The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Approves New Quality Information Framework (QIF) v 2.0 Standard

New QIF™ V2.0 Standard:  A Major Breakthrough for Manufacturing Quality

Provides Complete & Accurate MBD along with many other enhancements for the Metrology Industry

Burleson, Texas, USA November 23, 2014 — The (DMSC, Inc.) Dimensional Metrology Standards Consortium announced today the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved QIF v 2.0 (Quality Information Framework, version 2.0) as an American National Standard.  This new standard enhances the previous ANSI Standard, QIF V1.0 containing quality planning and measurement results, by providing a complete and accurate 3D product definition with semantic geometric and dimensional tolerances, definitions for measurement resources, template for measurement rules, and statistical functionality.  All of this to satisfy the digital interoperability needs for a wide variety of use cases including feature-based dimensional metrology, quality measurement planning, first article inspection, and discrete quality measurement.

On December 19th, 2013, The ANSI Board of Standards Review (BSR) approved QIF v1.0 as an American National Standard. This new standard provides, quality measurement planning (QIF Plans), first article inspection (QIF Results), and discrete quality measurement.  

QIF v2.0 resolves model-based metrologies primary “pain point,” which is obtaining a complete and accurate 3D product definition with semantic geometric and dimensional tolerances (QIF MBD). It provides cost effective XML exchange of product definition with various conformance levels of semantic PMI (e.g., GD&T) that satisfies many CAD to model-based metrology use cases.  QIF v2.0 also provides a way to define and apply measurement resources (QIF Resources), measurement rules (QIF Rules), and statistics (QIF Statistics) towards generating and communicating feature-based measurement plans based upon a plant, department, or supplier’s measurement resources and rules defined by a company and/or by part type.  QIF models include quality characteristics and measurement features as defined in the ASME Y14.5 specification and the Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard (DMIS).

ANSI approval of QIF v2.0 indicates that QIF has attained a consensus approval from a large number of subject matter experts in the digital metrology industry.  (See “About DMSC” below.) The QIF standard was designed to meet the highest industry requirements and to satisfy technological gaps that have traditionally cost industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The DMSC has met, and continues to meet the need for urgently required national standards in quality measurement in a timely fashion.   ANSI’s accredited Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) operate in accordance with national and often international guidelines, and have been verified by government and peer review assessments. 

To find more information about the QIF standards please visit the QIF website at www.qifstandards.org.  To obtain your no-cost copy of the standard please send a request via email to bsquier@dmis.org.

"I am proud of our standards community and the work that we have accomplished with this new standard. This doesn’t replace DMIS (Dimensional Measurement Interface Standard) but it compliments and can harmonize with it. This new standard infrastructure is expandable to include every aspect of the Quality Information Framework, thus the name. Once adopted by the software vendors, this will allow us to properly use digital models with all the engineering requirements and quickly produce inspection and measurement plans throughout our supply chain (micro and macro), conduct inspections and measurements, then analyze and report in standard formats via AS9102 or PPAP files. This will be a huge savings throughout every manufacturing industry in our environment without any cost to the software vendor or user." said Ray Admire, DMSC Treasurer and Chairman of the Quality Measurement Standards Committee."

“Manufacturing quality digital information incompatibilities are costly and affects everyone: vendors, suppliers, users, and customers.  And the digital metrology community has lacked an enterprise-wide standards solutions, UNTIL NOW, QIFv2.0, a superior standards-based digital interoperability has been ANSI approved.  Furthermore the QIF enables Manufacturing Quality to join the Model-Based Enterprise next generation of doing business.” said DMSC President Curtis Brown.

About DMSC

The Dimensional Metrology Standards Consortium (DMSC, Inc.), is an ANSI Accredited Standards Developing Organization, as well as an A-Liaison to ISO TC 184/SC1.  QIF has been developed and demonstrated with support from: Applied Automation Technologies, Boeing, Capvidia, DISCUS, Hexagon Metrology, Honeywell FM&T, InfinityQS, Innovalia Metrology , Inspec Software Corporation, IPI Solutions, John Deere, Kotem, Lockheed Martin, Metrology Integrators, Metrosage, Mitutoyo America, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Nikon Metrology, Origin International, PAS Technology, Pratt Whitney, PTC Solutions, Quality Vision International, Renishaw, Rolls Royce, Siemens PLM Software, Systems Insights, and Zeiss. 

These are many of the same experts who continue to maintain the Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard (DMIS).

QIF is a registered trademark of the DMSC.   © 2014 Dimensional Metrology Standards Consortium

The Calibration of Parallel-CMM: Parallel-Coordinate Measuring Machine

Introduction
The Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) is widely used for the 3D measurements of objects. Traditional CMM is based on a serial mechanism: the components from base unit to end-effecter i.e. base unit, x-axis, y-axis, z-axis and measuring probe are connected serially. But some drawbacks of this mechanism are its weakness against external force and the accumulation of errors. Therefore CMM tends to become large and heavy in order to avoid the influence of the bending and twisting of its components and to decrease measurement errors.

Because of its weight, it has been a very difficult problem to make large CMM capable of fast 3D measurement. We develop a new type of CMM based on a parallel mechanism where the base unit and end-effecter are connected by six links parallel. The advantages of this mechanism are its robustness against external force and error accumulation[1]. Therefore we will able to make larger measuring machine that can measure large objects quickly. On the other hand, there are some disadvantages by using parallel mechanism for CMM. One is the difficulty in the calibration of CMM. Because of its difficulty in solving its forward kinematics and large number of parameters its geometrical model includes, it is hard to calibrate parallel mechanism efficiently.

To make the calibration of parallel CMM easy, we make our prototype by using unique spherical joint consists steel balls and magnets. That allows higher repeatability of positioning and setting-up. At first, the prototype of parallel CMM that has been developed in our laboratory is introduces.  Next we discuss about the parameters we should identify to calibrate parallel CMM and how to calibrate it. Lastly, we give the suggestion of the method to calibrate our prototype efficiently.

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DMIS / I++DME Training Workshop, Aug 10-13, 2009

The next DMIS and I++DME Training Workshop has been scheduled for the week of Aug 10-13.

Reservations may be made now. This may be the last Workshop until spring of next year.

Training Classroom
The newly structured DMIS / I++ DME Workshop uses an innovative approach to demonstrating how DMIS works with I++DME and other commercial software to achieve an integrated framework.
The Workshop will still focus on the programming and implementation of the Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard (DMIS) with an introduction to the I++DME specification. However, other DMIS-based software products will also be running to provide examples and comparisons.

This DMIS Workshop is scheduled for the Brighton, Michigan facility of Metris – USA (LK). The hands-on Workshop is designed for CMM Technicians, Metrology Specialists, and Quality Engineers who need to better understand measurement programming, and the role of standards in the ever-changing world of dimensional metrology.

The Workshop will begin 1:00 PM Monday, and conclude at noon Thursday (24 class hours), and will include, but not be limited to, the following topics.


Coordinate Measuring Machines
Reducibility
Introduction to DMIS
Sensors
DMIS and I++
Measurement
Text based Programs
Alignments
Program Structure
Construction
Configuration
Tolerancing
Features
Output.

Individual Instruction We now suggest the option of bringing your own laptop with your own company software. This allows you to see how the code works with YOUR company's software.
Following the structure of our last several workshops, we will have several DMIS-based software products running.

We will also offer the UCC-Server software, and class participants can load it and watch CAMIO (or their own I++ compatible software) actually run DMIS, and see the I++DME happening at the same time.

That is, when you run DMIS, it is converted to I++ control commands before the controller sees it. With this setup, one can observe the background I++ that occurs based on the currently running DMIS program. It is also possible to view “side-by-side” comparisons of the DMIS to the background I++.

This is your opportunity to learn the DMIS 5.1 Standard as well as to understand the new I++DME specification with "hands-on" experience.

For more information and registration click here

VERISURF Software Offers Industry Appreciation

ANAHEIM, CA – Verisurf Software, Inc. is conducting its first-ever Industry Appreciation event to help companies gain efficiency advantages during these difficult economic times. The program includes a significant trade-in credit applied to the cost of the new VERISURF X software bundle, as well as special financing terms so that companies can put the software on the job immediately with minimal capital outlay.

The seriousness of the economic situation led Verisurf, a pioneer in model-based metrology software, to offer its Industry Appreciation incentives through the end of May 2009. The program features special 50% off trade-in pricing, extended payment terms, and other incentives to help companies implement the necessary technology to maximize efficiency and speed in manufacturing.

Verisurf has built its reputation on "stepping up" to help solve day-to-day problems in the field. Company President Ernie Husted said: “We see this as a time when the commitment to real partnership in our industry has never been more important.” Verisurf has the right solution at the right time to help build and ship products faster and with fewer resources.

“New VERISURF X users tell us they see real, tangible productivity gains in their operations almost immediately,” Husted continued, “Tasks that previously took hours or days are done in minutes, saving time and money.”
Program Details


TRADE-IN 50% OFF – Trade-in your existing legacy metrology software from any software maker for the new VERISURF X suite at one-half the bundle price.

FAVORABLE PAYMENT TERMS -- Verisurf will set up extended payment terms to fit individual businesses. “This way,” Husted explained, “they can leverage the productivity and real-world benefits of the new technology before they have to pay for it in full.

For additional information, see program details at http://verisurf.com/message_to_customers.php, or

contact Verisurf at 714-879-1683 ext. 22.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT OFFER FOR PRE-PAID ORDERS for the DMIS 5.2 STANDARD

DMIS 5.2 will soon be progressed as an ANSI Standard, and as usual we are offering special Pre-paid order prices for this latest version for those who order now. DMIS 5.2 includes new commands for multi-axis inspection (such as the Revo), along with some fifty-five SIR improvements, fixes, and other enhancements to the current DMIS Standard.

Because of the world-wide recession, we are offering the Pre-orders at a very significant price reduction. After DMIS 5.2 has been approved as a standard, the CD will be automatically shipped to those who have Pre-ordered (plus minimal shipping charges). For those who wish to wait to order, the regular price will be $265 per copy. We are offering the DMIS 5.2 standard Pre-paid at the single price of $150 USD. (Remember, these orders must be paid in advance to be reserved.)

To place your Pre-paid Order, simply go to the DMSC Website www.dmsc-inc.org click on “Online Store,” then click on “DMIS Standards (8)” in the upper left of the webpage. Or, just click on the following link: http://www.dmisstandards.org/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=56
Because of shipping and handling costs (i.e., the weight and size of the book) hardcopies of DMIS 5.2 are not included in this discounted price list.

Note: Once the standard has been approved, this Pre-paid special price will no longer be applicable, and will revert to the normal price structure. So, be sure to place your order early to beat the approval deadline -- which should be approximately 45 days from the date of submittal.

Bailey H. Squier Associates
Standards Agents for DMIS
Ph: 817-461-1092
Fx: 817-461-4845
bsquier@dmisstandard.org

DMIS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Need for Certification

The Dimensional Metrology Standards Consortium (DMSC, Inc.) has officially announced the DMIS Certification Program for testing conformance of DMIS-based products against the DMIS Standard. This certification process has been years in the making with the help and expertise of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the DMIS Standards Committee (DSC), the Automotive Industry Action Group’s Metrology Interoperability Project Team (MIPT), and the DMSC membership. This collective group has developed a DMIS Conformance Test Suite, defined DMIS Conformance Classes, and established a DMIS Certification Program to validate the correctness and completeness of vendor DMIS-based products.

Dimensional measurement part programs and results are critical to manufacturing Quality Assurance. DMIS (Dimensional Measuring Interface Standard) is both an American National Standard and ISO international standard language for the correct, complete, and unambiguous description of computer-executable dimensional measurement part programs and measurement results. Because it is an accredited standard, DMIS is non-proprietary and represents industry consensus. Since DMIS is a very large standard, it has been divided up into several conformance classes, in order to accommodate the fact that many users only need to implement subsets of the standard.

DMIS is a successful, dynamic standard because it’s scope and capabilities have expanded over the years along with technology advances in the metrology industry. However, this success has brought about challenges in the area of conformance of DMIS implementations. Not surprisingly, many who claim DMIS conformance are conforming to some variation or modification of the actual DMIS Standard. This situation nullifies and inhibits one of the most fundamental benefits of the DMIS Standard, which is interoperability. Many large companies use the DMIS Standard to share inspection programs between subsidiaries around the world, among suppliers, and even among departments. The basic requirement to accomplish this interoperability is “stick to the standard.”

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