Delcam offers free workshop on CAD-based inspection at its Birmingham headquarters

Delcam will be holding a free workshop on the use of CAD-based inspection at its Birmingham headquarters on Thursday 11th February. Inspection based on CAD models is steadily replacing measurements based on drawings. The Delcam workshop will include a combination of technical presentations and practical demonstrations to show how the newer technique can improve quality, reduce waste and increase productivity.

The presentations will cover three alternative methods for CAD-based inspection; CNC inspection using a standard co-ordinate measuring machine, manual measurement using a portable inspection arm, and on-machine verification using a probe fitted to a machine tool. This will enable delegates to choose the most appropriate approach for their inspection needs.

CNC inspection enables the automation of the inspection of a series of parts. The inspection program can be created off-line so minimising any interruption of the CMM’s work. In addition, the program can be simulated on the computer to ensure that all the necessary measurements will be taken, and that there will be no unplanned collisions between the probe and the part during the inspection routine.

The use of portable measuring arms can give more flexibility as they can be moved to the part, rather than having to move the part to a dedicated measurement area. Measuring arms can often give access to both sides of the component and to areas that would be difficult to reach with a conventional CMM, so allowing more comprehensive inspection in a single set-up.

The main advantage of on-machine verification is that mistakes can be identified where they can be corrected. Movement of the part back and forth between the machine tool and the CMM can be avoided, which can be both difficult and time-consuming for large, heavy parts. There can be concerns over using a machine tool to check its own work but these worries can be minimised by verifying the accuracy of the machine with standard artefacts in the same way that a CMM can be checked.

All of the demonstrations will use the latest version of Delcam’s PowerINSPECT software, the world’s leading hardware-independent inspection software. This offers even faster and easier inspection of parts, tooling and prototypes against CAD data with simpler creation and editing of inspection sequences, an extended range of pre-defined sequences for common measurement patterns, improved simulation and more flexibility to reuse measurement results.

Hexagon Metrology announces DataPage+

North Kingstown, RI – January 6, 2009 – Hexagon Metrology announces the release of DataPage+, a completely new version of the long-running DataPage product, which provides seamless integration with PC-DMIS, the de facto standard measuring software. DataPage+ provides meaningful, actionable and timely feedback to the shop floor to reduce waste, eliminate bottlenecks and streamline manufacturing processes. This results in measurable savings in time, resources and money.

Features of DataPage+ software, which was completely rewritten for this release, include an industry standard SQL Express database format, seamless integration with PC-DMIS to pass inspection data to DataPage+, a full complement of run charts, histograms, and a powerful optional feature that integrates CAD data into a customizable, interactive report format.

“The CAD integration in DataPage+ is its most unique feature,” said Ping Fang, product manager for DataPage+ at Wilcox Associates, Inc. “It’s natural that PC-DMIS, the leading CAD-based metrology software, would spawn a CAD-based SPC reporting package. This is similar to the Dataview feature from the prior version of DataPage, which showed a static wireframe CAD view with corresponding flags to the measured features. The new version takes this CAD-integrated reporting concept several steps further, allowing the user to rotate and zoom a solid representation of the CAD model live within the report, reorganize the data flags and select what type of data they display. It’s taking what was once a static presentation of data and making it dynamic and interactive.”

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Revware Systems Announces MobiGage®, A Hand-held, Wireless 3D Metrology System for MicroScribe® Portable Digitizers

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Revware Systems, Inc., the leading developer of CAD-Driven Reverse Engineering software and manufacturer of the MicroScribe digitizer for touch and laser digitizing solutions, announces worldwide release of MobiGage, a uniquely integrated metrology system for MicroScribe digitizers. The release is part of Revware’s strategic initiative to bring a broader catalog of affordable productivity tools for professionals who rely on real-time measurement.

Tom Welsh, Revware Systems president explains, “MobiGage is the first hand-held metrology application. Installed on an Apple® iPhone® or iPod touch®, MobiGage uses wireless communication to manage data collection from one or more MicroScribes linked to a MobiBox® Silver interface. No other computer is needed. This is the ultimate tool for portable, untethered measurement.”

“MobiGage is the first hand-held metrology application. Installed on an Apple® iPhone® or iPod touch®, MobiGage uses wireless communication to manage data collection from one or more MicroScribes linked to a MobiBox® Silver interface. No other computer is needed. This is the ultimate tool for portable, untethered measurement.”

MobiGage expands the use of MicroScribes from its base of modeling applications into the market for lower cost metrology applications. With MobiGage you can easily and quickly capture a full range of part measurements or create, edit and run repeatable measurement plans complete with reporting. The MicroScribe/MobiGage solution follows measurement methodology industry standards that include: NIST & PTB fitting, ANSI Y-14.5 GD&T, RPS alignments, and Modifiable HTML, tabular, AS9102 reporting. MobiGage requires an Apple iPod-Touch or iPhone, a MobiBox Silver wireless interface and a MicroScribe G or M series portable digitizer.

Bill Hoverter, Revware Systems VP of sales states, “Tom and I thought long and hard about what MicroScribe metrology should be. Portability, reliability, ease of use, intuitive action, these are hallmarks of all of our products and I am pleased to say we have also achieved that with MobiGage. I believe that the MobiGage and MicroScribe metrology solution sets the new state of the art in mobile inspection and we made it easily affordable on top of that.”

About Revware Systems, Inc.: Revware Systems provides MicroScribe digitizers, peripherals and measurement software to a worldwide network of distributors and resellers. MicroScribe digitizers are supported by over 50 professional software applications and are integrated into the products of more than a dozen OEMs. The parent company, Revware, Inc. has provided digitizing hardware and Cad-Driven Reverse Engineering software, including RevWorks®, a SolidWorks® Gold partner application, to the world market for nearly two decades. For more information about Revware Systems and products, visit the corporate web site at http://www.revware.net/.