Probing Operations

The Probing dialog box appears when you select Hole or Pins Probing,Slots or Ribs Probing, Corner Probing, or Multi-Points Probing. This dialog box contain controls for:

PP Table

Strategy and geometry parameters for Probing operations are described in PP Tables and PP Word Syntaxes

Strategy for Holes or Pins Probing



Tool axis
Select tool axis in the authoring window.

By default, the value is 0., 0., 1.

See Defining the Tool Axis

Probing direction
Specifies direction of the first probing.

By default, the value is 1., 0., 0.

Probing Tolerance
Specifies probing tolerance used in the computation of the tool path.
Depth of contact
Specifies depth of penetration of the stylus into the material.
Number of Probes
Specifies number of probing points.

By default, the value is 4.

The value must be greater than 0.

Safety Distance
Specifies safety distance.

By default, the value is 10.mm.

Depth
Specifies depth distance.

By default, the value is 0.mm, if you select points.

Security Distance
Specifies distance before contact with part to change the feedrate in probing feedrate.

By default, the value is 5.mm.

Return by the middle
When selected, after each probe, the retract goes through the middle of the hole (or the pin). Example when the option is activated then deactivated:

Return by the top plane

  • Is available only when Probing Side is set to Probe Inside.
  • When selected, after each probe, the retract goes through the top plane.

Geometry for Holes or Pins Probing



Probing Side
List of geometries composed of points (center of holes or pins to probe) or guides (contour of holes or pins). You can select points, circles, and cylinders.
  • Probe Inside to probe a hole,

  • or Probe Outside to probe a pin.

Diameter
Specifies diameter.

Double-click Diameter and edit it in the dialog box that appears.

By default, the value is 0.mm.

Angle
Specifies angle.

Double-click Angle and edit it in the dialog box that appears.

Top\Part\Points
Select top, part, and plane in the authoring window.

You can:

  • remove your selection and select a new contour,

  • Modify the geometry, hence the diameter or the angle, and retrieve the associativity via the contextual menu:

Note: If the contour of the hole (or pin) is selected, the diameter is automatically computed and is associated with the geometry. Its value is displayed in the sensitive icon.

Offset on Part
Specifies offset on part.

By default, the value is 0.

Strategy for Slots or Ribs Probing



Tool axis
Select tool axis in the authoring window.

By default, the value is 0., 0., 1.

See Defining the Tool Axis

Probing direction
Specifies direction of the first probing.

By default, the value is 1., 0., 0.

Probing Tolerance
Specifies probing tolerance used in the computation of the tool path.
Depth of Contact
Specifies depth of penetration of the stylus into the material.
Safety Distance
Specifies safety distance.

By default, the value is 10.mm.

Depth
Specifies depth distance.

By default, the value is 0.mm.

Security Distance
Specifies distance before contact with part to change the feedrate in probing feedrate.

By default, the value is 5.mm.

Return by the top plane

  • Is available only when Probing Side is set to Probe Inside.
  • When selected, after each probe, the retract goes through the top plane.

Geometry for Slots or Ribs Probing



In addition to the two faces or planes which compose the Slot or the Rib, you can define the following.

Note: If the faces of the slot (or rib) are selected, the width is automatically computed and is associated of the geometry.

Probing Side
Speifies the probimg side.

You can specify:

  • Probe Inside to probe a slot,

  • or Probe Outside to probe a rib.

Offset on Part
Specifies offset on part.

By default, the value is 0.

Width
Specifies width. Its value is displayed in the sensitive icon.

Double-click Width and edit it in the dialog box that appears.

By default, the value is 0.

Top\Planes\Part\Faces
Select top\planes\part\faces in the authoring window.

You can

  • remove your selection and select new faces,

  • Modify the geometry, hence the rib or the slot, and retrieve the associativity via the contextual menu:

Strategy for Corner Probing



Tool axis
Select tool axis in the authoring window.

By default, the value is 0., 0., 1.

See Defining the Tool Axis

Probing Tolerance
Specifies probing tolerance used in the computation of the tool path.
Depth of contact
Specifies depth of penetration of the stylus into the material.
Distance of first point
Defines the distance between the corner and the first probing point.
Distance of second point
Defines the distance between the first and the second probing points.
Safety Distance
Specifies safety distance.

By default, the value is 10.mm.

Depth
Specifies depth distance.

By default, the value is 0.mm.

Security Distance
Specifies distance before contact with part to change the Feedrates in probing Feedrates.

By default, the value is 5.mm.

Geometry for Corner Probing



In addition to the two faces which compose the corner, you can define the following:

Probing Side
Specifies probing side.

You can specify:

  • Probe Inside to probe a internal corner,

  • or Probe Outside to probe an external corner.

Offset on Part
Specifies offset on part.

By default, the value is 0.

Top plane/Faces/Part
Select top plane/faces/part in the authoring window.

Strategy for Multi-Points Probing



Tool axis
Select tool axis in the authoring window.

By default, the value is 0., 0., 1.

See Defining the Tool Axis

Probing Tolerance
Specifies probing tolerance used in the computation of the tool path.
Depth of contact
Specifies depth of penetration of the stylus into the material.
Safety Distance
Specifies safety distance.

By default, the value is 10.mm.

Security Distance
Specifies distance before contact with part to change the feedrate in probing feedrate.

By default, the value is 5.mm.

Geometry for Multi-Points Probing



You can define the points to probe and their direction.

You can:

  • select points, in this case their direction is the tool axis.
  • pick points on a surface. At each pick, a point is created on the surface with the coordinates of pointer. This point is not associated of the face: if the face is modified, the point cannot be modified. The direction of the point is the normal to the surface.

The points selected are displayed under the geometry sensitive icon.

You can:

  • modifies probing point coordinates,
  • modifies probing point direction,
  • edit them,
  • remove them,
  • and reorder them.

Probing User Parameters

This tab page is found in each probing command and works as described in Adding an User Parameter.

Probing User parameters can be of the following types:

  • String,
  • Boolean,
  • Integer,
  • Real,
  • Length,
  • Angle.

Feedrates and Speeds




  • Feedrate
    Automatic compute from tooling Feeds and Speeds
    This check box allow an operation's feeds and speeds values to be updated automatically when the tool's feeds and speeds values are modified.

    You can specify the following feedrates:

    • Approach
    • Machining
    • Retract

    Note:

    The feedrates and spindle speed can be defined in linear (feed per minute) or angular (feed per revolution) units.

    • Angular: feedrate in revolutions per minute and unit is set to mm_turn.
    • Linear: feedrate in feed per minute and unit is set to mm_mn.

    Transition
    You can locally set the feedrate for a transition path to a machining operation B from a machining operation A or from a tool change activity. This is done by selecting the Transition check box in the Machining Operation dialog box for operation B.

    For more information, please refer to the Setting a Transition Feedrate.

  • Compute: Feeds and speeds of the operation can be updated according to tooling feeds and speeds by clicking the Compute button located in the Feeds and Speeds tab of the operation.

    See About Feeds and Speeds

Tools

The tools used with the probing operations are Ball Stylus (or disc stylus: portion of a sphere) and Cylinder Stylus :

See Specifying a Tool Element in a Machining Operation

NC Macros



For more information, please refer to the Defining Macros.

You can define transition paths in your machining operations by means of NC macros:

  • Approach: to approach the operation start point (deactivated by default),
  • Retract: to retract from the operation end point (deactivated by default),
  • Linking: to link two probing cycles (deactivated by default).
  • Clearance to avoid a fixture, for example.

    Note: A Clearance macro is used only if Linking macros are used.

The macros generated in APT file are managed as the drilling operations. Examples:

  • Hole probing of two holes with the Linking macros deactivated:

  • Strategy Parameters:
    • Diameter = 40mm
    • Safety Distance = 10mm
    • Offset on Top Plane = 2mm
    • Depth = 20mm
    • Security Distance = 5mm
  • Macro Parameters:
    • Along Tool Axis - 20mm
    • Linking: Deactived
    • Retract: Along Tool Axis - 20mm
    • Approach:

  • APT Generated:
    $$ Start generation of: Holes Probing.1
RAPID
GOTO / 100.0, 100.0, 80.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
FEDRAT/ 300.0000,MMPM
GOTO / 100.0, 100.0, 60.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
CYCLE/PROBING_HOLE, 40.000000, 10.000000, 2.000000, 20.000000,
5.000000
GOTO / 100.0, 100.0, 50.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
GOTO / 200.0, 100.0, 50.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
CYCLE/OFF
FEDRAT/ 1000.0000,MMPM
GOTO / 200.0, 100.0, 80.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0
$$ End of generation of: Holes Probing.1

Edit Cycle Macro
Edit cycle is available for all probing commands.

Add PP word list
lets you add PP Words. General information about PP Words can be found in PP Tables and PP Word Syntaxes.

See Defining Macros for more information. The syntaxes available are:

Probing operation

Available syntaxes (where n is a number: 1,2, etc.)


Holes or Pins Probing

 
NC_PROBING_HOLE
NC_PROBING_PIN
NC_PROBING_HOLE_n
NC_PROBING_PIN_n


Slots or Ribs Probing

 
NC_PROBING_SLOT
NC_PROBING_RIB
NC_PROBING_SLOT_n
NC_PROBING_RIB_n


Corner Probing

 
NC_PROBING_CORNER
NC_PROGING_CORNER_n


Multi-Points Probing

 
NC_PROBING_MULTI_POINTS
NC_PROBING_MULTI_POINTS_n