Boosting manufacturing productivity is central to the very concept of multisensor metrology.
Combining contact and optical measurement in a single system, multisensor and optical coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) are designed to deliver the measurement flexibility that enables users to a) simplify machine set up and b) reduce cycle times when inspecting a range of workpieces of various complexities.
But what could be done for manufacturers who want the option to push these productivity gains even further?
This question led us to the development of the Optiv Dual technologies. Purpose-built to enhance multisensor inspection, Optiv Dual encompasses three technologies:
- Optiv Dual Z, which consists of two independent sensor axes and automatically lifts the inactive sensor out of the measuring volume.
- Optiv Dual Rotary, which rotates the part by defined angles to reduce probe change requirements.
- Optiv Dual Camera, which enables automatic switches between a fast overview mode and a high-precision mode of non-contact measurement.
There are five key ways that Optiv Dual technologies have been designed to give extra boosts to inspection productivity.
1. Minimised set-up time
Manual probe changes or workpiece reclamping are two typical contributors to increased cycle times. Eliminating both these issues, Optiv Dual Z and Optiv Dual Rotary help users achieve single-setup inspections.
On multisensor CMMs with one sensor axis, the contact and non-contact sensors are fixed to each other, reducing measuring position accessibility. By leveraging the sensors on two individual axes, Optiv Dual Z accesses more of the measuring volume in a single cycle.
With Optiv Dual Rotary, more workpiece features are made accessible due to automatic rotational positioning.
2. Increased application flexibility
The automatic two-step zoom of the Optiv Dual Camera was designed to give users optimum adaptability to the measuring task at hand. Where fast scanning is required, the overview mode enables fast Multicapture measurement, reducing inspection times. Where greater accuracy is required, the detail mode trades off quicker measuring time for high-precision magnification within a smaller field of view.
A motorised indexing probe head can be used with Optiv Dual Z, and the flexibility of the probe head’s full rotational range makes even more positions on the workpiece easily accessible.
3. Maximised precision
If you’re looking for sub-micron accuracy, Optiv Dual Camera has been crafted to ensure the highest optical resolution. Equipped with CMOS monochrome cameras, the system minimises distortion and delivers good contrast to capture parts with true-to-geometry imaging.
What’s more, the electronic switching between overview and detail mode ensures no loss of accuracy (something that you could experience if these optical components moved mechanically).
4. Reduced uncertainty
Removing requirements for probe changes, reclamping, or workpiece realignment is key to enhancing reproducibility and reducing uncertainty. Optiv Dual Rotary and Optiv Dual Z enable referencing of measurements between features, for example when evaluating positional tolerances, to give users confidence in their results. Workpiece realignment is avoided with Optiv Dual Z’s collision-free accessibility to part features.
5. Faster measurement routine creation
Optiv Dual Rotary and Optiv Dual Z are fully integrated with PC-DMIS metrology software, enabling a streamlined approach to inspection routine creation.
For Optiv Dual Rotary, PC-DMIS simplifies the calibration of the CNC rotary axes with dialog-guided execution. PC-DMIS accounts for the rotation of the workpiece coordinate system relative to the machine coordinate system. This enables fast and easy programming of relational measurements between features from different rotational positions.
Optiv Dual Z’s collision-free workpiece accessibility also simplifies creating measuring routines in PC-DMIS.
Visit the Optiv Dual Technology page to learn more. On each of the Optiv Dual technology product pages you’ll find a video showing them in action. You can also download leaflets from these pages for a deeper look into each technology.
