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CMM software applicable to LK and other makes

Edited by the Manufacturingtalk editorial team May 2, 2001

LK, has introduced a new, advanced suite of programming software for use with its own and other manufacturers' co-ordinate measuring machines.

LK, has introduced a new, advanced suite of programming software for use with its own and other manufacturers' co-ordinate measuring machines.

Based on the company's successful CAMIO software, the new CAMIO STUDIO interface provides an intuitive programming environment based on more than 35 years of metrology experience as well as extensive worldwide consultation with customers.

Development of the software at LK's Castle Donington headquarters has consumed thousands of hours and over a million lines of computer code.

Two products make up the CAMIO STUDIO suite.

CAMIO STUDIO INSPECT takes over from LK's CMES 'Teach and Learn' software for programming both manual and computer-controlled machines.

CAMIO STUDIO CAD provides full CAD interfacing, with the ACIS-based core allowing the direct importation of electronic design files from major CAD systems including CATIA, Computervision, Unigraphics and Pro E.

Other CAD files are accessed via exchange languages IGES, STEP and VDA-FS.

Both products include a fully revised and integrated user interface, advanced programming tools and intelligent programming capability.

Wizard-driven programming tools simplify major tasks, guiding the operator through the necessary stages, displaying text and graphical instructions at each stage before asking the operator to confirm and complete the task.

The result is an error-free program completed at the first attempt.

Intelligent feature recognition makes for fast programming, with the software making the decisions and the operator simply driving the machine from the hand-box control.

As each feature is measured, the software identifies its type and commits it to the program without the operator having to return to the computer.

Manual machine operation is now assisted through the use of target-driven inspection.

When a touch-point is needed, on-screen probe simulation plus a colour coded target system guide the operator to drive the machine manually to the required location for the touch-point.

The computer environment can be configured to suit a user's individual requirements and saved for future use.

New toolbars and drop-down menus are created to provide shortcuts to most commonly used functions.

Icons can be resized and the layout modified to suit specific personnel.

As points are collected, the new grid control updates the actual measured size and displays the form of the feature in a window to allow the user to view the results graphically in real-time.

There is also a smart toolbar which automatically changes to offer the user a selection of functions applicable to the current task.

For example, as different features are inspected, tolerance options change to reflect the current feature.

CAMIO STUDIO CAD features an interface more familiar to CAD users, including simulation of the whole machine - not just the probe, automatic probe collision detection in software before the program is run on the CMM, and more intelligence for advising the best probe head angles.