Why Polyworks?

[Coleman]

Hi All,

I am a CMM programmer trying to learn more about the workd of high density point clouds.  I have My eye on an LDI laser scanner that is retrofitted on to a bridge CMM.  My understanding is that I will need to export the point cloud into something more capable for evaluation rather than traditional CMM software.

I have a unique application where each part will have a unique design so no two parts are ever going to be the same - though they will usually be similar.  My thought is to have the parts scanned by the LDI Laser to gather comprehensive data and than evaluate the data in comparison to a provided nominal model and have the ability to incorporate the GD&T requirements of the print.

I have a couple of questions:

1) Why Polyworks.  What sets this platform above the rest and why should I invest my time effort money and resources into Polyworks above its competitors?  Is it the best choice for my application?

2) Does anyone have any experience with LDI?  Can you give me any reasons why I would or would not want to partner with them for my laser scanning application?

3) Can I believe an reportes acuracy of 0.009mm with laser technolog or is this a sales brouchure that is over exagerating the capability of the equipment?

Thanks,

Coleman

[jrayself]

I can't offer any advice on the LDI scanner or its stated accuracy but that does seem like a crazy accurate number for a laser scanner.

As far as PolyWorks goes, for your application, its new version offers DirectReplay technology which could save you a lot of time on inspecting similar parts. Once you've completed an inspection for part A (alignment, features, surface deviations, GD&T and a report) part B could possibly be completed with just replacing the CAD model. It's pretty easy to create a set of generic inspection templates to simplify each part.

The macro scripting capabilities fill in any of the gaps that the DirectReplay leaves. Innovmetric offers great technical support--no first-line-of-defense technicians that just read from a script.

Full disclosure, I am obviously a PolyWorks user, have been for about six years. I haven't used the new version of CAM2 which supports point clouds, it might be pretty decent, but it is new to the point cloud game. Verisurf was very unimpressive each time I've seen/used it. I haven't seen Geomagic recently enough to offer an opinion.

[Coleman]

Thanks for the reply!

Where can I learn more about the DirectReplay function?  It sounds like this is the direction I should be looking at, but the last thing I want to do is invest and then find out it can't quite do what I need.

Part of the challange is that I need to make the process turn key.  With limited instruction (and possibly a lot of Macro programing...) I need to be able to have an operator load a part and push the run button - and let the software make a determiniation as to good or bad.

How long does it take to become proficient with Polyworks.  I am a little concerned with the proposition of spending weeks trying to understand why my lines of scripting don't work the way I thought they would?

[jrayself]

Here is the March IMFlash newsletter from Innovmetric, it covers some of the main features of the new DirectReplay functionality:
http://www.innovmetric.com/polyworks/3D-scanners/pdf/IMFlash_mar_2011.pdf

It will be very difficult, if not impossible, with any software, to make the process turn-key if all of your parts are one-offs.

As with any other metrology platform or computer program the learning curve is very dependent on the individual. Some people pick it up very quickly while others will constantly struggle and plateau very quickly. I have trained hundreds of people on PolyWorks and I can count on one hand the number of people that amazed me at how fast they picked it up--some people are just wired for it.

As a PolyWorks distributor we can offer you a 30 day trial of the software to make sure it suits your needs.

[Coleman]

Well,

The parts will always be similar... There is a parametric design for various sizes within a family of parts.  After that there will be a couple of walls that are custom sculpted to each individual application for a unique fit.  There will be a profile requirement of the sculpted surface back to the datum scheme which is standard. 

My thinking was that i should be able to set up some parameters that would define an envolope the sculpted surface would fall in.  Laser scan the part.  Export the point cloud and fit it to the model with the datum targets.  At this point it should be a simple process of comparing nominal vs. actual.

This is a simplistic view of the application, but not overly so...