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Showing posts with label CAD Modeling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CAD Modeling. Show all posts
Siemens PLM Software releases a dedicated blisk and impeller NC programming application
New features include rest milling for automated removal of remaining material from previous operations and optimized tool engagement with the part. There is no need to repair or re-model poor quality CAD data before programming. Smooth flowing 5-axis tool paths can be created directly across surface gaps, overlaps and misaligned surface parameter lines. The system takes advantage of supporting capabilities in NX CAM including G-code driven machine tool simulation and automatic tool path updates on model changes.
More information: http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/nx/nx7/CAM/turbo_mill.shtml
Fujigiken Achieves Lean Product Development Objectives With PTC® Product Development System
Improved Quality, Shorter Time-To-Market and Reduced Costs Boost Competitiveness.
The Product Development Company, today announced that Fujigiken Inc., a leading Japanese automotive component manufacturer has been using Pro/ENGINEER® and Windchill®, key components of the PTC® Product Development System, to help streamline its product development processes in support of its lean product development initiative.
Based in Mie Prefecture, Japan, Fujigiken has staked out a unique position in the automotive metal component manufacturing industry by providing its customers with technical support for precision automotive components and other products that must conform to strict advanced technology standards, leveraging its engineering and management capabilities to meet customer requirements for quality, cost-efficient products. Fujigiken adopted Pro/ENGINEER in 1996 to create a 3D engineering environment and transition to a full 3D CAD/CAM-based process. At the same time, it developed a methodology for using engineering and NC data for mold machining. Today, the company uses the Pro/ENGINEER 3D design system for engineering and geometry simulation all the way through NC data creation, centrally managing all data to provide engineers with comprehensive process support.
In 2007, Fujigiken deployed Pro/Coordinate Measuring Machines (Pro/CMMTM) to automate its 3D measurement process. Pro/CMM, an optional module for Pro/ENGINEER, allows customers to automate their inspection processes by using Pro/ENGINEER design data to generate programs for coordinate measuring machines. Automated coordinate measuring eliminates the inconsistencies inherent with manual measurement, which relies heavily on operator skill and results in time-consuming dimensional adjustments. Pro/CMM and automatic inspection programs generated with the tool make it possible for Fujigiken to perform real-time measurements, improve machine use efficiency, reduce inspection cycles, and enhance measurement quality. As a result, the company was able to reduce the coordinate measuring cycle from 5 - 6 days to 1 day, an 80% improvement.
Fujigiken has been using Windchill to manage a variety of data and enhance process levels and efficiency, achievements that followed a comprehensive evaluation and review of its systems based on usability, maintainability and cost factors. During the first phase of its Windchill deployment, the Fujigiken team realized improvements in component and BOM management and reduced approval processes. As a next step, the team plans to leverage on improvements in project status management and multi-CAD data management to raise process efficiency.
"Our primary focus has been on building an organization capable of identifying market needs before anyone else does," said Shigeru Sato, Executive Managing Director, Fujigiken. "We've been successful in doing so, and able to cut costs while improving quality and reducing time-to-market. We believed PTC offered the best solution to support these initiatives, and plan to enhance our competitiveness by accelerating our engineering process and improving efficiency."
"Even though the automotive industry is facing an increasingly tough market environment, customers like Fujigiken can benefit from adopting lean product development techniques at this difficult time by accelerating PTC's Windchill and Pro/ENGINEER deployment" said Sin Min Yap, director, product and market strategy, PTC. "PTC is committed to providing best-in-class, easy-to-use and scalable solutions that help customers to leverage their technology investment to gain competitive advantage."
Fujigiken works with Hitachi System and Services, LTD. a PTC channel partner, to deploy PTC solutions.
The Product Development Company, today announced that Fujigiken Inc., a leading Japanese automotive component manufacturer has been using Pro/ENGINEER® and Windchill®, key components of the PTC® Product Development System, to help streamline its product development processes in support of its lean product development initiative.
Based in Mie Prefecture, Japan, Fujigiken has staked out a unique position in the automotive metal component manufacturing industry by providing its customers with technical support for precision automotive components and other products that must conform to strict advanced technology standards, leveraging its engineering and management capabilities to meet customer requirements for quality, cost-efficient products. Fujigiken adopted Pro/ENGINEER in 1996 to create a 3D engineering environment and transition to a full 3D CAD/CAM-based process. At the same time, it developed a methodology for using engineering and NC data for mold machining. Today, the company uses the Pro/ENGINEER 3D design system for engineering and geometry simulation all the way through NC data creation, centrally managing all data to provide engineers with comprehensive process support.
In 2007, Fujigiken deployed Pro/Coordinate Measuring Machines (Pro/CMMTM) to automate its 3D measurement process. Pro/CMM, an optional module for Pro/ENGINEER, allows customers to automate their inspection processes by using Pro/ENGINEER design data to generate programs for coordinate measuring machines. Automated coordinate measuring eliminates the inconsistencies inherent with manual measurement, which relies heavily on operator skill and results in time-consuming dimensional adjustments. Pro/CMM and automatic inspection programs generated with the tool make it possible for Fujigiken to perform real-time measurements, improve machine use efficiency, reduce inspection cycles, and enhance measurement quality. As a result, the company was able to reduce the coordinate measuring cycle from 5 - 6 days to 1 day, an 80% improvement.
Fujigiken has been using Windchill to manage a variety of data and enhance process levels and efficiency, achievements that followed a comprehensive evaluation and review of its systems based on usability, maintainability and cost factors. During the first phase of its Windchill deployment, the Fujigiken team realized improvements in component and BOM management and reduced approval processes. As a next step, the team plans to leverage on improvements in project status management and multi-CAD data management to raise process efficiency.
"Our primary focus has been on building an organization capable of identifying market needs before anyone else does," said Shigeru Sato, Executive Managing Director, Fujigiken. "We've been successful in doing so, and able to cut costs while improving quality and reducing time-to-market. We believed PTC offered the best solution to support these initiatives, and plan to enhance our competitiveness by accelerating our engineering process and improving efficiency."
"Even though the automotive industry is facing an increasingly tough market environment, customers like Fujigiken can benefit from adopting lean product development techniques at this difficult time by accelerating PTC's Windchill and Pro/ENGINEER deployment" said Sin Min Yap, director, product and market strategy, PTC. "PTC is committed to providing best-in-class, easy-to-use and scalable solutions that help customers to leverage their technology investment to gain competitive advantage."
Fujigiken works with Hitachi System and Services, LTD. a PTC channel partner, to deploy PTC solutions.
With laser scan, Mount Rushmore to get virtual tours
MOUNT RUSHMORE -- Mount Rushmore National Memorial is set to get a three-dimensional digital recording, park officials announced Friday.
Laser scans by a partnership will give the National Park Service the ability to develop a digital model for virtual tours of the memorial and its entire park site, memorial superintendent Gerard Baker said.
"We're going to open it up so the citizens of America and the world can see things they've never seen before," Baker said.
CyArk, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that scans historic cultural sites with the cutting-edge laser technology, will conduct the scanning with the cooperation of several local firms and the Scottish Ministry of Culture. The project will start sometime in late September and wrap up in two weeks.
Wyss Associates in Rapid City and the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology are partners in the scanning effort.
The laser scanning technology has being used to scan and digitally record five historic cultural sites in Scotland, and that country will assist with the scanning of five cultural heritage sites worldwide, starting with Mount Rushmore. The site is one of 500 sites CyArk hopes to scan and preserve a digital record. The company has already digitally preserved two dozen sites around the world, including places in Italy, Egypt, Cambodia and Mexico.
The virtual tours of Mount Rushmore and the surrounding grounds could serve as a way for tourists to view the sites in what Scottish Culture Minister Michael Russell called a "Star-Trekkie" way.
"In those circumstances, you can take some pressure off the places themselves," he said.
The scanning project will provide a three-dimensional digital model capable of re-creating sculpted surfaces with an accuracy of less than 1 centimeter. Both ground and air-based radars will scan the grounds.
"We're hoping we can put the monument and the structures here in the context of the overall park," Ben Kacyra of CyArk said.
The completed scanning data also will be stored in the Hall of Records for posterity and help explain the carving project to future civilizations. The electronic model also could provide guidance, in the event of damage to the sculpture, to replicate carved surfaces.
Laser scans by a partnership will give the National Park Service the ability to develop a digital model for virtual tours of the memorial and its entire park site, memorial superintendent Gerard Baker said.
"We're going to open it up so the citizens of America and the world can see things they've never seen before," Baker said.
CyArk, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that scans historic cultural sites with the cutting-edge laser technology, will conduct the scanning with the cooperation of several local firms and the Scottish Ministry of Culture. The project will start sometime in late September and wrap up in two weeks.
Wyss Associates in Rapid City and the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology are partners in the scanning effort.
The laser scanning technology has being used to scan and digitally record five historic cultural sites in Scotland, and that country will assist with the scanning of five cultural heritage sites worldwide, starting with Mount Rushmore. The site is one of 500 sites CyArk hopes to scan and preserve a digital record. The company has already digitally preserved two dozen sites around the world, including places in Italy, Egypt, Cambodia and Mexico.
The virtual tours of Mount Rushmore and the surrounding grounds could serve as a way for tourists to view the sites in what Scottish Culture Minister Michael Russell called a "Star-Trekkie" way.
"In those circumstances, you can take some pressure off the places themselves," he said.
The scanning project will provide a three-dimensional digital model capable of re-creating sculpted surfaces with an accuracy of less than 1 centimeter. Both ground and air-based radars will scan the grounds.
"We're hoping we can put the monument and the structures here in the context of the overall park," Ben Kacyra of CyArk said.
The completed scanning data also will be stored in the Hall of Records for posterity and help explain the carving project to future civilizations. The electronic model also could provide guidance, in the event of damage to the sculpture, to replicate carved surfaces.
Bowes Uses Delcam Software for Airbus Interiors
BIRMINGHAM, UK, Mar 19, 2009 - Delcam’s CADCAM software has been used by Bowes Design and Development in most projects it has undertaken for the last 15 years, including two projects within the development of the cabin interiors for the Airbus A380. The first project was to develop a concept interior; the second to manufacture replica cabin linings for climate-control testing.
The interior project, which was undertaken in association with a team of design consultants, involved the development of the complete cabin, including the seating, lighting and a bar, within 20 weeks. To complete the work to deadline, the cabin was divided into a number of sections that were manufactured, checked and finished with the Delcam software before being shipped to Toulouse for assembly.
Some of the aircraft interiors developed by Bowes with Delcam software
The cabin linings had to be delivered to the Airbus engineering division in Hamburg with an even shorter deadline of 16 weeks. Unlike mock-ups for sales and marketing, the engineering prototypes had to perform under real-life conditions and be subjected to the full range of environmental conditions that could be experienced in the cabin. The replica cabin met and exceeded customer expectations, in both temperature and humidity testing, and so provided an important contribution to the development of the A380.
While this type of work may provide some of Bowes’ most high-profile projects, it only makes up half of the company’s business. The remainder comes from the automotive, marine and other industries. The range of processes used is equally diverse, including direct machining, reaction injection molding, vacuum casting, resin transfer molding, thermoforming, and carbon fibre-reinforced plastics molding and hand lay-up.
This diversity is an important part of the company’s success according to Director Dave Thompson. “Most of our clients provide a CAD model that needs to be turned into a physical prototype,” he explained. “With our range of processes, we can choose the route that is most cost-effective and that will also meet the customer’s quality requirements.”
To provide all these services, Bowes has thirteen CNC machines, six of which are five-axis. These are used to give a very fast, accurate turn around. The largest is a CMS router that is 4.8 x 2.4 x 1.2 meters. “We use the different machines for different materials and applications,” said Mr. Thompson. “For example, our newest piece of equipment is a DMG DMU 100 that we chose for machining aluminum injection moulds for short-run production. This is a growing part of our business and the results from the new machine have been very impressive.”
In contrast, in its18 years of using CADCAM, Bowes has always stuck with Delcam software.
The company now uses the PowerSHAPE modeling software to design all its different types of tooling from the CAD models supplied by its customers. Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM system is used for all the machining, whether it is the direct production of finished parts or the manufacture of tooling. Similarly, all inspection is carried out with the PowerINSPECT inspection software, both on a conventional coordinate measuring machine and on a portable FARO inspection arm.
Paul Beckett, who has been using the Delcam software for fifteen years and is now Managing Director, said “Delcam is established as the leading system for toolmaking and cutter-path generation. Now it is even more dominant. Our Delcam software always does the job. It is extremely flexible, which is essential for our variety of processes, and gets faster with every release, which we need when customers want projects completed the day before they place the order. Over the years, we’ve looked at other systems but we’ve never felt any need to change from Delcam.”
For more information on coordinate measuring machines go to http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
The interior project, which was undertaken in association with a team of design consultants, involved the development of the complete cabin, including the seating, lighting and a bar, within 20 weeks. To complete the work to deadline, the cabin was divided into a number of sections that were manufactured, checked and finished with the Delcam software before being shipped to Toulouse for assembly.
Some of the aircraft interiors developed by Bowes with Delcam software
The cabin linings had to be delivered to the Airbus engineering division in Hamburg with an even shorter deadline of 16 weeks. Unlike mock-ups for sales and marketing, the engineering prototypes had to perform under real-life conditions and be subjected to the full range of environmental conditions that could be experienced in the cabin. The replica cabin met and exceeded customer expectations, in both temperature and humidity testing, and so provided an important contribution to the development of the A380.
While this type of work may provide some of Bowes’ most high-profile projects, it only makes up half of the company’s business. The remainder comes from the automotive, marine and other industries. The range of processes used is equally diverse, including direct machining, reaction injection molding, vacuum casting, resin transfer molding, thermoforming, and carbon fibre-reinforced plastics molding and hand lay-up.
This diversity is an important part of the company’s success according to Director Dave Thompson. “Most of our clients provide a CAD model that needs to be turned into a physical prototype,” he explained. “With our range of processes, we can choose the route that is most cost-effective and that will also meet the customer’s quality requirements.”
To provide all these services, Bowes has thirteen CNC machines, six of which are five-axis. These are used to give a very fast, accurate turn around. The largest is a CMS router that is 4.8 x 2.4 x 1.2 meters. “We use the different machines for different materials and applications,” said Mr. Thompson. “For example, our newest piece of equipment is a DMG DMU 100 that we chose for machining aluminum injection moulds for short-run production. This is a growing part of our business and the results from the new machine have been very impressive.”
In contrast, in its18 years of using CADCAM, Bowes has always stuck with Delcam software.
The company now uses the PowerSHAPE modeling software to design all its different types of tooling from the CAD models supplied by its customers. Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM system is used for all the machining, whether it is the direct production of finished parts or the manufacture of tooling. Similarly, all inspection is carried out with the PowerINSPECT inspection software, both on a conventional coordinate measuring machine and on a portable FARO inspection arm.
Paul Beckett, who has been using the Delcam software for fifteen years and is now Managing Director, said “Delcam is established as the leading system for toolmaking and cutter-path generation. Now it is even more dominant. Our Delcam software always does the job. It is extremely flexible, which is essential for our variety of processes, and gets faster with every release, which we need when customers want projects completed the day before they place the order. Over the years, we’ve looked at other systems but we’ve never felt any need to change from Delcam.”
For more information on coordinate measuring machines go to http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
Surface Normals
Issues When Programming From CAD When Using A CMM
By Mark Boucher, CMM Quarterly http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
There are several issues that arise when bringing a CAD model into your CAD based coordinate measuring machine (CMM) programming software. One of these issues has to do with surface normals (surface vectors). You can bring in a model and the entire model or a portion of that model is visible, but dark (Figure1), or certain sections are not visible at all. This problem arises from the surface vectors pointing in the opposite direction than your CAD system views them. You are looking at the back side of the surface. You must reverse the surface normal (Figure 2). If your software has this capability, you are looking for something similar to ‘reverse surface normals’. This will flip the surface so the front faces in the correct orientation for your software to view the surface.
By Mark Boucher, CMM Quarterly http://www.cmmquarterly.com/
There are several issues that arise when bringing a CAD model into your CAD based coordinate measuring machine (CMM) programming software. One of these issues has to do with surface normals (surface vectors). You can bring in a model and the entire model or a portion of that model is visible, but dark (Figure1), or certain sections are not visible at all. This problem arises from the surface vectors pointing in the opposite direction than your CAD system views them. You are looking at the back side of the surface. You must reverse the surface normal (Figure 2). If your software has this capability, you are looking for something similar to ‘reverse surface normals’. This will flip the surface so the front faces in the correct orientation for your software to view the surface.
All surfaces have a front and a back side; a CAD program must know which is which. How is this done? The model must somehow include information to specify the front of a surface. This is done by surface normals.
This is a line perpendicular to the front surface and beginning on that surface pointing away from the surface. Meaning it exists only on the side of the surface that is its front. The CAD system must have this information to shade the model properly. Those that
use a CAD system need this to drive the probe normal to the surface.
Direction vectors have been covered extensively by Richard Clark, his three part series was featured in CMM Quarterly (http://www.cmmquarterly.com/ ). Suffice it to say that these surface normals are what give you the direction vectors from CAD models when programming. If you do not use a CAD model to program then you must calculate the normal vector. Contact rcmetrology@yahoo.com for a Direction Vector Calculator.
When picking a feature off a CAD model the software will extract the normal vector from the CAD surface. As mentioned above you may have the ability to flip surface normals or you may have the ‘view surfaces from both sides’ option. Care must be given to this selection because the surface will be visible but the vector may point in the opposite direction you need to probe the part, your probing direction vector. Just know when viewing the vector after feature selection, that it is correct.
This is a line perpendicular to the front surface and beginning on that surface pointing away from the surface. Meaning it exists only on the side of the surface that is its front. The CAD system must have this information to shade the model properly. Those that
use a CAD system need this to drive the probe normal to the surface.
Direction vectors have been covered extensively by Richard Clark, his three part series was featured in CMM Quarterly (http://www.cmmquarterly.com/ ). Suffice it to say that these surface normals are what give you the direction vectors from CAD models when programming. If you do not use a CAD model to program then you must calculate the normal vector. Contact rcmetrology@yahoo.com for a Direction Vector Calculator.
When picking a feature off a CAD model the software will extract the normal vector from the CAD surface. As mentioned above you may have the ability to flip surface normals or you may have the ‘view surfaces from both sides’ option. Care must be given to this selection because the surface will be visible but the vector may point in the opposite direction you need to probe the part, your probing direction vector. Just know when viewing the vector after feature selection, that it is correct.
This article is copyrighted. Please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com for permission to reprint.
CAD Modeling The Basics
By Mark Boucher, CMM Quarterly
I want to cover some basics about CAD models that might help us understand what is happening with some model features when you program from a CAD model using your coordinate measuring machine. By understanding surfaces we can better evaluate any anomalies we may encounter when we import a model into our CAD base CMM software.
There are several model types and we will cover two of the most common ones you would come across today, solid models and surface models. To be more accurate, they are parametric models and freeform surface models.
Parametric Models
Parametric models are created from features that are defined by parameters, or dimensions. These dimensions can be changed and the feature moves with the change. Prior to parametric modeling if a change was made then the feature was recreated, extruded, trimmed, etc…, in the new position and the old feature was deleted. Parametric modeling maintains the relationship of part creation, assembly, to output of the blueprint and a change anywhere along that process will update the model at every level.
Parametric models are referred to as a solid model, as opposed to a wireframe model. A wireframe model is made up of lines that represent the part but have no surfaces on them and makes 3d viewing somewhat tedious.
Parametric modeling revolutionized the CAD industry and allowed more affordable CAD software to become available to anyone. You can now pick up parametric CAD programming software up at your local Best Buy right off the shelf.
Freeform Surface Models
The second model type I want to cover is the surface model. With surface models curves are used to define the surface area and surfaces are applied between the curves then they are trimmed and merged, to make a solid. The problem with this method is to make sure all the voids between the surfaces are filled in. The surface definition changes as the need requires. Let’s say, you have a plane that requires basically four lines to define the boundary of the plane. A chamfer merging into a radius requires a greater amount of defining to create this type of feature. While creating the surfaces you may end up with a small void as you try to fill in the feature. Point placement from your CMM program will be dependant on where it sees the plane boundaries and a void will not be inclusive in this plane so the boundaries are redefined not giving you a true representation of the surface. In parametric modeling these types of transitions are automatically resolved.Some CMM CAD based software have a ‘healing’ or ‘repair’ functionality that will mend some of these errors. It is always advisable to use healing when using this type of model. If your software does not include this functionality there are third party softwares that do the job for you.SurfacesCreation of surfaces begins with a spline, aka curve. Splines are single lines that make up the shape of the surface. Imagine points that make up the shape of your surface and spline will fit through these points. These splines are then used to create the surface through a method known as ‘swept’ (using the curves as a guide rail) or meshed (lofted) through. A ‘swept’ surface follows the shape of the curve line. If you had a helical curve the swept surface will follow that helical shape as it extrudes the surface.
If your engineering department does any sort of reverse engineering they will ask for a series of curve files that they can import into their CAD system. The curve files are then used to ‘mesh’ or ‘loft’ the surfaces. The density or frequency of the curve lines along the surface will depend on the complexity of the surface being scanned. For flat planes only several are needed but scanning the chamfer to radius transition we discussed before would require a greater amount of curves to define the feature.
Another method is direct creation of the surface with manipulation of the surface control points. Points are created along the curves that can be grabbed and drawn in any direction to create a new surface shape. This inherently will create new surfaces to fit the new configuration.
It is important to note that the majority of CMM software in the market today do not have true CAD functionality and thus do not have the ability to manipulate surfaces as described above but it is important to know what is happening during model creation.
This article is copyrighted. For permission to reprint this article please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com
I want to cover some basics about CAD models that might help us understand what is happening with some model features when you program from a CAD model using your coordinate measuring machine. By understanding surfaces we can better evaluate any anomalies we may encounter when we import a model into our CAD base CMM software.
There are several model types and we will cover two of the most common ones you would come across today, solid models and surface models. To be more accurate, they are parametric models and freeform surface models.
Parametric Models
Parametric models are created from features that are defined by parameters, or dimensions. These dimensions can be changed and the feature moves with the change. Prior to parametric modeling if a change was made then the feature was recreated, extruded, trimmed, etc…, in the new position and the old feature was deleted. Parametric modeling maintains the relationship of part creation, assembly, to output of the blueprint and a change anywhere along that process will update the model at every level.
Parametric models are referred to as a solid model, as opposed to a wireframe model. A wireframe model is made up of lines that represent the part but have no surfaces on them and makes 3d viewing somewhat tedious.
Parametric modeling revolutionized the CAD industry and allowed more affordable CAD software to become available to anyone. You can now pick up parametric CAD programming software up at your local Best Buy right off the shelf.
Freeform Surface Models
The second model type I want to cover is the surface model. With surface models curves are used to define the surface area and surfaces are applied between the curves then they are trimmed and merged, to make a solid. The problem with this method is to make sure all the voids between the surfaces are filled in. The surface definition changes as the need requires. Let’s say, you have a plane that requires basically four lines to define the boundary of the plane. A chamfer merging into a radius requires a greater amount of defining to create this type of feature. While creating the surfaces you may end up with a small void as you try to fill in the feature. Point placement from your CMM program will be dependant on where it sees the plane boundaries and a void will not be inclusive in this plane so the boundaries are redefined not giving you a true representation of the surface. In parametric modeling these types of transitions are automatically resolved.Some CMM CAD based software have a ‘healing’ or ‘repair’ functionality that will mend some of these errors. It is always advisable to use healing when using this type of model. If your software does not include this functionality there are third party softwares that do the job for you.SurfacesCreation of surfaces begins with a spline, aka curve. Splines are single lines that make up the shape of the surface. Imagine points that make up the shape of your surface and spline will fit through these points. These splines are then used to create the surface through a method known as ‘swept’ (using the curves as a guide rail) or meshed (lofted) through. A ‘swept’ surface follows the shape of the curve line. If you had a helical curve the swept surface will follow that helical shape as it extrudes the surface.
If your engineering department does any sort of reverse engineering they will ask for a series of curve files that they can import into their CAD system. The curve files are then used to ‘mesh’ or ‘loft’ the surfaces. The density or frequency of the curve lines along the surface will depend on the complexity of the surface being scanned. For flat planes only several are needed but scanning the chamfer to radius transition we discussed before would require a greater amount of curves to define the feature.
Another method is direct creation of the surface with manipulation of the surface control points. Points are created along the curves that can be grabbed and drawn in any direction to create a new surface shape. This inherently will create new surfaces to fit the new configuration.
It is important to note that the majority of CMM software in the market today do not have true CAD functionality and thus do not have the ability to manipulate surfaces as described above but it is important to know what is happening during model creation.
This article is copyrighted. For permission to reprint this article please contact Mark Boucher at info@cmmquarterly.com
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