolbar
(see page 5) to display the Laser Acquisition Parameters
dialog:
2 • Calibrating Perceptron laser probes on CimCore arms CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide
2. Click the Calibrate Laser Sensor… button to display the
Perceptron Probe Calibration dialog:
3. In the Live view window, ensure that there is a valid frame on the
calibration sphere, and then click the Record >> button to capture
the frame in the Recorded frames window.
4. Repeat the previous step until you have captured at least sixteen
frames around the entire calibration sphere. You can use the <<
and >> buttons to navigate through the frames, or type the number
of the recorded frame in the box to the left of these buttons, and
then click the Go button to view the frame. You can also use the
Delete button to remove the frame currently shown in the
Recorded frames window.
5. Type the diameter (in mm) of the calibration sphere, in the Sphere
Radius box.
6. Click the Set Initial Matrix button to display the Math Matrix
Editor dialog:
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide Calibrating Perceptron laser probes on CimCore arms • 3
7. Enter the correct values for the exact type of arm and laser probe
you are using. Please consult your Perceptron dealer for further
information.
8. Click the OK button to set the matrix values and close the Math
Matrix Editor dialog.
9. Click the Calculate Calibration button to calibrate the laser
probe:
10.Click the OK button to close the Perceptron Probe
Calibration dialog.
4 • Calibrating Perceptron laser probes on CimCore arms CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide
Machine toolbar
If the Machine toolbar is not currently displayed in PowerINSPECT,
click the button on the Main toolbar (this button toggles the display
of the Machine toolbar on and off):
The Machine Toolbar buttons allow you to communicate with your
measuring device. A brief summary of the buttons available on this
toolbar is shown below:
Button Description
Connects PowerINSPECT to your
measuring device.
If the measuring device is a CNC/DCC
controlled machine, this button moves the
probe head to the home position.
If the measuring device supports it, the
Tracking Box button (see page 12)
displays the current coordinates for the
laser probe, and allows you to adjust
various parameters.
Shows the current status of the measuring
device.
Click this button to set the scanning
parameters (see page 6) for your measuring
device.
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide Calibrating Perceptron laser probes on CimCore arms • 5
Setting the scanning
parameters
Setting the scanning parameters controls how the laser probe records
point cloud data to PowerINSPECT.
To access the parameters for the particular laser probe, you must first
ensure that the laser probe is the active probe on the arm.
You set the parameters by clicking on the Machine toolbar (see
page 5) and then configuring them according to the type of feature being
measured:
when inspecting geometric features, you are advised to use
unfiltered points (100% density):
when inspecting surfaces, you are advised to use points filtered to
approximately 25%.
Experiment with the settings to discover what works best for you.
6 • Setting the scanning parameters CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide
Configuring the parameters on a
Perceptron laser probe
1. Ensure that the laser probe is attached to the arm.
2. Click on the Machine toolbar (see page 5) to display the
Laser Acquisition Parameters dialog:
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide Setting the scanning parameters • 7
3. Initially, only the Default Parameters parameters are listed.
Click the Copy button to duplicate them under a more specific
name, for example Geometry for the specific parameters relating
to the measurement of geometric features:
4. Select the set of parameters you want to work with:
8 • Setting the scanning parameters CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide
5. Click the Edit Acquisition Parameters button to display the
Contour Probe Image Control dialog:
In the Operation area, there are two modes:
Single frame – Use this mode to edit the parameters for the
laser probe.
Live video (Grab) – Use this mode to monitor the 'view' of
the laser probe in the dialog window.
6. Click the Single Frame button, and then use the following
settings for the laser probe:
CG Finder – Select the Fixed-threshold option.
CG Filter – Select the Sprinkle option (this is the option for
all other operations other than calibration, which requires the
Long line option).
Point Density – When inspecting geometric features, or
calibrating, set the density to 100%. When inspecting surfaces,
set it to 25%.
Processing Box - Ensure that any geometric features you
scan are within the constraints of the blue processing box. Use
the Edit button to adjust its size, and the Display option Proc.
Box to show or hide the processing box in the dialog window.
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide Setting the scanning parameters • 9
Threshold and Exposure – These settings are related. Click
and drag on the sliders to obtain the best possible image in the
dialog window. Balance the parameters to achieve a strong red
line, which represents the points, while also maintaining a sharp
white line, which represents the camera’s view of the points:
If the Exposure is too high, images from reflections or other
light sources may appear:
Alternatively, the surface itself may be too reflective, resulting
in the image being flared, or the white line may be too broad
and indistinct. If the Exposure is too low, the white line
appears very dim (if at all).
Use the Threshold slider to determine the brightness needed to
convert the white image into red points:
10 • Setting the scanning parameters CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide
If the Threshold is too high, the white line cannot be
converted into red points, for example:
The Threshold should be just low enough to produce a strong
red line.
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide Setting the scanning parameters • 11
Adjusting parameters during an
inspection
To adjust scanning parameters during an inspection session, click
on the Machine toolbar to display the Co-ordinates dialog:
Click to adjust the parameters.
Perceptron Sensor View dialog
Clicking on the Co-ordinates dialog (see page 12) displays the
Perceptron Sensor View dialog:
You can also display the above dialog if you right-click the Delcam
CMM Driver icon in the taskbar and then select Sensor View
from the context menu.
You can adjust the following laser probe settings:
12 • Setting the scanning parameters CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide
In the Grayscale area, click and drag the slider to adjust the
brightness, in the white camera view, of the points acquired by the
laser probe.
Select the Processing Box option. The box is displayed in the
Contour Probe Image Control window (see page 7) in blue.
Ensure that any geometric features you scan are within the
constraints of the box.
If you do not want to view the red line representing the points
acquired by the laser probe, click to deselect the CGs option.
CimCore PowerINSPECT Scanning User Guide Setting the scanning parameters • 13
