Temperature Compensation in PC-DMIS

Published by CMMXYZ on September 5, 2021

PC-DMIS Tech Tip: This video demonstrates Automatic and Manual method of Temperature Compensation and Legacy Temperature Compensation (For CMM's without temperature sensors)

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Welcome to another video on Tech Tips from CMMXYZ. Today's topic on Tech Tips is "Temperature Compensation in PC-DMIS." When a material is subjected to varying temperature, the material tends to expand or contract in response to the temperature change. To compensate the measurement for varying temperature, we can insert temperature compensation command in a part program.

To insert the Temperature Compensation command, go to Insert, Parameter Change, the Temperature Compensation. In the Temperature Compensation dialog box, you can select the method of compensation to automatic or manual. By default, automatic method will be selected and greyed out. In automatic method, the temperature values are taken from sensors built into the machine that are connected to the controller.

One or more part sensors are attached to the part and the values are read directly from the controller. Select the Part Sensor. If only one part sensor is available, attach it to the part and select the Default Sensor. Select the material of the part and the value for coefficient of temperature expansion for the material would be filled automatically.

Next, set the Warning Limits. This option sets the limit for maximum and the minimum temperature for X, Y, and Z scale and the part. If the check box for the said warning limit is checked, we can enter the maximum and the minimum limit. If not, a default value of maximum 40-degree centigrade and minimum 10-degree centigrade is taken. Then click OK to add the command. To report the temperature values in your report, go to Insert, Gauge, Temperature.

When the dialog box opens, you can see the temperature of the X, Y, and Z scale of the machine and the part in the Properties tab. Then in the Report tab, enter the required tolerance and the nominal value of the temperature. Click on OK to add the gauge report in the Edit Window. Next, execute the program and check the temperature report in the Report Window.

If the temperature is out the warning limit, then an error shows up during the execution.

To change the method to manual, go to Edit, Preferences, Temperature Compensation Setup. If this option is greyed out, then we'll have to launch PC-DMIS as an administrator to select it. Check on Allow Manual Method to select Manual Method. Here, you can change the units to degree Celsius or degree Fahrenheit, and select the Required Sensors if you're using multiple sensors. Press OK to save the changes.

When we go back to the Temperature Compensation dialog box, we'll now be able to select the Manual Method. After switching to Manual Method, execute the program. During the execution, the Gauge Temperature Dialogue box shows up to enter the part temperature manually. Key in the temperature manually and click on OK to continue. The entered value will be reported as the measured part temperature in the report.

If the CMM is not equipped with temperature sensors, then you can use the Legacy Temperature Compensation Setup. To switch to Legacy Method, close PC-DMIS Application, and go to Window Start, PC-DMIS, PC-DMIS Settings Editor. In PC-DMIS Settings Editor, click on Connect and wait till the list shows up. Then click on Find and enter UseTemperatureCompensationV2 in the box, and click on Find Next. Select UseTemperatureCompensationV2 and change the current value to FALSE. Save the change and close. Then launch PC-DMIS.

Now, when you open the Temperature Compensation dialog box, you'll be able to enter all the temperature values in Legacy Temperature Compensation Setup.

This was a video on Temperature Compensation. Thank you for watching the video.

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